Slip and fall: what to do after a fall
Short answer
- Falls killed 48,308 people in the U.S. in 2024, more than traffic crashes did, the CDC reports.
- After a fall, get checked: MedlinePlus says head injury symptoms can show up hours or days later.
- A homeowners policy's medical payments coverage pays medical bills for people hurt on the property.
Checked October 19, 2026.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FastStats: Accidents or Unintentional Injuries (last reviewed September 29, 2026); MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Head injury - first aid; National Association of Insurance Commissioners, A Consumer's Guide to Home Insurance (2022). Every fact cites a source
Health facts here come from the CDC and MedlinePlus, not from a doctor who knows you. They aren't medical advice. If you're hurt, see a doctor. In an emergency, call 911.
Right after a fall
- Get checked if you hit your headHead injury symptoms can show up right away or develop over several hours or days, MedlinePlus says. Call emergency services right away if someone is confused, tired or unconscious. The CDC says an older person who falls and hits their head should see their doctor right away.Source: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Head injury - first aid; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Facts About Older Adult Falls (reviewed September 8, 2026)
- Tell the owner or managerAsk for a copy of the incident report, or its report number.
- Photograph the spot before it changesThe floor or step, the lighting, any warning sign or the lack of one, and your shoes.
- Get namesOf anyone who saw the fall or helped, staff included.
- Keep your medical records and billsFrom the first visit on.
Why falls can be serious
Falls can cause broken bones, like wrist, arm, ankle and hip fractures, and head injuries, the CDC says. For older adults, falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries.
Motor vehicle traffic crashes killed 41,241 that year.
About 37% of those who fall report an injury that needed medical treatment or limited their activity for a day or more.
Who pays your medical bills
It depends on where you fell, and on whether the owner is found legally responsible.
The common homeowners policy types include it, except the dwelling fire form. It pays medical bills for people hurt on the property.
Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, A Consumer's Guide to Home Insurance (2022)That coverage pays medical expenses for others accidentally hurt on the property, regardless of who is at fault. It doesn't cover the owner or family members who live there.
Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Homeowner's Insurance FAQsThe owner's liability coverage pays for injuries to someone else when the owner is found legally responsible. In New Jersey, you usually must show a business knew of the hazard or should have found it.
Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, A Consumer's Guide to Home Insurance (2022); Model Civil Jury Charge 5.20F (revised November 2022)In New Jersey, it's generally your only claim against your employer. You can still claim against someone else who caused the fall, like a building owner.
Source: N.J.S.A. 34:15-8; N.J.S.A. 34:15-40; N.J.S.A. 34:15-51; N.J.S.A. 34:15-17In a New Jersey injury lawsuit, other benefits that duplicate the award are deducted from it. Workers' comp and life insurance aren't.
Source: N.J.S.A. 2A:15-97NJThe deadlines in New Jersey
- Sue for an injury, in generalN.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a)Within 2 years
- A fall on town, county or State propertyN.J.S.A. 59:8-8Notice within 90 days after the claim arises
- A fall at work: tell your employerN.J.S.A. 34:15-17Within 90 days at the latest, or no compensation is allowed
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FastStats: Accidents or Unintentional Injuries (last reviewed September 29, 2026)How many people died in falls, and in traffic crashes, in one year. Checked .
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Head injury - first aidFalls as a cause of head injury, when to call for help, and how symptoms can show up later. Checked .
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners, A Consumer's Guide to Home Insurance (2022)What a homeowners policy's liability and medical payments coverage pay. Checked .
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Facts About Older Adult Falls (reviewed September 8, 2026)How often older adults fall, how often they're hurt, and the injuries falls cause. Checked .
- New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Homeowner's Insurance FAQsMedical payments coverage pays whoever was at fault. Checked .
- Model Civil Jury Charge 5.20F (revised November 2022)New Jersey Courts, Model Civil Jury Charges. Checked .
- N.J.S.A. 34:15-8Justia, 2025 New Jersey Revised Statutes. Checked .
- N.J.S.A. 34:15-40Justia, 2025 New Jersey Revised Statutes. Checked .
- N.J.S.A. 34:15-51Justia, 2025 New Jersey Revised Statutes. Checked .
- N.J.S.A. 34:15-17Justia, 2025 New Jersey Revised Statutes. Checked .
- N.J.S.A. 2A:15-97Justia, 2025 New Jersey Revised Statutes. Checked .
- N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2(a)Justia, 2025 New Jersey Revised Statutes. Checked .
- N.J.S.A. 59:8-8Justia, 2025 New Jersey Revised Statutes. Checked .
- N.J.S.A. 59:8-9Justia, 2025 New Jersey Revised Statutes. Checked .
General information, not legal or medical advice. We don't know the facts of your claim. A lawyer can review them, and most injury lawyers offer a free consultation.
What to do next
- Next questionSlip and fall lawsuits: what has to be provenWhat has to be proven, and what a property owner owes you.
- Thinking about a lawyer?Do I need a lawyer after a car accident?When a consultation tends to help, and when people handle a claim alone.
- Top 3 in Jersey City
- Rank 1Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq, P.C.Score 94
- Rank 2Brach Eichler Injury LawyersScore 80
- Rank 3John Allegra LawScore 62
Compare firmsSlip and fall lawyers, ranked on public recordsCompare before you call. No firm pays to rank.Slip and fall lawyers in Jersey CitySlip and fall lawyers in Hoboken
Questions people ask
What should you do after a slip and fall?
Get checked, especially if you hit your head: MedlinePlus says head injury symptoms can show up hours or days later. Tell the owner or manager and ask for the incident report, photograph the spot before it changes, and get the names of anyone who saw it.
Who pays medical bills after a slip and fall?
At someone's home, a homeowners policy's medical payments coverage pays medical bills for people hurt on the property. In New Jersey, it pays regardless of who is at fault. If the owner is found legally responsible, their liability coverage pays. A fall at work goes to workers' comp.
What are the most common slip and fall injuries?
The CDC says falls can cause broken bones, like wrist, arm, ankle and hip fractures, and head injuries. For older adults, falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries.
Is the property owner always responsible for a fall?
No. In New Jersey, a business must keep its place reasonably safe, and you usually must show it knew of the hazard or should have found it.
How long do you have to file a slip and fall claim in New Jersey?
Generally 2 years to file a lawsuit. If you fell on town, county or State property, written notice is due within 90 days after the claim arises.