If you slipped and fell at a Walmart in New York, the steps you take immediately after the accident can affect both your health and your legal rights. Seeking medical attention, reporting the incident, and documenting dangerous conditions are often critical when a fall occurs in a large retail store, where staff may clean or correct hazards quickly.
In many Walmart slip, trip, and fall cases, liability centers on whether the store knew or should have known about a dangerous condition and failed to correct it. At Lever & Ecker, our New York slip, trip, and fall accident lawyers investigate how the hazard developed, determine what Walmart employees did or failed to do, and pursue the full compensation warranted for your injuries and other losses.
What to Do Immediately After a Slip, Trip, or Fall Injury at Walmart
What to do after a slip, trip, or fall at a Walmart in New York often comes down to acting quickly and documenting what happened before conditions change. The following steps outline what to focus on immediately after the incident.
Seek Medical Attention
Your health comes first. Even if your injuries seem minor, seek medical care immediately. Some injuries worsen over time, and medical records create important documentation linking the fall to your injuries.
Report the Incident to Store Management
Report the fall to store management as soon as possible. Whether your accident occurred at Walmart, a local restaurant, or another business, reporting the incident creates an official record and helps establish when and where it happened.
Request and Document an Incident Report
Ask for an incident report to be completed and request a copy, if available. Write down the names and titles of employees involved.
Take Photos or Videos of the Hazard
If possible, photograph or record the dangerous condition before it is cleaned or fixed. Capture the surrounding area, including lighting, floor conditions, and nearby warning signs.
Gather Witness Information
Collect names and contact information for anyone who saw the fall or the hazard. Witnesses can play an important role later, especially if liability is disputed.
Contact a New York Slip, Trip, and Fall Accident Lawyer
Speaking with an experienced slip, trip, and fall accident lawyer allows the investigation to begin while evidence is still available. Early involvement often helps secure surveillance footage, witness statements, and store records before they change or are lost.
Can You Sue Walmart for a Slip, Trip, or Fall in New York?
You may pursue a personal injury lawsuit after a slip, trip, or fall at Walmart when the fall occurred because the store failed to keep its property reasonably safe. Large retail stores have a legal duty to maintain areas such as entrances, grocery aisles, restrooms, and parking areas where customers are expected to walk.
Under New York’s pure comparative negligence law, you may still recover compensation even if you share some responsibility for the fall. Any percentage of fault assigned to you reduces the amount you recover, but it does not prevent you from moving forward with a case.
Proving Liability in a Walmart Slip, Trip, and Fall Case
Proving liability after a slip, trip, or fall at Walmart requires showing that the store failed to keep its property reasonably safe. Walmart owes its customers a duty of care to regularly inspect the premises, address hazards, and warn shoppers when dangerous conditions cannot be corrected immediately.
In many cases, liability turns on notice. This means showing the store knew about the hazardous condition or should have known through reasonable inspections. Evidence that a spill, obstruction, or unsafe surface existed long enough to be discovered can be critical.
Surveillance footage often plays an important role by showing how the hazard developed, how long it remained, and whether employees took appropriate action. Evidence gathered during the investigation also shapes how fault is evaluated under New York law, where responsibility may be shared but does not prevent an injured person from pursuing compensation.
Challenges in Walmart Slip, Trip, and Fall Claims
Slip, trip, and fall cases involving large retailers like Walmart often present unique challenges that affect how liability is investigated and proven. Common challenges include:
- Corporate claims departments and defense teams that work to limit the store’s responsibility rather than protect injured shoppers
- Gathering evidence in common areas where slip, trip, and fall accidents happen, such as entrances, grocery aisles, and restrooms, especially when hazards are quickly corrected
- Disputes over how long a hazardous condition existed, which may determine whether the store is held responsible
- Surveillance footage retention policies that may result in important video evidence being erased within a short period of time
- Insurance companies’ tactics aimed at minimizing injuries or shifting blame in New York grocery store slip, trip, and fall cases
Because of these challenges, early investigation often becomes critical to preserving evidence and building a strong case.
How Lever & Ecker Handles Walmart Slip, Trip, and Fall Cases
Slip, trip, and fall cases involving Walmart are rarely straightforward. Evidence can be lost, surveillance footage can be erased, and responsibility is often disputed from the start. These cases require experienced legal representation, including lawyers who know how to act fast and build a strong case from day one.
At Lever & Ecker, we take personal injury cases very personally. We handle the legal process on your behalf, pursue the evidence needed to prove liability, and are always prepared to take your case to trial should trial become necessary. Our award-winning New York personal injury lawyers bring more than 70 years of combined experience to every case, treating each client like family, never like a number. Unlike high-volume firms, we are selective about the cases we accept, allowing for direct communication and focused attention throughout the process.
If you were injured in a slip, trip, or fall accident at a Walmart in New York, contact us today at 718-933-3632 or 914-288-9191, or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
