Slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere — a grocery store floor, a restaurant, an apartment complex parking lot, or a neighbor's sidewalk. When they happen due to a property owner's negligence, Arizona law provides a path to compensation. But the steps you take immediately after the fall have a significant impact on your ability to successfully pursue that claim.

Step 1: Get Medical Help — Do Not Minimize Your Injuries

Slip and fall injuries can be more serious than they initially appear. Hip fractures (especially in older adults), head injuries from striking the floor, wrist fractures from breaking a fall, and back injuries can all produce worsening symptoms over hours and days. See a doctor the same day, even if you feel you can walk. The medical record created that day is the foundation of your case.

Step 2: Report the Fall to Property Management or Staff

Before you leave the scene, report the fall to a manager, supervisor, or property owner. Request that an incident report be completed and ask for a copy on the spot or in writing shortly after. This creates an official record that the fall occurred on that property, at that time, and under those conditions.

Be careful not to minimize what happened when giving this report. Describe the hazardous condition as accurately as possible — wet floor without a warning sign, broken pavement, inadequate lighting, uneven flooring — and your injuries as you understand them at that moment.

Step 3: Photograph Everything Before Leaving

The hazard that caused your fall may be cleaned up or repaired within minutes of your report. Before anyone addresses it, photograph it extensively: the specific condition that caused the fall, the surrounding area including any (or notably absent) warning signs, the lighting conditions, and the full layout of the area. Take a photo of your clothing and shoes — defense attorneys sometimes argue that inappropriate footwear contributed to the fall.

Also photograph any visible injuries immediately. If surveillance cameras are visible in the area, note their location — your attorney can send a preservation letter to prevent that footage from being overwritten, which typically happens within 24–72 hours.

Step 4: Collect Witness Information

If anyone witnessed the fall or saw the hazardous condition before your fall, get their name and contact information immediately. Witnesses' memories fade rapidly, and having independent corroboration of the hazard significantly strengthens your claim. Ask if they are willing to provide a brief written description of what they saw.

Step 5: Do Not Give Recorded Statements to the Property's Insurer

The property owner's insurance company will contact you — often very quickly, before you even understand your injuries. They may seem sympathetic and genuinely helpful. They are not. Their goal is to document statements that minimize their insured's liability. Do not give a recorded statement until you have consulted an attorney, and ideally, have your attorney handle all insurer communications.

Step 6: Preserve Evidence of Your Damages

As with any personal injury claim, keep all medical records and bills, maintain a daily journal of symptoms and activity limitations, document wage loss with employer verification, and keep any physical evidence of your injuries — such as torn clothing from the fall.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sue if I was partly at fault for the fall?

Yes. Arizona's pure comparative fault rule (ARS § 12-2505) applies to slip and fall cases. Even if you were looking at your phone, wearing heels, or not paying full attention, you may still recover compensation reduced by your percentage of fault. A property owner who fails to fix or warn about a known hazard bears significant responsibility regardless of minor inattention on your part.

What makes a property owner liable for a slip and fall in Arizona?

To establish premises liability, you generally need to show: (1) the property owner knew or should have known about the hazardous condition, (2) they failed to fix it or warn you adequately, and (3) that failure caused your injuries. Proving the owner's "notice" of the hazard — how long the condition existed before your fall — is often the key battleground in these cases.

What if the fall happened in a store that claims they had warning signs?

Warning signs are a defense, but not an absolute one. A wet floor sign placed right beside the hazard rather than far enough in advance, or a sign that was hidden or knocked over, may not adequately discharge the owner's duty. Photographs from the scene are critical to counter this argument.

What is the statute of limitations for a slip and fall in Arizona?

Two years from the date of the fall under ARS § 12-542. If the fall occurred on government property — a public building, school, or city sidewalk — the 180-day notice of claim requirement applies instead. Act quickly in either case.

How long do slip and fall cases take in Arizona?

Straightforward cases with clear liability may resolve in six to twelve months. Cases with disputed liability, multiple defendants (tenant and building owner, for example), or significant injuries can take longer. The process mirrors car accident cases: medical treatment, demand, negotiation, and if needed, litigation.

Injured in Arizona? Get a Free Case Review Today

Navigating a personal injury claim alone — especially against a well-funded insurance company — is difficult. Attorney Alec Caruso spent years on the inside defending insurance companies before switching sides to fight for Arizona injury victims. That insider knowledge is what he brings to every case.

Call Caruso Injury Law 24/7 at (602) 247-8600, or request your free case review online. You pay nothing unless we win.

This article was written and reviewed by Alec J. Caruso, Esq., licensed Arizona personal injury attorney.