What to do after a slip and fall
Hurt in a fall, and the store video gets erased fast? Start your free case review now, and pay no fee unless you win.
Day or night, we unpack your fall free, and a slip and fall lawyer moves today.
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Start with a free case review
You were hurt in a fall on someone else's property, and you need a plan. What to do after a slip and fall starts with a free case review from us. Then come seven steps in the first 7 days.
Before you leave, get an incident report written and keep a copy or a photo of it. If none is made, email yourself a note with the date, the time and the manager's name. A written report from the same day is strong proof of where you fell.
Photos and same-day care
Take close shots of the spill, the ice or the broken edge before anyone cleans it. Then take wide shots that show the lighting and any missing warning sign. Photograph your shoes and your injury too, because ice melts and spills get mopped within minutes.
See a doctor, urgent care or the ER the same day, and say you fell and where. The CDC reports about 37 percent of older adults who fall need care or lose a day of activity. Head injuries can show symptoms hours later, so go even if you feel only sore.
Witnesses, video and the insurer
Get the name and phone number of anyone who saw you fall or saw the hazard first. A worker who says the cooler leaks every day is a key witness for proving your case. Stores erase floor video fast, so your lawyer can send a formal letter that week to keep it.
Expect the owner's insurer to call within days and ask for a recorded statement. You do not have to give one. Words about where you looked or what you wore get used to raise your share of blame.
What to do after a slip and fall in seven days
Day 1: get the written report, the photos, a doctor visit and witness names. Day 2: write down what happened in your own words while you remember. Day 3: get the video request sent.
Days 4 to 7: keep every bill, receipt and pay stub in one folder. Follow your doctor's plan and say no to a recorded statement. Then check your filing deadline, since a few states allow only one year.
Explain an insurer letter
Got a letter or an offer from their insurer? Paste it below and read it in plain words before you answer.
Questions people ask after a fall
How long after a slip and fall can you claim?
Most states allow two or three years from the fall. A few states allow only one year. City property can need notice much sooner, so call us for a free case review now.
What should you not say after a slip and fall?
Do not say "I'm fine" or "I wasn't looking." Do not guess about your injury or give the insurer a recorded statement. Stick to what happened and where.
Do I have to fill out an incident report?
You do not have to, but get one made before you leave. It proves the fall happened on their property that day. Keep a copy or a photo of it.
Should I see a doctor if I feel okay after a fall?
Yes. Concussions and back injuries can show up hours or days later. A same-day visit also ties the injury to the fall in your record.
Your state
What to do now
You just fell and need to report it, photograph it and get treated. Store video gets erased quickly, so the first 7 days matter most. Call now and a lawyer can demand the video before it is gone.
The review is free. A slip and fall lawyer in your state takes the case on contingency: no fee unless you win.