After a Slip or Fall in California: What to Document
A practical checklist for incidents in stores, apartments, sidewalks and other locations.
Attend to immediate safety
Seek medical attention as needed, and alert the property operator to an unsafe condition when doing so is safe. Call 911 for emergencies.
Note where and when it happened
Record the approximate date, time and precise area, the condition you noticed (such as a wet floor or uneven surface), lighting, warning signs and what happened afterward. Avoid making assumptions about who was responsible.
Preserve information you already have
Keep photographs taken safely, a copy of any incident-report number, receipts, correspondence and contact information that witnesses voluntarily give you. Do not post other people’s private information.
Keep your first inquiry brief
A useful first message states city, approximate date, location type, incident category and the information sought. Do not upload medical files, government IDs or insurance policy numbers to a general inquiry form.