Quick answer: A fall that seriously injures a resident who was flagged as a fall risk can be grounds for a claim against a Merced County nursing home, because federal rules (42 CFR 483.25) require adequate supervision and assistive devices to prevent accidents. The fall risk assessment, care plan, and alarm logs show whether the plan was followed. Free case review at (888) 999-0169 or send us a message. A fall that breaks a hip is most likely where staffing is thin enough that a resident who needs help to the bathroom is left to try alone.
If your loved one broke a hip or was seriously hurt in a fall at a Merced, Los Banos, or Atwater nursing home, you may have a claim under California's Elder Abuse Act. Call (888) 999-0169 for a free, confidential case review. We spent years defending nursing homes, so we know exactly how these cases are fought, and you pay nothing unless we win.
Nursing home records in Merced County
Merced County has 10 federally certified nursing facilities with 781 licensed beds. Since 1997, state inspectors have issued 25 citations against Merced County facilities, including 6 class A citations. Facilities in the county have been assessed $207,902 in state penalties over that period.
A class A citation is a violation the Department determined presented an imminent danger of death or serious harm to residents, or a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm would result.
One of those enforcement actions was connected to a resident's death.
The county's facilities average 3.6 of 5 stars on the federal rating system. 2 of 10 facilities hold a 1 or 2 star overall rating.
Merced County facilities have been assessed $92,648 in federal fines.
The most cited nursing homes in Merced County
- Franciscan Post-Acute Care Center (7 citations)
- Golden Merced Care Center (4 citations)
- Anberry Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (4 citations)
See every facility in the county, with its full record, in the nursing home directory.
Citation data covers July 1, 1997 through June 30, 2024. Ratings and fines are current as of the CMS processing date shown above.
Where falls are most likely in Merced County
A fall in a resident already flagged as high risk usually means the fall-prevention plan, supervised toileting, a bed or chair alarm, a two-person transfer, was on paper but not staffed.
By CMS staffing rating, these are the lowest homes in the county. Anberry Post Acute in Merced carries a 1 star staffing rating, with a 3 star overall rating and a 3 star health inspection rating. Its record also shows 2.92 nursing hours per resident per day. Los Banos Post Acute in Los Banos carries a 2 star staffing rating, with a 2 star overall rating and a 2 star health inspection rating. It carries 4.06 nursing hours per resident per day as well. In Merced, Golden Merced Care Center carries a 3 star staffing rating, with a 3 star overall rating and a 3 star health inspection rating. Its record also shows 4.08 nursing hours per resident per day and $83,538 in federal fines across 1 federal penalty. 2 of the county's 10 homes hold a 1 or 2 star overall rating.
When a home runs that lean, the overnight shift is when residents fall. You can compare every Merced County home's staffing in our Merced County nursing home directory.
A serious fall is also frequently the first visible sign of broader neglect. For how fall cases are built and what California law requires, see our California nursing home fall page.
How Merced County families can respond
Ask the facility, in writing, for the complete chart: the fall risk assessment, the care plan, incident reports, and the call-light and alarm logs. Photograph any injuries, date them, and get an independent medical evaluation. File a complaint with the California Department of Public Health through Cal Health Find, or contact the Merced County Long-Term Care Ombudsman at (209) 385-7402, or the state crisis line at (800) 231-4024 after hours. In an emergency, contact Merced County Adult Protective Services or call 911. Our full guide is here: how to report nursing home abuse in California.
The sooner the records are preserved, the stronger the case. Call (888) 999-0169 for a free consultation.
Why work with us
Michael Young and Thomas Wallin spent years defending nursing homes before switching sides. They have since recovered millions of dollars for families in elder abuse cases across California. We know how "resident found on floor" gets charted to imply nobody could have prevented it, and how the alarm and call-light logs, read against the staffing sheet for that shift, tell the real story. As Merced County nursing home abuse lawyers, we handle these cases across Merced, Los Banos, and the county and throughout California.
Talk to a Merced County nursing home fall lawyer today
Call (888) 999-0169 or send us a message for a free case evaluation. We serve families throughout Merced County and all of California, and you pay nothing unless we win.
Sources and authoritative references
- CMS Care Compare, the federal nursing home rating and inspection database: https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/
- California Department of Public Health, Cal Health Find, to look up a facility or file a complaint: https://calhealthfind.cdph.ca.gov/
- California Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act, Welfare and Institutions Code section 15600: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=WIC§ionNum=15600.
- Federal accident-prevention and supervision standard, 42 CFR 483.25(d): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/part-483/section-483.25
Frequently asked questions
How does reported nurse staffing relate to falls at Merced County nursing homes?
Falls concentrate where there are too few staff to supervise high-risk residents, especially overnight. The CMS data counts ten of the county's ten homes reporting staffing below the state average of 4.52 hours per resident per day, which you can check in our Merced County nursing home directory.
Can I sue a Merced County nursing home for my parent's fall?
Yes. If a resident fell because the facility failed to assess their fall risk, follow the care plan, or provide adequate supervision, it can be liable under California's Elder Abuse Act, which adds attorney's fees and enhanced damages where the neglect was reckless.
What should I do first after a serious fall?
Request the complete chart in writing, photograph the injuries, and get an independent medical evaluation. Then talk to a lawyer before accepting the facility's explanation, because incident reports get revised and staffing sheets get harder to find over time.
How many nursing homes are in Merced County?
Merced County has 10 federally certified nursing facilities with 781 licensed beds. Every one of them is listed in our Merced County nursing home directory with its ratings, staffing, citations and fines.
Do Merced County nursing homes have citations for falls and fractures?
State inspectors have issued 25 citations against Merced County nursing homes since 1997, across the full range of care failures rather than any single one. We do not publish a citation count by injury type, because the state does not categorize them that way. Check the specific home's own record instead. Every one of them is listed in our Merced County nursing home directory with its ratings, staffing, citations and fines.
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Disclaimer: facility ratings and staffing figures above are drawn from public CMS data (medicare.gov) as of the August 2026 processing date and are reported as published. They may not reflect the most current findings, and inclusion of any facility is not an allegation of wrongdoing. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case. This page is attorney advertising and not legal advice.