Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) Birth Injury Claims

SIUH: Part of Richmond University Medical Center vs. Northwell

It is important to clarify which Staten Island hospital system provided care, as Staten Island has two major hospital systems:

- Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH): Now part of Northwell Health, with campuses at 475 Seaview Avenue (Ocean Breeze campus) and 256 Mason Avenue (Prince's Bay campus). SIUH provides obstetric services and has a Level III NICU. [Link to: /medical-malpractice/suing-northwell-health]

- Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC): Located at 355 Bard Avenue, a separate hospital system that also provides obstetric and neonatal services. RUMC is not part of Northwell Health.

When a birth injury occurs at SIUH, the hospital corporation (Northwell Health) and the specific providers involved may be liable. When a birth injury occurs at RUMC, RUMC and its providers may be liable. It is important to identify the correct hospital and provider entities.

Both SIUH and RUMC are private, non-profit hospitals — not municipal hospitals. This means the municipal Notice of Claim requirement does not apply to claims against either hospital.

Common Birth Injuries at SIUH

Birth injuries that may occur at Staten Island University Hospital due to medical negligence include:

• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): Brain damage from oxygen deprivation during labor or delivery. [Link to: /medical-malpractice/hie-claims]
• Cerebral palsy: Motor disability caused by birth-related brain injury. [Link to: /cerebral-palsy-lawyer/new-york]
• Brachial plexus injury (Erb's palsy, Klumpke's palsy): Nerve damage from excessive traction during delivery. [Link to: /birth-injury/erbs-palsy-lawyer]
• Shoulder dystocia: [Link to: /birth-injury/shoulder-dystocia-lawyer]
• Birth asphyxia: Oxygen deprivation causing brain damage or death.
• Failure to perform timely cesarean: [Link to: /medical-malpractice/delayed-c-section]
• Forceps and vacuum injuries: [Link to: /birth-injury/forceps-vacuum-injury-lawyer]
• Group B Strep (GBS) infection: [Link to: /birth-injury/group-b-strep-malpractice]
• NICU negligence: Medication errors, infection, or failure to monitor.
• Preeclampsia/eclampsia mismanagement: [Link to: /birth-injury/preeclampsia-lawyer]
• Placental abruption: [Link to: /birth-injury/placental-abruption-lawyer]
• Uterine rupture: [Link to: /labor-delivery-errors/vbac-negligence]

Notice of Claim Requirements

Staten Island University Hospital is a private, non-profit hospital (part of Northwell Health) — not a municipal hospital. Therefore, the General Municipal Law § 50-e Notice of Claim requirement (90-day deadline) does not apply to claims against SIUH.

This is important for Staten Island families, as there are no municipal hospitals on Staten Island. Both SIUH (Northwell) and RUMC are private hospitals. However, if a Staten Island family received care at a NYC Health + Hospitals facility (e.g., Bellevue in Manhattan), the 90-day Notice of Claim would apply.

For claims against SIUH/Northwell Health, the statute of limitations is governed by CPLR § 214-a: 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). However, parents' claims for economic damages must be filed within 2.5 years and are not tolled during the child's minority.

Building a Case Against SIUH

To build a successful birth injury case against SIUH/Northwell Health, MDLaw Firm will:

1. Obtain complete medical records: Including prenatal records, labor and delivery records, fetal monitoring strips (CTG), operative notes, anesthesia records, nursing notes, neonatal records, NICU records, and imaging studies. Northwell uses the Epic electronic medical record system.

2. Review fetal monitoring strips: The EFM strips are critical evidence showing the fetal heart rate pattern and uterine contraction pattern throughout labor.

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

4. Analyze the delivery timeline: Reconstruct what happened — when was fetal distress identified, when was the cesarean decision made, and was the delay below the standard of care?

5. File the lawsuit with a certificate of merit: Under CPLR § 3012-a, the complaint must include confirmation that a qualified medical expert reviewed the case.

6. Pursue discovery and trial preparation.

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. Parents' economic claims must be filed within 2.5 years. [Link to: /birth-injury/statute-of-limitations]

Contact a lawyer as early as possible. Evidence — particularly fetal monitoring strips — can be lost or overwritten. The sooner an attorney is involved, the better the chance of preserving critical evidence and building a strong case.

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.