Guide
What to Document After a Slip and Fall
Premises claims are won and lost on evidence, and the best evidence disappears fast. A puddle gets mopped, a broken step gets fixed. Here is what to capture before it is gone.
Photograph the hazard immediately
Before anything is cleaned up or repaired, photograph the exact condition that caused your fall: the spill, the ice, the torn carpet, the broken stair, the missing handrail, or the poor lighting. Capture wide shots for context and close-ups for detail. If there was no warning sign, photograph that absence too.
Report it and get names
Tell the property owner or manager and ask that an incident report be created, then request a copy. Collect the names and contact details of any witnesses, because their accounts can confirm the hazard existed and how long it was there, which is often the key question in a premises case.
Preserve the rest
Keep the shoes and clothing you were wearing, unwashed, in case they matter later. Note the date, time, and exact location. Get prompt medical care and keep every record. The more you document in the first hours, the harder it is for an owner to later claim the hazard was never there.
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Photograph the exact hazard before it is cleaned or fixed: the spill, ice, torn carpet, broken step, or poor lighting, plus any missing warning signs. Take wide shots for context and close-ups for detail.
Yes. Report it to the owner or manager, ask that an incident report be created, and request a copy. A timely report makes it harder to dispute that the fall happened.
Witnesses can confirm the hazard existed and, crucially, how long it was there. Whether the owner knew or should have known about the danger is often the deciding issue in a premises claim.
Keep the shoes and clothing you were wearing unwashed, note the date, time, and location, get prompt medical care, and save every record. Early documentation is the backbone of a premises claim.
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