Nassau County Cerebral Palsy Attorney | MDLaw Firm

How Cerebral Palsy Happens During Childbirth

Cerebral palsy can result from several types of medical negligence:

- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): The most common cause of CP in birth injury cases — oxygen deprivation to the baby's brain during labor or delivery. [Link to: /medical-malpractice/hie-claims] - Birth trauma: Physical injury from forceps, vacuum extraction, or excessive pressure during delivery. [Link to: /birth-injury/forceps-vacuum-injury-lawyer] - Infection: Untreated maternal infections (chorioamnionitis, Group B Strep) spreading to the baby. [Link to: /birth-injury/group-b-strep-malpractice] - Premature birth complications: Failure to prevent premature labor or failure to provide appropriate NICU care. [Link to: /birth-injury/nicu-negligence] - Severe jaundice/kernicterus: Untreated hyperbilirubinemia causing brain damage. [Link to: /birth-injury/kernicterus-lawyer]

Nassau County Birthing Hospitals

Nassau County families typically give birth at one of several major hospitals:

• Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJ): Part of Northwell Health, located in New Hyde Park on the Nassau-Queens border. One of the busiest birthing hospitals in the NYC area with a Level III NICU and Cohen Children's Medical Center.
• NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island: Formerly NYU Winthrop, located in Mineola. A major birthing hospital for Nassau County families with a Level III NICU.
• St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center: Located in Roslyn. While primarily a cardiac center, affiliated obstetric services may be available.
• Mercy Hospital: Located in Rockville Centre. Part of Catholic Health Services of Long Island.
• South Nassau Communities Hospital: Located in Oceanside. Part of Mount Sinai Health System.
• Huntington Hospital: Located in Huntington (eastern Nassau/western Suffolk border). Part of Northwell Health.

Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJ)

Long Island Jewish Medical Center is one of the largest birthing hospitals in the New York metropolitan area. Located at 270-05 76th Avenue, New Hyde Park, LIJ straddles the Nassau County-Queens border and serves families from both areas.

As part of Northwell Health, LIJ has access to the resources of the largest healthcare system in New York. Its obstetric and maternal-fetal medicine service handles both routine and high-risk pregnancies, and its Level III NICU provides advanced neonatal care. Cohen Children's Medical Center, co-located with LIJ, provides pediatric specialty services including pediatric neurology and neurosurgery.

If your child suffered a birth injury at LIJ due to negligence — delayed cesarean, failure to monitor fetal distress, NICU errors, or improper delivery technique — the liable parties may include the individual providers and Northwell Health as the hospital corporation. [Link to: /hospital-negligence/suing-lij-birth-injury]

NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island

NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island (formerly NYU Winthrop) is located at 259 First Street, Mineola. As part of the NYU Langone Health system, this hospital provides comprehensive obstetric and neonatal services to Nassau County families, including a Level III NICU and maternal-fetal medicine services.

If your child suffered a birth injury at NYU Langone-Long Island due to negligence, the liable parties may include the individual providers and NYU Langone Health as the hospital corporation. NYU Langone uses the Epic electronic medical record system. [Link to: /hospital-negligence/suing-nyu-langone]

Northwell Health Hospital System

Northwell Health is the largest healthcare system in New York, operating multiple hospitals throughout Nassau County, including LIJ, Huntington Hospital, and others. When a birth injury occurs at a Northwell facility, Northwell Health as the hospital corporation may be liable alongside the individual providers.

Northwell hospitals use the Epic electronic medical record system. Medical records, fetal monitoring strips, and other evidence can be obtained through a HIPAA-compliant records request. An experienced attorney can help you obtain complete records. [Link to: /medical-malpractice/suing-northwell-health]

Private vs. Municipal Hospital Claims

All major Nassau County birthing hospitals (LIJ, NYU Langone-Long Island, Mercy, South Nassau, Huntington) are private, non-profit hospitals — not municipal hospitals. This means: - The General Municipal Law § 50-e Notice of Claim requirement (90-day deadline) does not apply. - The statute of limitations is 2.5 years from the date of the negligent act under CPLR § 214-a. - The infancy toll (CPLR § 208) extends the child's deadline to age 20. - Parents' economic claims must be filed within 2.5 years and are not tolled.

However, some Nassau County families give birth at NYC Health + Hospitals facilities in Queens (like Elmhurst Hospital), which ARE municipal. If you gave birth at a municipal hospital, the 90-day Notice of Claim DOES apply. [Link to: /birth-injury/statute-of-limitations]

Building Your Nassau County CP Case

To build a successful cerebral palsy case, MDLaw Firm will:

1. Obtain complete medical records: Prenatal records, labor and delivery records, fetal monitoring strips, operative notes, nursing notes, NICU records, pediatric records, and brain imaging (MRI, CT, cranial ultrasound).

2. Review fetal monitoring strips: The EFM strips are critical evidence showing the fetal heart rate pattern throughout labor — expert review can identify periods of fetal distress that were not acted upon.

3. Consult with medical experts: Board-certified obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, neonatologists, and pediatric neurologists review the records.

4. Establish causation: Expert testimony proves that medical negligence caused the CP — distinguishing birth injury from genetic conditions.

5. Assess damages: Work with a life care planner to project the child's lifelong medical, therapeutic, educational, and care needs. [Link to: /cerebral-palsy-lawyer/life-care-plan]

6. File the lawsuit with a certificate of merit: Under CPLR § 3012-a.

New York Statute of Limitations

Under CPLR § 214-a, the statute of limitations is 2.5 years from the date of the negligent act. The infancy toll (CPLR § 208) extends the child's deadline to age 20 (18 + 2.5 years). Parents' economic claims must be filed within 2.5 years of the birth and are NOT tolled. Contact a lawyer as early as possible to preserve evidence — particularly fetal monitoring strips. [Link to: /cerebral-palsy-lawyer/statute-of-limitations]

Frequently Asked Questions

The value of a medical malpractice case in New York depends on several factors, including the severity of the injury, the strength of liability evidence, and the economic and non-economic damages involved. New York is one of the few states with no caps on medical malpractice damages, meaning there is no artificial limit on what you can recover. Below are typical settlement ranges based on injury severity.