A slip and fall can interrupt an ordinary day in a way no one expects. One moment you are checking your mail, grabbing groceries, or heading down a subway staircase, and the next you are on the ground trying to understand what caused the sudden fall. If you are unsure what to do after a slip and fall, you are in the same position as many people who reach out for legal guidance after being hurt on someone else’s property in New York City.
Hazards appear everywhere in a city this dense. Wet supermarket floors without warning cones, cracked steps outside small apartment buildings, loose carpeting in office hallways, ice that should have been salted, or broken tiles inside older buildings can be found across all five boroughs.
Property owners and managers have a legal duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. When they ignore that responsibility, people can get injured. The steps you take immediately after the fall can play a crucial role in establishing what happened before the responsible party attempts to shift blame or fix the hazard.
This article explains what to do when you slip and fall, the types of evidence that matter in a legal claim, and how NYC’s laws influence the process for those injured on public, residential, or commercial property.
Step 1: Prioritize Medical Care Immediately
Even if you feel able to stand or walk after the incident, seek medical attention right away. Slip and fall injuries often worsen over the first 24 to 48 hours. A sudden impact can cause sprains, fractures, herniated discs, or traumatic brain injuries without immediate symptoms. When your doctor documents the injury soon after the accident, it creates a stronger connection between the fall and the harm you suffered.
In New York City, emergency rooms and urgent care centers are well-equipped to treat fall-related injuries. Tell the provider exactly where you fell and what you experienced, including any symptoms such as dizziness, knee swelling, or back pain. This medical record will serve as an important piece of evidence for your claim later.
Step 2: Report the Incident to the Proper Authority
Where the fall happened determines who you need to notify:
- If the fall occurred inside a grocery store, retail shop, or restaurant, ask to speak with the manager and request an incident report;
- For apartment buildings or co-ops, notify the building superintendent, property manager, or management company;
- If the fall happened on a sidewalk, you may need to report the hazard to the New York City Department of Transportation, especially if the sidewalk defect sits in front of a commercial property that is responsible for maintenance; and
- Falls inside subway stations or on MTA property require notifying the MTA or NYC Transit.
Keep a copy or take a photograph of any incident report you complete. That written report creates a timestamp that prevents a property owner from disputing when the fall happened.
Step 3: Preserve Evidence at the Scene
Photos are often the strongest proof of what caused the fall. Before the area changes, take clear pictures of:
- Water, ice, or spills on the floor;
- Broken tiles, torn carpeting, or uneven concrete;
- Missing handrails or poor lighting;
- Construction materials or debris; and
- Any visible injuries.
If the fall damaged your phone or you were unable to take photos at the time, return to the location as soon as possible to document it. Many hazards are repaired immediately after an accident, especially in commercial buildings where maintenance teams respond quickly.
Slip and fall cases in NYC often rely on surveillance footage. Ask the business or building to preserve video from before and after the incident. Security systems typically overwrite recordings within days. A Bronx slip and fall lawyer can send a formal preservation letter to prevent the destruction of footage.
Step 4: Gather Witness Information
Falls often happen in busy environments, such as stairways during morning rush hour, crowded bodegas, packed lobbies, or busy sidewalks. Witnesses may include employees, other shoppers, neighbors, delivery drivers, or passersby. Ask for names and contact information. Even a brief statement, such as “I saw her slip on the wet floor near the freezer aisle,” can strengthen your claim.
Step 5: Avoid Making Statements That Could Be Used Against You
Property owners, insurance carriers, and corporate risk managers often act quickly after an incident. A store manager may ask whether you “feel okay” or whether you “were watching where you stepped.” Insurance adjusters may ask for a recorded statement. Do not minimize your injuries or speculate about what happened.
Simple remarks such as “I’m fine” or “I must have missed that step” can be taken out of context and used to argue that your own carelessness caused the fall. Stick to the facts: where you were, what you saw, and what you felt.
Step 6: Understand How Liability Works in NYC Slip and Fall Cases
Knowing what to do after a slip and fall also means understanding who may be responsible. In New York City, responsibility depends on who controls the property and whether they knew or should have known about the hazard.
Common examples include:
- Landlords who fail to fix broken stairs inside multi-unit apartments,
- Businesses that do not clean up spills or leave aisles obstructed,
- Building owners who neglect snow and ice removal,
- Maintenance companies that perform repairs improperly, and
- Security or janitorial staff who ignore known hazards.
Liability often comes down to timing. Did the dangerous condition exist long enough that a reasonable property owner should have corrected it? Or, did employees walk past the spill repeatedly? Did tenants report the broken step weeks earlier? A lawyer familiar with what to do after a slip and fall accident in NYC can investigate these questions.
Step 7: Document the Financial and Personal Impact
Collect all medical bills, physical therapy records, prescription costs, and work-related documentation. Injuries from a fall can affect income, childcare responsibilities, mobility, and long-term health. Keep a journal that tracks pain levels, missed workdays, and daily limitations. In slip and fall cases, damages often extend far beyond the first week of medical treatment.
Step 8: Avoid Delays Because Evidence Disappears Quickly
NYC is constantly moving. Hazards get repaired fast. Employees rotate. Snow melts. Surveillance systems erase footage. Witnesses relocate. Waiting too long can make it more difficult to prove how the accident occurred or who is responsible.
For accidents involving city property or municipal agencies, the timeline is even shorter. Claimants must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days. That deadline catches many people off guard.
Step 9: Speak With a Lawyer Before Dealing With Insurance Companies
Slip and fall cases often involve multiple parties, including out-of-state corporate landlords, third-party cleaning companies, commercial tenants, and separate building management teams. Each may deny responsibility or blame the victim. Insurance carriers often make early settlement offers that do not accurately reflect the long-term impact of the injury.
An attorney who handles premises liability cases in New York can review evidence, send preservation letters, interview witnesses, obtain video footage, and determine which party or parties share responsibility. This support prevents deadlines from slipping by and ensures the claim starts on solid ground.
A Law Firm That Understands How NYC Slip and Fall Cases Work
Greenspan & Greenspan has represented injured New Yorkers for decades. The firm regularly handles cases involving apartment buildings, commercial properties, retail stores, and public walkways throughout the city. Our experience with complex liability issues, especially those involving multiple property owners or management companies, allows clients to focus on recovery rather than navigating paperwork, deadlines, and insurance disputes.
If you need guidance on what to do after a trip and fall accident in NYC, contact Greenspan & Greenspan to discuss your options and learn how to protect your right to compensation.
