After a fall or collapse, crouch down, speak to the person and call 120; do not rush to lift them
This advice primarily concerns older relatives and people you know. Check breathing; if absent, follow entry 1. Even if breathing continues, do not immediately lift them: stroke or fainting may have caused the fall, and moving them can worsen injury. Crouch down, call to them and ask whether they remember falling. With back pain or suspected fracture, leave them in place and call China's 120.
What it takes
Free, with a few minutes to speak and call. Resisting the impulse to lift is difficult. With a stranger, calling leaves your number and may lead to callbacks or questioning. A family accusation can lead to months of litigation, and winning does not necessarily reimburse your lawyer's fees.
What you may gain
China's Ministry of Health falls guideline identifies falls as the leading cause of injury deaths among people over 65 and advises against immediately lifting a fallen older person. If consciousness is impaired, call emergency services. With vomiting, turn the head to one side and clear the mouth and nose. If breathing and heartbeat have stopped, begin chest compressions. Necessary movement should be steady and as close to lying flat as possible. For an alert person, ask whether they remember the event; no memory may suggest fainting or a cerebrovascular event. Severe headache, facial droop, unclear speech or limb weakness can indicate cerebral bleeding or ischemia that immediate lifting may worsen. With suspected fracture, back pain or loss of bladder/bowel control, do not move them without relevant expertise. All these situations call for emergency assistance. If the person wants to rise, the guideline describes helping them rise slowly, then rest sitting or lying down and observing before leaving. Regarding false accusations, Article 90 of China's Civil Procedure Law interpretation requires parties to prove facts supporting their claims; insufficient evidence brings adverse consequences for the party bearing that burden. Civil Code Article 1198 makes operators/managers of hotels, malls, banks, stations, airports, sports venues, entertainment and other public premises, and organizers of mass activities, liable for harm caused by failure to meet safety duties. Article 184 exempts voluntary emergency rescuers from civil liability for rescue-related harm. In a published case, a pharmacy operator performed CPR and broke a recipient's ribs; after 18 hospital days the recipient claimed over RMB 9,000, but the court held the rescuer not civilly liable.
Context & considerations
Grade B because the guideline gives actions without a numerical mortality reduction. Article 184 concerns harm during voluntary emergency rescue. The source cautions that independently putting someone into a private car is not covered in the same way and favors waiting for 120. Stay on the line and follow the dispatcher. The author primarily addresses family and acquaintances; for an unrelated stranger, the source states that ordinary bystanders have no general legal duty to stop. Potential burdens include time, disclosure of a number, family approaches, litigation, workplace disruption and online exposure; see Whether to stop for a stranger in trouble. If you stop, avoid lifting: doing so can worsen cerebral bleeding or spinal injury. An important exception concerns premises you operate/manage or an activity you organize, where Article 1198 imposes safety duties. See fall prevention, delayed symptoms after head injury, costs of injury during rescue, and documenting online harassment.
Research & references
Ministry of Health of China (2011). Technical Guidelines for Fall Prevention in Older Adults, post-fall management section. Full PDF from Guangdong CDC: http://cdcp.gd.gov.cn/gcdcdfiles/editor/uploadfile/20111027094832117.pdf; scene-management section reprinted by Guinan County government: https://www.guinan.gov.cn/lnb/zc1__zwgk/zc/aztfl/qt/content_27609778; National People's Congress of China (2020). Civil Code, Articles 183 and 184. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202006/t20200602_463888.shtml; Supreme People's Court (2023). Typical Cases on Justice, Efficiency and Core Socialist Values, case 13, Qi v. Sun, Kangping County Court, Liaoning. https://www.court.gov.cn/zixun/xiangqing/408162.html; Supreme People's Court (second revision, 2022, effective April 10, 2022). Civil Procedure Law Interpretation, Article 90. https://www.court.gov.cn/zixun/xiangqing/353651.html; Civil Code Article 1198 in the same Procuratorate reprint above; NPC Standing Committee (2023 amendment, effective January 1, 2024). Civil Procedure Law, Articles 152 and 164, Shanghai Development and Reform Commission reprint. https://fgw.sh.gov.cn/ys-syjf-zc-2.4.1-h5/20240408/073febdb2b04464390546232d4089f51.html; State Council of China (2006). Measures for Payment of Litigation Fees, Order No. 481, Articles 6 and 29. https://www.gov.cn/ziliao/flfg/2006-12/29/content_483682.htm; NPC Standing Committee (2025). Public Security Administration Punishments Law, 2025 revision effective January 1, 2026, Articles 26(1) and 50(5). https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202506/t20250627_699863.shtml