The first step in documenting a slip and fall injury is completing an incident report with the store or business, as it provides you with vital evidence. Incident reports help establish proof in your case and alert the store or company to your injury. You can do this by contacting a manager or asking a store clerk to find the manager for you. People are often afraid of “causing trouble” after a fall, but starting a report is essential if you decide to seek compensation.

Avoid providing recorded statements without first speaking with an attorney about the best way to proceed with your case.

Why is an incident report critical?

It provides documentation.

An incident report will serve as Exhibit A for your slip and fall case. It serves as the first documentation of your accident. The evidence preservation process also begins. By completing a report, you have alerted the store to your fall and its circumstances, placing the burden on them to start processing the items and people involved in the incident.

It helps preserve evidence.

Often you will want to send a formal letter asking the store or business to retain evidence. This includes things such as video recordings of the area you fell in, the names of employees working in the area when the accident happened, and the item itself that caused your fall, if possible. While many stores will have policies to preserve this evidence, it doesn’t hurt to request it formally.

It facilitates the identification of witnesses.

An incident report also allows you to collect and retain information from any witnesses to your fall. Compiling a list of witnesses and the names of the store clerk and the manager are essetial. It serves as a record of the people who saw your fall and the resulting injury and could then be called as witnesses in your case.