What should I document after a slip and fall in a store?

The short answer

A fall does not explain itself. Record the exact condition, place, lighting, warnings, footwear, witnesses, employees, cameras, incident report, and medical care. The legal question usually depends on state law and facts such as what caused the fall and what the property owner or operator knew. A licensed attorney, not this checklist, applies those rules.

If you hit your head or need urgent care, seek medical help. CDC lists danger signs that need emergency attention.²

Photograph the condition in context

If it is safe and still present, photograph:

• the substance, object, broken surface, height change, mat, step, or other condition;
• close details and a wide view showing where it was;
• lighting, reflections, shadows, and sight lines;
• warning cones, signs, tape, barriers, or the absence of them;
• nearby shelves, doors, drains, equipment, counters, or displays;
• your shoes and clothing before cleaning them.

Do not move objects to make a better picture. Note if the condition changed before you could photograph it and who changed it.

Identify the exact property and people

Save the street address, business name on the receipt or sign, unit number, and the exact area inside or outside. A shopping center, tenant, maintenance company, contractor, and property owner may be different organizations. Do not guess which one is responsible.

For each employee or witness, write the person’s name, role, contact information, where they stood, and what they said in their own words. Note statements about earlier complaints, cleanup, inspection, repair, or how long the condition was present without treating them as proven facts.

Ask for an incident report and preserve the request

Report the event to the manager or property contact and ask for the report number or a copy. If they will not give one, write who you asked, when, and the answer.

Identify cameras and ask that relevant footage be saved. You do not have to argue for a copy at the scene. Save the written request and identify the camera locations so an attorney can decide what formal request may be available.

Also keep receipts, loyalty-account records, parking records, phone location history you choose to preserve, and messages showing when you arrived and left.

Connect the condition to the medical timeline

List the first symptom, first person told, first care, and every later provider. Falls can cause fractures and head injuries.¹ A medical provider evaluates diagnosis and cause.

Patients can request medical and billing records.³ Keep those records unchanged and use a separate note for corrections or questions.

What a case check asks

Expect questions about the state and exact property, what caused the fall, warnings, employees, earlier statements, cameras, incident report, footwear, injuries, treatment, and who owns or operates the location.

Property rules and court procedure come from the state.⁴ The facts have to be read before anyone can say whether another party may be responsible.