Quick answer: A fall that seriously injures a resident who was flagged as a fall risk can be grounds for a claim against a San Francisco 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 rarely a simple accident in a resident who was flagged as a fall risk. San Francisco's nursing homes rate well overall, but a couple carry weak inspection records and repeat penalties, and those are the homes where a serious fall deserves a close look at whether the fall-prevention plan was actually followed.
If your loved one broke a hip or was seriously hurt in a fall at a San Francisco nursing home, you may have a claim under California's Elder Abuse Act. Call (888) 999-0169 to talk it through, free and confidential. We defended these homes for years before switching sides, and there is no fee unless we win.
Nursing home records in San Francisco County
San Francisco County has 18 federally certified nursing facilities with 2,322 licensed beds. Since 1997, state inspectors have issued 130 citations against San Francisco County facilities, including 1 class AA citation and 28 class A citations. Facilities in the county have been assessed $649,560 in state penalties over that period.
A class AA citation is a class A violation that the Department of Public Health determined was a direct proximate cause of a resident's death. 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.
17 of those enforcement actions were connected to a resident's death.
One San Francisco County facility currently carries the federal abuse warning icon.
The county's facilities average 4.3 of 5 stars on the federal rating system. 2 of 18 facilities hold a 1 or 2 star overall rating.
San Francisco County facilities have been assessed $296,624 in federal fines.
The most cited nursing homes in San Francisco County
- Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Ctr D/P SNF (56 citations)
- San Francisco Health Care (17 citations)
- City View Post Acute (15 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 happen in San Francisco
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 carried out.
By CMS staffing rating, these are the lowest homes in the county. St. Anne's Home in San Francisco carries a 1 star staffing rating, with a 3 star overall rating and a 4 star health inspection rating. In San Francisco, San Francisco Post Acute carries a 2 star staffing rating, with a 5 star overall rating and a 4 star health inspection rating. It also carries 4.35 nursing hours per resident per day. CMS gives City View Post Acute in San Francisco a 3 star staffing rating, with a 2 star overall rating and a 2 star health inspection rating. It carries 3.92 nursing hours per resident per day and $42,528 in federal fines across 1 federal penalty as well. Countywide, 2 of 18 homes hold a 1 or 2 star overall rating.
A weak inspection record and repeat penalties are signals worth taking seriously after a fall. You can compare every home in our San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Felton Institute) at (415) 751-9788, or the state crisis line at (800) 231-4024 after hours. In an emergency, contact San Francisco Adult Protective Services or call 911. Our full guide is here: how to report nursing home abuse in California.
You do not need to be certain to call. That is what a free, confidential consultation is for. Call (888) 999-0169.
Why work with us
Michael Young and Thomas Wallin spent years defending nursing homes before switching sides. Between them they have recovered millions of dollars for elder abuse victims and their families. We know how "resident found on floor" gets charted to imply nobody could have prevented it, and how the incident report, the alarm logs, and the state survey findings line up. As San Francisco nursing home abuse lawyers, we handle these cases across the city and throughout California.
Talk to a San Francisco nursing home fall lawyer today
Call (888) 999-0169 or send us a message for a free case evaluation. We stand with families throughout San Francisco and all of California, we have recovered millions for elder abuse victims, 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
Does a weak inspection record matter for a fall case?
Yes. The health-inspection rating comes from unannounced state surveys, so a one- or two-star score, especially with repeat penalties, can support a claim that a fall was preventable rather than a one-time accident. Review each home in our San Francisco nursing home directory.
Can I sue a San Francisco 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 over time.
How many nursing homes are in San Francisco County?
San Francisco County has 18 federally certified nursing facilities with 2,322 licensed beds. Every one of them is listed in our San Francisco County nursing home directory with its ratings, staffing, citations and fines.
Do San Francisco County nursing homes have citations for falls and fractures?
State inspectors have issued 130 citations against San Francisco 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 San Francisco County nursing home directory with its ratings, staffing, citations and fines.
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Disclaimer: facility ratings, fines, and penalties 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.