General information, not legal advice. California law in this area is nuanced and changes; consult a lawyer about your specific facts.
California Is the Center of Fertility Litigation
More IVF is performed in California than in any other state — and more has gone wrong here, too. The Pacific Fertility Center tank failure in San Francisco produced a ~$15 million jury verdict. Our firm has filed suit over the embryo losses at RPMG in Torrance, and litigated cases involving Southern California clinics from Orange County to Los Angeles. Fertility Law Group is based in California and handles these cases statewide.
Damage Caps: Why How You Plead a California Case Matters
California’s MICRA statute historically capped non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases, and although 2022 reforms raised the caps substantially (with annual increases going forward), they still limit pure malpractice claims. The critical point for fertility cases: much fertility clinic misconduct is not necessarily “professional negligence.” Claims for battery, fraud, concealment, conversion of embryos, and product defect (tanks, culture media) may fall outside the caps entirely. Choosing the right theories is often the difference between a capped recovery and full compensation. See our discussion of damage caps in fertility cases.
Deadlines in California
Medical negligence claims in California are subject to short limitations periods — generally one year from discovery of the injury (with an outer limit measured from the negligence itself), with different periods for non-malpractice theories. Fertility errors are often discovered years after they occur, which makes the discovery rules pivotal — and makes early legal advice essential. Do not assume you are too late.
Recent California Fertility Cases
- Acacio Fertility Center (Orange County): embryos allegedly moved and withheld without patient consent. We represent 134 families — more than 250 people — in one of the largest fertility malpractice cases in the country. In June 2026 we secured a court order compelling the unconditional release of our clients’ embryos.
- RPMG (Torrance): embryos allegedly destroyed after an incorrect gas mixture was introduced into incubators. Our lawsuit is ongoing.
- Pacific Fertility (San Francisco): the 2018 tank failure and the landmark verdict against the tank manufacturer.
- CooperSurgical culture media: California families are among those affected by the recalled media. 2026 status here.
Why Families Across California Call Us
We are a California firm that practices fertility malpractice exclusively — no car accidents, no slip-and-falls. Our attorneys have recovered more than $200 million for clients, and our cases have been covered by Good Morning America, ABC 20/20, the Los Angeles Times, and People. Consultations are free and strictly confidential: contact us.