What to do after you get hurt in a store: a checklist
Whether you slipped, tripped, were hit by a cart, or something fell on you, the hours and days after an injury in a store can matter. Use this checklist.
At the store
- Get help. Call 911 if needed. Don’t refuse care just to avoid a fuss.
- Report it. Ask a manager to complete an incident report. Write down the manager’s name and the report number. You don’t have to sign anything you don’t agree with.
- Take photos and video of the hazard, the surrounding area, warning signs (or none), and your injuries.
- Get witness names and phone numbers.
In the next few days
- See a doctor and follow treatment plans. Keep records and bills.
- Send a written request asking the store to preserve surveillance video and inspection logs.
- Keep your receipt, loyalty-card record, or bank statement showing you were there.
- Save the shoes and clothes you were wearing.
- Keep a journal of pain, limitations, and missed work.
Dealing with the store’s insurer
An adjuster may call quickly. Be polite, but consider getting advice before giving a recorded statement or accepting an offer.
Watch the deadline
See our California statute of limitations guide. Deadlines vary by state.
Have questions about your situation? An attorney can review the facts with you for free and with no obligation.
General information only, not legal advice. Every situation is different, and no particular outcome is guaranteed.
Related articles
- Slip and fall in a grocery store: causes, evidence, and next steps
- Hit by falling merchandise in a store: what to know
- Who is liable for a slip in a grocery store?
- What to do after getting hurt in a supermarket
- Hurt by a shopping cart at a grocery store in California: who may be responsible
- Hurt in a grocery store parking lot in California: trips, falls, and cars
- California statute of limitations for personal injury