San Antonio Regional Hospital Birth Injury Lawyers

This page is for families who welcomed a baby at San Antonio Regional Hospital, at 999 San Bernardino Road in Upland, in San Bernardino County, and who are now worried about how the delivery went or about their child's health and development. If your baby needed intensive care, has been diagnosed with a condition such as cerebral palsy or a brachial plexus injury, or is simply not reaching milestones, you may be asking whether something that happened around birth played a part.

According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), San Antonio Regional Hospital is operated by a non-profit corporation, cared for 1,608 newborns in its newborn nursery in 2024, and is licensed for 20 intensive-care newborn beds, with 213 NICU discharges that year. The hospital's own website describes birthing suites and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit close to them. Many Inland Empire families trust this hospital with the births of their children, and most births go well.

We wrote this guide to explain, in plain words, what birth injuries are, which signs to watch for, how an independent medical review works, and what steps a family can take. It is general information, not legal advice, and it says nothing about any particular delivery. Nothing here suggests that the hospital or anyone who works there did anything wrong. Only a careful review of the actual records by qualified medical experts can answer that question for your family.

Labor and delivery at San Antonio Regional Hospital in Upland

San Antonio Regional Hospital sits on San Bernardino Road in Upland and serves families in the western end of San Bernardino County and nearby communities. The hospital's Healthy Beginnings page says its specially trained nurses and birthing suites offer the comforts of home with the latest technology, and that mothers and babies room in together unless the baby needs special medical care. The page also lists lactation support and classes for expectant parents.

For newborns who need more help, the same page says a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is close at hand. According to the hospital's 2024 report to the state (HCAI), the hospital is licensed for 20 intensive-care newborn beds, had 213 NICU discharges in 2024, and cared for 1,608 newborns in its newborn nursery. The state lists the hospital as a non-profit corporation.

These facts describe what the hospital offers. They are not a statement about the care any one family received. If you want to understand your own delivery, the place to start is the medical record, which we explain below.

Birth injuries families ask about after a difficult delivery

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a type of brain injury caused by reduced oxygen or blood flow around the time of birth. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the Cleveland Clinic describe signs that can include changes in muscle tone, feeding trouble, a weak cry, breathing problems and seizures. Cooling therapy, called therapeutic hypothermia, is used in many NICUs for eligible babies and may reduce the chance of severe disability. Cleveland Clinic estimates HIE affects roughly 1 to 6 babies per 1,000 births.

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement, balance and posture. The CDC explains that most cases are congenital, meaning the problem occurred before or during birth, and that in many the cause is never found. The CDC also notes that lack of oxygen during birth appears to explain only a small number of cases. That is why a careful, individual medical review matters: a diagnosis alone does not tell anyone what caused it.

Other injuries families ask about include Erb's palsy and other brachial plexus injuries, where the nerves of the shoulder and arm are stretched during delivery. NINDS and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) describe risk factors such as shoulder dystocia and a large baby, and note that many milder cases improve with therapy, while some need surgery. Newborn brain bleeds, skull fractures and collarbone fractures can also happen, and some infections, such as group B strep (GBS), can make a newborn very ill. Mothers can be injured too, for example by heavy bleeding (postpartum hemorrhage) or tears. Each of these can occur even when everyone does everything right, and each can sometimes be linked to a delay or error. A review of the records is how that is sorted out.

Warning signs of a birth injury in the first days, weeks and months

In the first days, parents and nurses may notice a baby who is very floppy or very stiff, who has seizures or jerking movements, who has trouble breathing, who will not feed or has a weak cry, or who needs to go to the NICU. A baby who cannot move one arm, whose hand stays curled, or who cries when a shoulder or collarbone is touched may have a nerve or bone injury. Fever, extreme sleepiness or poor feeding can be signs of infection and need immediate medical attention.

In the first months, the CDC lists signs of cerebral palsy in babies under six months such as a head that lags when the baby is lifted, a body that feels stiff or floppy, and legs that stiffen or cross. After six months, a baby who does not roll over, has trouble bringing hands together or to the mouth, or uses only one hand may need an evaluation. After ten months, crawling in a lopsided way or dragging one side of the body is another sign. Delays in sitting, crawling and walking, trouble with feeding, and unusual muscle tone are the signals most families describe.

None of these signs proves that a birth injury occurred, and children without any condition can show some of them. But they are good reasons to talk to your pediatrician, ask for a developmental evaluation, and keep notes. Early help makes a real difference for the child, whatever the cause.

Who may be responsible in a birth-injury claim?

A delivery involves many people, and a claim may involve more than one of them. Depending on the facts, the people and groups a review can look at may include the obstetrician, a midwife, an anesthesiologist, a neonatologist or pediatrician, labor and delivery nurses, other hospital staff, and the hospital itself. A review looks at what each person was responsible for and what the records show about it.

Employment matters. Some doctors are employees of a hospital. Many are independent physicians or belong to a separate medical group that has privileges at the hospital. If your doctor did not work for the hospital, that does not end the question; it only means a different party may be involved. Sorting out who employed or supervised whom is one of the first things a legal team checks.

The word 'may' is important here. Many bad outcomes happen without anyone being at fault, and a claim requires proof, supported by expert medical opinion, that care fell below accepted standards and that this caused the injury. Because California has strict deadlines and a required notice before a medical malpractice case can be filed, it is wise to get advice early, even if you are still unsure.

How an independent expert review of the delivery works

An independent review begins with the complete records for both mother and baby. Key items include the fetal heart monitoring strips, which show the baby's heart rate and the mother's contractions over hours of labor; the Apgar scores at one and five minutes; umbilical cord blood gas results, which give a snapshot of the baby's oxygen and acid levels at birth; labor and delivery nursing notes; anesthesia records; and the NICU notes, imaging and MRI reports.

Physicians who practice in the relevant field, such as obstetrics, neonatology and pediatric neurology, read these records and the timeline. They ask whether the monitoring was interpreted as expected, whether decisions such as a cesarean section were made in a timely way, whether a newborn was resuscitated and treated appropriately, and whether the child's condition is consistent with a problem around birth or with another cause such as genetics or events during pregnancy.

The result may be that the experts find no basis for a claim, and that is a valid and sometimes reassuring answer. If they do find concerns, the family decides what to do next with full information. The review itself does not require you to take any action against anyone.

What you can do now: steps for your family

First, take care of your child. Keep every appointment, follow the therapy plan, and ask the NICU team or pediatrician to explain the diagnosis in simple terms. Write down dates, names of providers, and questions as you think of them.

Second, request the records. A parent or guardian can ask for the baby's chart and the mother's labor and delivery chart in writing. Ask specifically for the fetal monitoring strips, because they are sometimes kept separately from the main chart, and for cord blood gas results and NICU records. Keep copies of everything and do not write on originals. Third, save bills, insurance letters, photos and any messages from the hospital.

Fourth, speak with a lawyer who handles birth-injury cases, ideally soon. A first conversation helps you learn about deadlines, the notice step that must come before a lawsuit, and how a medical review would be arranged. Many firms offer a free first consultation, and injury cases are often handled on a contingency basis, meaning no fee unless there is a recovery, but ask about costs when you call. Finally, ask your pediatrician about early intervention services so your child's support does not wait on any legal question.

Support for your child while a case is reviewed

Therapy and support should not wait. Depending on your child's needs, a doctor may recommend physical, occupational or speech therapy, feeding support, specialist visits (neurology, orthopedics, ophthalmology), mobility equipment, or other care. Children's hospitals with multidisciplinary clinics can be helpful for conditions such as brachial plexus injuries.

For babies under three, California's Early Start program, delivered through the Inland Regional Center for San Bernardino County, can evaluate development and arrange services. Families can also ask their pediatrician about Medi-Cal and California Children's Services (CCS), which may help with medical care for children with certain eligible conditions. Eligibility depends on your situation, and no outcome is promised.

A legal claim, when one exists, is separate from these services. Its purpose is to address the costs of a child's needs over a lifetime, but it is never a substitute for getting care started now.

Deadlines for a birth-injury case in California

California gives a child’s birth-injury case its own deadline. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 340.5, a minor must sue within three years of the wrongful act, but a child who was under six when it happened has until his or her eighth birthday if that is longer. For a baby hurt during labor or delivery, that usually means the eighth birthday. The clock runs from the act itself, not from the day the family learned what went wrong, and it is paused only in narrow cases of fraud or collusion. Parents’ own claims, and claims against a public hospital, can have much shorter deadlines, so it is safer to get advice early.

Before a medical malpractice lawsuit can be filed in California, the doctor or hospital must get written warning. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 364, the health care provider must receive at least 90 days’ notice of the intention to sue. No special form is required, but the notice must state the legal basis of the claim, the type of loss and the specific injuries suffered. Under § 364(d), if the notice is served within the last 90 days of the filing deadline, the deadline is extended 90 days from the date of service. The notice is a required step, and it is often the moment a case moves from questions to formal action.

What MICRA caps — and what it does not

California’s MICRA law limits one part of a medical malpractice recovery. Under Civil Code § 3333.2, as amended by AB 35, non-economic damages (pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life) are capped. In 2026 the cap is $470,000 for injury and $650,000 for wrongful death, and it rises every January 1 ($40,000 and $50,000 a year until 2033, then 2% a year). Separate caps can apply to doctors, hospitals and unaffiliated providers. Economic damages are not capped: lifetime medical care, therapy, equipment, home modifications and lost earning capacity can be recovered in full, and in a birth-injury case they are usually the largest part of the claim.

How to get the delivery records from San Antonio Regional Hospital

California law gives families a right to these records. Under Health and Safety Code § 123110, a patient or the patient’s personal representative — for a baby, a parent or guardian (§ 123105) — may inspect the records within five working days of a written request and is entitled to a paper or electronic copy, which the provider must send within 15 days after receiving a request that says which records are wanted. For a birth-injury review, ask for both charts: the mother’s labor and delivery record, including the fetal heart rate monitoring strips, and the baby’s newborn and NICU record.

To get records from San Antonio Regional Hospital, contact its Release of Information / Medical Records department, which the hospital's website says handles medical, billing and radiology records. You can mail a completed Patient Records Authorization Form to Release of Information/Medical Records, 999 San Bernardino Road, Upland, CA 91786, fax it to 909-920-4745, email release-of-information@sarh.org, or call 909-579-6976 (listed hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm). The hospital also offers a patient portal, My Health Records. Because a baby's chart and the mother's chart are separate, ask for both, and ask specifically for the fetal heart monitoring strips and cord blood gas results. Phone numbers and addresses on hospital pages vary, so confirm them before you send anything.

The hospital’s medical records page →

Where a case from Upland would be filed

A civil case from San Bernardino County is filed in the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino. For families in Upland, the court's Civil Division, Rancho Cucamonga District, at 8303 Haven Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730, is the nearby courthouse that lists civil cases, and the court's main civil location is the San Bernardino Justice Center. Which courthouse hears a specific case can change, so a lawyer confirms the proper location with the court at the time of filing.

Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, Civil Division, Rancho Cucamonga District → — 8303 Haven Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730

Help for your child now: Early Start in San Bernardino County

Early Start is California's early intervention program for babies and toddlers under 3 who have a developmental delay or a condition that may cause one. The regional center that serves Upland and San Bernardino County is Inland Regional Center (Department of Developmental Services, dds.ca.gov). Any parent can ask for an evaluation; you do not need a lawyer or a diagnosis. Call Early Start intake for San Bernardino County at (909) 890-4711, or ask your pediatrician or the NICU social worker to send a referral. Say that you are worried about your baby's development and would like an Early Start evaluation.

Inland Regional Center →

Key facts

Questions parents ask

Other San Bernardino County hospitals we cover

Kaiser Permanente Fontana · Loma Linda Children’s Hospital · Kaiser Permanente Ontario Medical Center · Arrowhead Regional Medical Center · San Bernardino birth injury lawyers →

Related pages

Cerebral Palsy · Erb’s Palsy / Brachial Plexus Injury · HIE / Oxygen Deprivation at Birth · Statute of Limitations · MICRA Damages Cap · All California hospitals · California birth injury lawyers · Birth injury guides

Beverly Law is an independent law firm. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or speaking for San Antonio Regional Hospital or San Antonio Regional Hospital (non-profit corporation). Hospital facts on this page come from the public sources listed above.

Important: This page is general information about birth injuries and California law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Beverly Law. Every case is different — talk to a lawyer about your own situation. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. No fees or costs unless we win. Last reviewed: 2026-09-18.