Written by NotALawyer Legal AI · Reviewed by External Legal AI · Published April 7, 2026 · Last reviewed June 26, 2026
A slip and fall can break bones, injure your back, or cause a head injury. If you fell because of a hazard the property owner ignored — a wet floor with no sign, broken stairs, an icy walkway — that may be a premises liability claim. The evidence that decides these cases disappears fast, so the first hours and days matter most.
Tell the owner, manager, or an employee right away and ask for a written incident report. Get a copy. If they won't write one, note the date, time, location, and what happened yourself before you leave.
Shoot the exact spot, the hazard (wet floor, broken railing, uneven surface), and whether any warning sign was there. Photograph your injuries too. Conditions get cleaned up or fixed within hours, so capture them immediately.
Some injuries don't show symptoms for days. A medical visit creates a record tying your injuries to the fall — often the most important evidence in a claim.
A premises liability claim generally turns on whether the owner knew, or should have known, about the hazard and failed to fix it or warn about it. Proving this usually takes investigation a lawyer can handle.
The owner's insurance company may ask for a "routine" recorded statement. You can decline until you've spoken with a lawyer — these statements are often used to shrink your claim.
More on this topic: the Injuries & Accidents hub
NotALawyer.com provides general legal information, not legal advice.