Quick answer: When a San Francisco nursing home's neglect or abuse contributes to a resident's death, the family may bring a wrongful death claim (California Code of Civil Procedure 377.60) and an Elder Abuse Act claim for the suffering before death. The facility records, compared to the hospital records, usually reveal whether the death was preventable. Free, confidential review at (888) 999-0169 or send us a message. San Francisco's nursing homes rate well overall, but a strong record is not a promise that no resident is ever failed, and when a death has a preventable cause in the record, the city's overall picture does not answer for it. Families come to us after a loss the records tie to an untreated pressure sore that became a fatal infection, a fall, dehydration, or a medication error. These deaths are often the end point of ongoing neglect.
If you believe a San Francisco nursing home's neglect or abuse contributed to your loved one's death, you may have a wrongful death claim and an Elder Abuse Act claim. Call (888) 999-0169 for a free, confidential consultation. We spent years defending these facilities, and we know how the timeline of a death gets reconstructed. You pay nothing 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.
What the record shows in San Francisco
Most of the city's 18 homes rate well, but a couple carry serious records.
By federal fines on record, these are the highest homes in the county. Federal regulators have assessed San Francisco Health Care in San Francisco $152,404 in federal fines across 2 federal penalties, with a 1 star overall rating and a 1 star health inspection rating. Its record also shows a 4 star staffing rating and 3.79 nursing hours per resident per day. Federal regulators have assessed Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Ctr D/P SNF in San Francisco $55,499 in federal fines across 8 federal penalties, with a 3 star overall rating and a 2 star health inspection rating. It carries a 5 star staffing rating, 5.83 nursing hours per resident per day and the federal abuse warning icon as well. Federal regulators have assessed City View Post Acute in San Francisco $42,528 in federal fines across 1 federal penalty, with a 2 star overall rating and a 2 star health inspection rating. It also carries a 3 star staffing rating and 3.92 nursing hours per resident per day. 2 of the county's 18 homes hold a 1 or 2 star overall rating.
These records do not by themselves prove a wrongful death, but repeat penalties and an abuse flag establish that regulators found serious problems, which is the context in which a death has to be examined. You can review each home's record in our San Francisco nursing home directory.
How San Francisco families can respond
If you suspect neglect contributed to a death, move to preserve the record. Request the complete chart in writing, and gather the hospital and hospice records, which often reveal how advanced a problem already was on transfer. Report the facility to 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. Our full guide is here: how to report nursing home abuse in California. For how these claims work, see our California nursing home wrongful death page.
Not sure whether what happened crosses the line into neglect? A short, free call can tell you. Call (888) 999-0169.
Why work with us
Michael Young and Thomas Wallin spent years defending nursing homes before switching sides. In the years since, they have recovered millions for California families in elder abuse and neglect cases. In a death case, the facility presents the most innocent possible account, often starting with its rating, and that experience is exactly what lets us reconstruct the real timeline from the chart, the medication and treatment records, and the outside hospital records. Under the Elder Abuse Act, a family can also recover for the suffering a loved one endured before death. As San Francisco nursing home abuse lawyers, we handle these cases across the city and throughout California, with the care they deserve.
Talk to a San Francisco nursing home wrongful death lawyer today
Call (888) 999-0169 or send us a message for a free, confidential case evaluation. We serve families throughout San Francisco and all of California. We have recovered millions holding these facilities accountable, and you pay nothing unless we win.
This is a painful subject, and there is no rush on your grief. When you are ready, we are here.
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.
- California wrongful death statute, Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CCP§ionNum=377.60.
Frequently asked questions
Do fines or penalties help a San Francisco wrongful death case?
They can. Heavy fines, repeat penalties, and a CMS abuse flag show regulators documented serious problems at a home before your loved one's death, which supports the argument that the harm was foreseeable rather than unavoidable. You can see each home's record in our San Francisco nursing home directory.
Who can bring a wrongful death claim?
Generally the resident's surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, or other close family or heirs, and the estate. The specifics depend on your family situation, which we can sort out in a free consultation.
How do I know if the death was preventable?
The medical and facility records usually tell you. Deaths from advanced bedsores, untreated infections and sepsis, falls, dehydration, and medication errors are frequently preventable, and the facility's timeline compared to the outside hospital records often reveals what happened.
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 resident deaths?
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 the CMS abuse icon 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.