One moment you’re walking like normal, and the next you’re on the ground–shaken, embarrassed, and in pain. Maybe you slipped on water in a store aisle, hit black ice outside an apartment building, or caught your foot on a broken step at work. However it happens, a slip-and-fall accident can leave you with medical bills, missed work, and a lot of questions.
Those first decisions matter. The way you report a slip-and-fall accident, document the hazard, and handle your medical care can make a major difference in both your recovery and any future claim.
In this guide, we’ll walk through:
- The key steps to take after a slip and fall
- How to report the incident and protect your rights
- How reporting differs depending on where you fall
- Common questions about deadlines, timelines, and case value in Missouri and Illinois
Steps To Take in Reporting Your Slip and Fall
Think of this as your roadmap for the hours and days after a fall. You don’t have to do everything perfectly, and if your injuries are serious, medical care comes first. But as you’re able, these actions help protect your health and your legal claim.
1. File Your Incident Report
If you can safely stay at the scene, try to report the fall before you leave. An incident report is often the first written proof that your accident actually happened when, where, and how you say it did.
Start simple:
- Tell someone in charge what happened. In a store or restaurant, that means a manager or supervisor. At work, it may be your supervisor or HR. In an apartment complex, it might be the landlord or property manager.
- Explain that you slipped or tripped, where it happened, and that you’re hurt. You do not have to know every detail or diagnosis on the spot.
Many businesses have a standard incident or accident form. If they do, ask that the report be completed while you are still there, and make sure it includes:
- The date and time of the fall
- The exact location (entrance, aisle number, parking lot, stairwell, common area)
- What caused your fall (spill, leak, ice, loose mat, broken step, clutter, poor lighting)
- Where you feel pain or notice an injury
Keep your description short and factual. You don’t have to guess. If you’re unsure how the hazard started or how long it was there, it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” Avoid apologizing or accepting blame (i.e., “I’m so clumsy,” “I should’ve watched where I was going”, etc.), because those comments can and will be used against you later, even when the hazard wasn’t your fault.
Example →
Imagine you’re walking into a pharmacy in St. Louis after a winter storm. Melted snow has pooled inside the entryway. There are no mats and no warning signs. You slip, hit your hip and head, and end up on the tile floor. Reporting the fall to the manager and insisting on an incident report helps prevent the store from later claiming they “never heard about it.”
If your injuries are severe and you need to leave for emergency medical care, tell the staff that you’re going to the hospital and will follow up about an incident report. Your health comes first.
2. Get a Copy of Your Incident Report
Once a report exists, your next goal is to get it into your hands.
Ask for a copy before you leave the property. If the business says they can’t print or send one, ask if you can see the completed report and use your phone to take a clear photo. That way, you keep a record of exactly what was written down.
If you can’t get a copy at all, create one for yourself:
- Write down the name and job title of the person who took your report
- Note the date and time you reported the fall
- Jot down anything they said about the hazard (“We’ve had trouble with that cooler,” “Maintenance was supposed to fix that step,” etc.)
Those details sometimes become important later, especially if the business “loses” or denies the report.
Example →
A man fell on a freshly mopped floor in an Illinois big-box store. When he requested a copy of the incident report, the manager refused but allowed him to read it. He took a quick photo with his phone. Months later, when the insurance company suggested he’d never even reported the fall, his photo of the report shut down that argument.
3. Get Contact Information of Witnesses
Next, turn your attention to the people around you. Neutral witnesses can be powerful.
If someone saw you fall, saw the hazard shortly before the fall, or overheard employees talking about the hazard, ask for:
- Their name
- A phone number
- An email address
You don’t need a full interview at the scene. It’s enough to say, “Can I get your name and contact information?”
If you’re able, use your phone to document the scene:
- Take a wide shot that shows where you fell (including aisle signs, entrances, or landmarks)
- Take closer photos of the hazard itself – liquid on the floor, torn carpeting, loose mat, broken step, ice, debris, or anything else relevant
- Take photos of any visible injuries – bruising, swelling, cuts, or abrasions
If you can see security cameras, note where they’re located and which direction they’re pointed. Your attorney can later request that the video be preserved and produced.
Example →
A customer in a parking lot slipped on black ice that had formed in an area where a downspout routinely drained across the walkway. Another patron told her, “I almost wiped out there too when I came in.” Because the injured person asked for that witness’s name and phone number, there was independent support for her story that the icy patch had been there long enough for the property owner to fix or treat it.
4. Continue Ongoing Medical Treatment
Reporting the fall is only half the equation. Your medical treatment is what connects the hazard to your injuries and shows the true impact on your life.
Try to take a disciplined approach:
- Get Evaluated Promptly. Even if you think you’re just “sore,” see a doctor, urgent care, or an emergency room as soon as you can. Some injuries, like concussions, back injuries, and ligament tears, may not be obvious until hours or days later.
- Tell Your Provider How You Were Hurt. Make sure your records clearly say that your pain started after a slip-and-fall accident, and note where it occurred (store, apartment, complex, workplace, etc.). However, just like we discussed above, keep your description short and factual. If you’re unsure how the hazard started or how long it was there, it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” Avoid apologizing or accepting blame (i.e., “I’m so clumsy,” “I should’ve watched where I was going”), because those comments can and will be used against you later, even when the hazard wasn’t your fault.
- Stick To The Treatment Plan. Fill prescriptions, attend follow-ups, and go to physical therapy, if it’s ordered. When there are big gaps in treatment, insurance companies often argue that you must have recovered or that your current problems aren’t related to the fall.
- Keep Track of Your Symptoms and Limitations. Many people find it helpful to keep a simple journal, either on paper or in their phone. Note your pain levels, trouble with walking or stairs, sleep problems, missed work days, and ordinary activities (childcare, chores, exercise) that are now harder or impossible.
- Save Every Record and Bill. Discharge papers, imaging reports, doctor’s notes, work restrictions, and receipts all help your attorney document your damages.
Over time, this combination of prompt medical care and consistent documentation paints a clear picture of how the slip and fall has impacted your health, work, and daily life.
Differences in Reporting Based on Fall Location
The basic principles are the same wherever you fall – report the incident, document the condition, and get care. But the details of who you notify, which insurance is involved, and how your claim is handled can vary depending on the location and legal relationship.
Falls in Stores, Restaurants, and Other Businesses
When you fall at a business that invites the public in – like a grocery store, big-box retailer, restaurant, or mall – you’re usually considered an invitee. That means the owner or manager generally owes you a higher duty of care: they’re supposed to inspect for hazards, fix dangerous conditions within a reasonable time, and warn about dangers they know about or should have discovered.
Reporting here usually means:
- Notifying a manager or supervisor right away
- Making sure an incident report is created
- Asking whether cameras cover the area and requesting that the video be preserved
- Avoiding signing waivers and releases without legal advice
Your attorney will later look at things like inspection logs, cleaning records, and how long the hazard (spill, ice, debris, broken flooring) existed before your fall.
Falls at Work
If you fall while you’re on the job, you may have one or both of the following:
- A workers’ compensation claim (for medical care and a portion of lost wages)
- A separate personal injury claim if someone other than your employer created or failed to fix the hazard, also called a third-party claim (for example, a property owner, snow-removal contractor, or outside vendor)
Reporting at work usually involves:
- Telling your supervisor or HR as soon as possible
- Completing any internal injury or incident forms
- Following your employer’s workers’ compensation procedures and deadlines
Because work-related falls can involve multiple insurance carriers (workers’ comp plus a premises liability insurer), it’s especially important to report promptly and keep copies of everything you fill out.
Falls in Apartment Buildings or Rental Properties
In rental properties, liability often depends on who controls the area where you fell and what your lease says.
Some general patterns:
- Landlords typically control common areas: shared stairwells, hallways, parking lots, and sidewalks. They’re usually responsible for inspecting those areas, removing hazards like ice and snow within a reasonable timeframe, and fixing drainage or structural issues.
- Tenants typically control the inside of their own units, and sometimes private patios or steps, depending on the lease.
For reporting:
- Notify the landlord or property manager as soon as possible, preferably in writing (email or online portal).
- Keep copies of any earlier complaints you have made about the same hazard, such as loose railings, broken steps, poor lighting, pooling water, or recurring ice.
Those prior reports help show that the owner had notice and failed to fix the problem.
Example →
A tenant reports a leaking gutter over a stairwell landing multiple times during the fall and winter. Water from the gutter runs down onto the steps, freezes, and forms ice. If the landlord does nothing, and the tenant later slips and is injured on that same icy stairwell, those earlier complaints make it easier to prove negligence.
Falls on Sidewalks, Parking Lots, or Public Property
Sidewalks, public parking areas, and governmental buildings raise additional questions:
- Who controls and maintains the area – a private business, a homeowner, a landlord, a city, or another government entity?
- Was the snow or ice a “natural” accumulation (like ordinary snowfall) or the result of poor design or maintenance (like a broken gutter, low spot, or refreezing of meltwater)?
- Did the owner have a reasonable opportunity to treat or warn about the hazard after the weather changed?
If your fall involves city sidewalks, public buildings, or government-maintained areas, there may be shorter deadlines, notice requirements, and damage caps, so it’s crucial to report the incident and seek legal advice early.
SLIP-AND-FALL FAQ
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?
In Missouri, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim is 5 years, according to Missouri Revised Statute § 516.120.
In Illinois, the general statute of limitations is 2 years, according to 735 ILCS 5/13-202.
In practical terms, that means:
- In most Missouri cases, a slip-and-fall claim must be filed within 5 years.
- In most Illinois cases, a slip-and-fall claim must be filed within 2 years.
There are limited exceptions, especially for minors and certain claims against government entities, so you should not wait until the end of that time to get legal advice. Evidence tends to disappear quickly: surveillance footage is overwritten, employees change jobs, and memories fade.
How Long Does a Slip-and-Fall Claim Take?
It depends on the facts of your case, the severity of your injuries, and whether the case settles or goes into litigation. As a general guide:
- More straightforward cases: Where negligence is clear and injuries are moderate, many slip and fall claims resolve within 9-12 months after your medical treatment is complete (when you reach “maximum medical improvement”).
- More complex cases: Claims involving serious injuries, disputed fault, or large commercial defendants often take longer than 12 months to settle.
- Cases that go into litigation: If a lawsuit has to be filed, it’s common for the overall timeline, from filing to resolution, to stretch to 24 months or more, depending on the court’s schedule and how aggressively the defense fights.
Your attorney’s goal is to balance moving the case forward efficiently with not settling too early, before the full extent of your injuries and future needs are understood.
How Much Is a Slip-and-Fall Claim Worth?
There is no universal number. Slip-and-fall cases are fact-specific and depend on both liability (whether we can prove negligence) and damages (how badly you were hurt and how it has affected your life).
Some of the key factors include:
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- Past and projected future medical expenses
- Lost wages and any loss of earning capacity
- The impact on your daily activities and quality of life
- Whether your injuries are temporary or permanent
- The type of defendant involved (individual, landlord, small business, national retailer, etc.)
Many slip-and-fall claims fall in the $10,000.00 to $50,000.00 range, but some resolve for less, and others–especially those involving surgery, permanent disability, or long-term care–can be worth significantly more. A careful case evaluation by an experienced attorney is the best way to understand potential value in your specific situation.
Get Help With Your Slip-and-Fall Claim
At Brown & Crouppen Law Firm, our experienced attorneys are here to help you. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case. With over $1 billion won in personal injury cases, we’re committed to achieving justice for our clients. We’ll help determine fault, build a strong claim, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Getting started with your case is easy. Call us at 888-609-4967 for a free consultation or get help with your case online from our legal team today.
