For Glendale Families Who Suspect a Birth Injury
Bringing a child into the world is supposed to be one of the most important moments a family experiences. When something goes wrong during labor or delivery, the questions that follow are real and they matter. Was this preventable? Did someone make a mistake? What does this mean for my child’s future?
These are not easy questions to sit with. And you may not have answers yet.
If your baby was injured during birth and you believe medical care may have played a role, talking to a Glendale personal injury lawyer is a reasonable first step. It does not mean you are accusing anyone of wrongdoing. It means you are trying to understand what happened and what your family’s options are.
The Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti has been representing injured clients and families across Los Angeles County since 2006. We offer free consultations for birth injury cases. There is no cost to speak with us, and no obligation to move forward.
Serving Glendale From Our Burbank Office 4444 W Riverside Dr #308, Burbank, CA 91505. We represent families throughout Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, and Los Angeles County. If travel is difficult, we come to you.
What Is a Birth Injury?
A birth injury is physical harm to a baby that occurs during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Some birth injuries are minor and resolve on their own over time. Others are serious and cause lasting neurological, physical, or developmental challenges that affect a child for years or for life.
Not every birth injury is caused by medical error. Some complications are genuinely unforeseeable, and difficult deliveries do not automatically mean something went wrong. But when a birth injury happens because a doctor, nurse, or hospital did not meet the accepted standard of care, the family may have a medical malpractice claim.
A birth injury case starts with a careful review of the medical records and, in most cases, an independent evaluation by a qualified medical expert. That process takes time and attention. A lawyer who handles these cases guides families through every step.
Common Types of Birth Injuries
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a group of conditions that affect movement, muscle tone, and coordination. It is sometimes linked to brain damage that occurred before, during, or shortly after birth. Oxygen deprivation during labor is one known cause. Cerebral palsy requires lifelong care and support.
Brachial Plexus Injuries and Erb’s Palsy
The brachial plexus is the network of nerves that controls movement and feeling in the arm, hand, and shoulder. These nerves can be injured during a difficult delivery, particularly when excessive force is applied. Erb’s palsy is a specific type of brachial plexus injury that affects a baby’s ability to move their arm. Depending on severity, it may improve with therapy or may require surgery.
Infant Brain Injuries
Brain injuries in newborns can result from oxygen deprivation, trauma during delivery, or untreated infection. The consequences vary widely, from mild developmental delays to serious and permanent cognitive impairment. Identifying the cause requires detailed review of labor and delivery records.
Shoulder Dystocia
Shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bone during delivery. It is a medical emergency. If not managed correctly and quickly, it can result in injury to the baby’s nerves, oxygen deprivation, or other serious complications. Medical teams are trained to handle shoulder dystocia safely, and failures in that response can contribute to injury.
Injuries From Oxygen Deprivation
A baby who is deprived of oxygen during labor or delivery, a condition known as birth asphyxia or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), can suffer brain damage within minutes. The extent of the damage depends on how long the deprivation lasted and how quickly medical staff responded. Delayed recognition of fetal distress is one of the factors that may contribute to oxygen deprivation injuries.
What Causes Birth Injuries?
Many birth injuries have natural causes that no one could have prevented. Others happen because something went wrong in the medical care provided. Common medical factors that may contribute to birth injuries include:
Delayed or Improper C-Section
When a C-section is necessary because of fetal distress, a prolonged labor, or other complications, delays in performing the procedure can result in oxygen deprivation or other injury to the baby. A decision to delay or avoid a C-section when one was medically indicated may be a factor in a birth injury claim.
Failure to Monitor the Baby During Labor
Fetal monitoring tracks the baby’s heart rate during labor. Patterns in the heart rate can signal distress. Failure to properly interpret these patterns, or failure to act when abnormal patterns appear, can allow a dangerous situation to develop without intervention.
Improper Use of Delivery Tools
Forceps and vacuum extractors are tools used to assist delivery in certain situations. When used correctly, they can help complete a difficult delivery safely. When used with excessive force or at the wrong time, they can cause head trauma, nerve damage, or other injury.
Failure to Respond to Signs of Distress
Signs that a mother or baby is in distress during labor require prompt attention. Failure to recognize those signs, or failure to act on them in time, is one of the more common factors reviewed in birth injury cases.
Signs Parents Should Watch For
Some birth injuries are visible and diagnosed immediately. Others become apparent over weeks, months, or even years as a child develops. Signs that may indicate a birth injury include:
- Difficulty with feeding in the early days of life
- Muscle stiffness or unusual floppiness
- Seizures in the newborn period
- Delays in reaching developmental milestones such as sitting, crawling, or walking
- Weakness or limited movement in one arm or hand
- Difficulty with speech or communication as the child grows
- Diagnosis of cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, or a neurological condition
If your child has been diagnosed with any of these conditions and you have questions about the circumstances of their birth, speaking with a lawyer is a reasonable step.
When Medical Negligence May Be Involved
Medical negligence in a birth injury case means a healthcare provider did not meet the standard of care that a reasonably competent provider in the same situation would have met. It does not mean the outcome was bad. It means the care itself fell below an accepted standard.
Establishing medical negligence in a birth injury case requires medical records from the pregnancy, labor, and delivery, as well as review by independent medical experts who can assess whether the care provided was appropriate. These cases are complex and take time to evaluate properly.
Not every birth injury involves negligence, and a lawyer who is honest about that distinction is one worth trusting.
What Compensation May Include
In a successful birth injury claim, compensation may cover:
- Medical expenses. All costs related to the birth injury, including hospitalization, surgeries, therapy, medications, and medical equipment both past and future.
- Future medical care. Children with serious birth injuries often require care throughout their lives. A claim accounts for projected long-term costs including therapy, in-home care, assistive devices, and ongoing medical treatment.
- Lost earning capacity. If a birth injury affects a child’s ability to work as an adult, that future economic loss may be recoverable.
- Pain and suffering. Compensation for the physical and emotional impact of the injury on the child and on the family.
- Home modifications. Accessibility changes that may be necessary depending on the nature of the child’s injury.
California has specific rules about damages in medical malpractice cases. A lawyer can explain how those rules apply to your situation.
How a Birth Injury Lawyer Can Help
Birth injury cases require a different kind of legal work than a typical accident case. A lawyer who handles these claims:
- Obtains and reviews all medical records from the pregnancy and delivery
- Works with independent medical experts to evaluate whether the standard of care was met
- Identifies all potentially responsible parties, including doctors, nurses, hospitals, and medical facilities
- Manages the legal process while the family focuses on the child’s care
- Handles communication with insurance companies and defense attorneys
- Calculates the full value of the claim, including future costs
The investigation alone can take months. Starting the process early matters because California has strict deadlines for filing medical malpractice claims.
About the Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti
Adrianos Facchetti has been licensed to practice law in California since 2006. State Bar No. 243213. Avvo 10.0 Top Attorney. Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® 2025. BBB accredited.
Families are not passed off to an associate or a call center. Every case gets direct, personal attention from the start.
You can review our case results to see the types of cases we have handled for families across Los Angeles County.
Glendale Birth Injury FAQs
How do I know if my child’s birth injury was caused by medical negligence?
You may not know right away, and that is completely normal. Birth injury cases require a detailed review of medical records and an evaluation by independent medical experts. A lawyer can help you start that process. The goal of the initial review is to determine whether the care provided met the accepted standard, not to assume wrongdoing before the facts are known.
How long do I have to file a birth injury claim in California?
California’s statute of limitations for medical malpractice is generally three years from the date of injury or one year from the date the injury was discovered, whichever comes first, under California Code of Civil Procedure § 340.5. For injuries to minors, special rules may extend that deadline. Because these deadlines are complex and depend on the specific facts of your case, speaking with a lawyer as early as possible is important.
What if my child was not diagnosed with a condition until months or years after birth?
This is common with birth injuries. Conditions like cerebral palsy and developmental delays are sometimes not diagnosed until a child is older. The statute of limitations rules for minors in California are different from those for adults, and the clock may not start running until the injury is discovered or until the child reaches a certain age. A lawyer can explain which deadline applies to your situation.
Does a bad outcome during delivery automatically mean malpractice?
No. Some births are complicated regardless of the care provided. A difficult delivery or a bad outcome does not automatically mean a medical provider made a mistake. What matters legally is whether the care fell below the accepted standard. That determination requires medical records and expert review, not just the outcome itself.
What does a birth injury case cost?
The Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti handles birth injury cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing upfront and no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for your family. The initial consultation is free. You can speak with us, ask questions, and understand your options without any financial commitment.
Talk to a Glendale Birth Injury Lawyer for Free
If your child suffered a birth injury and you have questions about whether medical negligence was involved, a free consultation is a reasonable place to start. You do not need to have all the answers before you call. That is what the consultation is for.
No obligation. No upfront cost. No fee unless we recover compensation for your family.
Call (626) 793-8607, day, night, or weekend.
This page is general information, not legal or medical advice. Every case is different. Past results do not predict future outcomes.
