What To Do After a Slip and Fall in California: A Step by Step Guide
A slip and fall accident can happen in seconds, but the consequences can last for years. Injuries often involve the back, neck, knees, or head, and symptoms may not appear until days later. In California, property owners have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. When they fail, you may have a right to recover compensation for your injuries.
At Rome Law Group, we prepare every personal injury matter with a litigation first approach. The steps you take right after the incident can make a significant difference in the strength of your claim. This guide walks you through what to do after a slip and fall in California to protect your health, your evidence, and your legal rights.
1. Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Your health comes first. Even if you feel “fine,” slip and fall injuries often develop gradually, especially concussions, joint injuries, and soft tissue damage.
Why this matters legally:
Medical records are the strongest evidence linking your injuries to the fall
Waiting to seek treatment gives insurance companies room to argue your injuries came from another cause
Early documentation creates a clear timeline
Tip: Mention all symptoms, even mild ones, because doctors’ notes become part of your legal record.
2. Report the Incident Right Away
Notify the property owner, manager, or employee on duty as soon as possible. Retail stores, apartment complexes, restaurants, and public facilities often have internal incident reporting procedures.
Ask for a copy of any incident report.
If they refuse, note the person’s name and position. This documentation becomes important later, especially if the business attempts to deny the fall occurred.
3. Take Photos and Preserve Evidence
Evidence disappears quickly: spills dry, warning signs are added, and videos get deleted. The more you gather early, the stronger your claim.
Take photos of:
The exact location where you fell
The hazard (liquid, debris, uneven flooring, torn carpet, poor lighting, missing handrail)
Your shoes and clothing
Visible injuries (swelling, bruising, cuts)
Also try to:
Record a short video of the hazard and surrounding area
Capture the lighting conditions and lack of warning signs
If you cannot gather evidence yourself, ask someone with you to help.
4. Identify Witnesses
Witnesses can dramatically strengthen a slip and fall case.
Try to obtain:
Names
Phone numbers
Short statements if possible
Employees who saw the hazard before the fall or knew it was not cleaned up can be critical in proving negligence.
5. Preserve Surveillance Footage Immediately
Many slip and fall locations have cameras, but businesses often delete footage within days.
If possible:
Ask management to preserve video right away
Send a written preservation request
Take a photo of the camera location
Your attorney can later send a formal spoliation letter to require preservation under California law.
6. Do NOT Give a Recorded Statement to Insurance
Insurance adjusters often contact victims quickly and ask for a recorded statement. Their goal is simple: reduce or deny your claim.
Politely decline and say:
“Thank you, but I am not giving any statements at this time.”
Insurance companies may:
Minimize your injuries
Shift blame onto you
Mischaracterize your words
Use your statements against you later
Speak with a personal injury attorney before communicating with any insurer.
7. Keep a Pain and Symptom Journal
Slip and fall injuries often worsen over time or change in character. A daily log helps document:
Pain levels
Mobility issues
Sleep disruptions
Work limitations
Emotional distress
Medical appointments and missed activities
Courts and insurers give weight to consistent personal records, especially in cases involving soft tissue injuries.
8. Save All Medical Bills and Receipts
You may be entitled to compensation for:
Emergency room visits
Follow up appointments
X-rays, MRIs, CT scans
Physical therapy
Prescriptions
Medical equipment
Keep all receipts, even parking or mileage logs. These costs add up and are recoverable.
9. Do Not Post About the Accident on Social Media
Insurance companies monitor social media activity. Even innocent posts can be used to argue:
You were not seriously injured
You were able to move normally
Your version of events is inconsistent
Avoid posting anything until your claim is resolved.
10. Contact a Slip and Fall Attorney Early
California premises liability cases often turn on:
The property owner’s knowledge of the hazard
Whether they took reasonable steps to fix or warn about it
The timeline between hazard creation and the fall
Documentation, witnesses, and preserved video
At Rome Law Group, we build cases the way trial lawyers should:
Evidence logs
Witness statements
Medical linking
Expert evaluations
Litigation ready strategy from day one
We negotiate from a position of strength: prepared for trial, not guesswork.
When Property Owners Are Liable in California
Owners and managers may be responsible if:
They created the hazard
They knew about the hazard and did nothing
They should have known about the hazard through reasonable inspection
Common examples include:
Spills left unattended
Poor lighting
Broken steps or handrails
Uneven walkways
Torn carpeting
Cluttered walkways
Missing warning signs
These cases are highly fact specific, which is why early evidence collection matters.
How Rome Law Group Can Help
Slip and fall cases require more than reporting an injury. They require:
Investigation
Statutory analysis
Evidence preservation
Strategic positioning
Litigation readiness
Our firm prepares every matter as though it will go to court because leverage drives results.
We represent clients throughout Southern California and offer multilingual services in English, Spanish, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall in California, we can help you understand your rights and build a strong case from the start.
Contact Rome Law Group today to schedule a confidential consultation.