Birth Injuries at Alta Bates Medical Center

Alta Bates Medical Center is known for providing medical care to residents of the East Bay area, with three main campuses located in Berkeley and Oakland. It is part of Sutter Health, which manages over 24 hospitals and 200 clinics in Northern California. The hospital enjoys a high rating by US News and World Report in 3 adult procedures and conditions, including COPD, colon cancer treatment, and heart failure.

Unfortunately, medical errors and mistakes occur more at an alarming rate at Alta Bates. That is why it earned a D in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade 2020 report. One of the reasons it received such a low grade was the massive communication errors between doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. Poor communication between physicians and medical teams increases the risk of serious medical injuries and errors.

One high profile medical mistake occurred in 2011 when a cancer patient was given a nutritional supplement in a bloodstream catheter. She died from the error, which caused the state to launch an investigation into the hospital and the medical professionals in charge.

Another tragic case occurred when doctors at Alta Bates Medical Center failed to diagnose and treat jaundice in a newborn baby. This extremely treatable condition developed into a severe condition known as kernicterus. As a result, the baby suffered various disabilities, including quadriplegic cerebral palsy, motor skills impairment, and hearing and speech dysfunction.

Alta Bates Medical Center is a prominent labor and delivery hospital for thousands of babies every year in the East Bay. In 2017, 5863 babies were born at Alta Bates, making it the 7th largest birthing hospital in California. While the vast majority of these births result in no harm to the baby or mother, there are still many cases of birth injuries every year.

Birth injuries are devastatingly tragic. In the blink of an eye, your baby could suffer life-long disabilities, pain and suffering. Even worse, many birth injuries are entirely preventable. When doctors and nurses fail to communicate during labor and delivery, they may not recognize serious complications that arise. Failure to monitor and miscommunication are two of the main reasons why birth injuries occur. Other causes include improper use of forceps or vacuum, failure to order an emergency C-section, and improper medication administration.

When a doctor or nurse makes a mistake or fails to monitor the mother and baby during labor and delivery, serious and fatal injuries can occur. Some of the most common birth injuries include:

• HIE or Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
• Brain damage
• Cerebral palsy
• Erb’s palsy
• Facial lacerations
• Fractures
• Paralysis

When your baby has suffered a birth injury, you may not know where to turn for help. At Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard, L.L.P, our birth injury lawyers understand how difficult this time is for you and your family. That is why we offer compassionate and experienced legal care from the start. We have successfully represented families throughout Northern California in medical malpractice lawsuits after a devastating birth injury.

When proving medical malpractice occurred, we must establish that the medical doctor or professional failed to provide an acceptable standard of care. That means that they must have acted in a way differing from what another professional in that situation would have performed. If your doctor acted negligently, we can help you file a medical malpractice lawsuit.

If your baby suffered a birth injury at Alta Bates Medical Center, it is important to know that you are not alone. But do you know where you can turn for help? Our birth injury lawyers know that families like yours need someone on their side to fight against large medical institutions. Call Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard, L.L.P at (408) 289-1417 or fill out our confidential contact form for more information. We offer a free consultation and review of your case.