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 Mateo 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 supervision is thin. San Mateo County has 14 skilled nursing facilities, and three of them carry a one- or two-star overall CMS rating. Where a home also reports a one-star staffing rating, that is exactly the condition in which a resident flagged as a fall risk is left to try to get to the bathroom alone.
If your loved one broke a hip or was seriously hurt in a fall at a Daly City, San Mateo, or Redwood City 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 San Mateo County
San Mateo County has 14 federally certified nursing facilities with 1,657 licensed beds. Since 1997, state inspectors have issued 96 citations against San Mateo County facilities, including 5 class AA citations and 14 class A citations. Facilities in the county have been assessed $530,645 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.
5 of those enforcement actions were connected to a resident's death.
The county's facilities average 3.9 of 5 stars on the federal rating system. 3 of 14 facilities hold a 1 or 2 star overall rating.
San Mateo County facilities have been assessed $206,193 in federal fines.
The most cited nursing homes in San Mateo County
- San Mateo Medical Center D/P SNF (15 citations)
- Linda Mar Care Center (14 citations)
- Ahmc Seton Medical Center (10 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 Mateo 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. San Bruno Skilled Nursing in San Bruno carries a 2 star staffing rating, with a 4 star overall rating and a 3 star health inspection rating. It also carries 4.42 nursing hours per resident per day. CMS gives Peninsula Post-Acute in Burlingame a 2 star staffing rating, with a 4 star overall rating and a 4 star health inspection rating. It carries 4.71 nursing hours per resident per day as well. Millbrae Care Center in Millbrae carries a 3 star staffing rating, with a 2 star overall rating and a 2 star health inspection rating. It also carries 3.20 nursing hours per resident per day and $7,045 in federal fines across 1 federal penalty. Countywide, 3 of 14 homes hold a 1 or 2 star overall rating.
Thin overnight coverage is where high-risk residents fall. You can compare every home in our San Mateo 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 San Mateo 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 San Mateo County Long-Term Care Ombudsman (Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County) at (650) 780-5709, or the state crisis line at (800) 231-4024 after hours. In an emergency, contact San Mateo 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 San Mateo County nursing home abuse lawyers, we handle these cases across Daly City, San Mateo, Redwood City, and the county and throughout California.
Talk to a San Mateo County nursing home fall lawyer today
Call (888) 999-0169 or send us a message for a free case evaluation. We serve families throughout San Mateo 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 San Mateo County nursing homes?
Falls concentrate where there are too few staff to supervise high-risk residents, especially overnight, and the CMS data counts nine of the county's fourteen homes reporting staffing below the state average. Check each home in our San Mateo County nursing home directory.
Can I sue a San Mateo 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 San Mateo County?
San Mateo County has 14 federally certified nursing facilities with 1,657 licensed beds. Every one of them is listed in our San Mateo County nursing home directory with its ratings, staffing, citations and fines.
Do San Mateo County nursing homes have citations for falls and fractures?
State inspectors have issued 96 citations against San Mateo 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 Mateo 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.