Slip & Fall
What To Do After a Slip and Fall in McAllen, TX (2026 Guide)
Fell in a store, restaurant, or apartment complex? The first minutes decide your case. Here's exactly what to do to protect your health and the evidence before the hazard gets cleaned up.
Quick answer
After a slip and fall in McAllen, report it to a manager and get a written incident report, photograph the exact hazard before it's cleaned up, get witness names, keep the shoes and clothes you were wearing, and see a doctor the same day. Then call a premises liability lawyer before giving any statement to the store's insurer — the surveillance video and cleaning logs that prove your case can disappear within days.
1. Report the fall and get an incident report
Find a manager and tell them you fell and were hurt. Insist they create a written incident report, and ask for a copy or at least the report number. This creates an official, time-stamped record that the fall happened on their property — something the store cannot later deny. If they refuse to give you a copy, write down the manager's name and the date and time yourself.
2. Photograph the hazard before it disappears
This is the single most important step. Within minutes a spill gets mopped, a 'wet floor' sign appears, or a broken tile gets roped off — and the proof of negligence is gone forever. Use your phone to photograph the exact hazard from several angles: the puddle, the spill, the broken stair, the missing handrail, the bad lighting, the lack of any warning sign. Photograph your injuries too.
3. Collect witnesses and preserve your shoes
- Names and phone numbers of anyone who saw you fall or saw the hazard.
- The shoes and clothes you were wearing — store them; don't wash them. They can disprove a claim that your footwear caused the fall.
- Your own written notes about what happened while it's fresh.
- Any receipt proving you were a customer on the premises that day.
4. See a doctor the same day
Falls cause serious injuries that don't always hurt right away — fractured wrists and hips, herniated discs, torn ligaments, and concussions. Adrenaline masks the pain, and a gap between your fall and your first medical visit is the first thing the store's insurer uses to argue you weren't really hurt. Getting examined the same day protects your health and ties your injuries directly to the fall.
5. Call a premises liability lawyer before you talk to insurance
The store's insurer may call quickly, sounding helpful, and ask for a recorded statement — don't give one. A premises liability lawyer can send a letter forcing the store to preserve its surveillance video and cleaning logs before they're erased, deal with the insurer, and prove the owner had 'notice' of the hazard. At The Relentless Lawyer, your consultation is free and you pay nothing unless we win. We're available 24/7 across McAllen and San Juan.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a slip and fall claim in Texas?
In most cases Texas gives you two years from the date of the fall, but the key evidence — surveillance video and cleaning logs — can be erased in days. Call a lawyer right away so it can be preserved.
What if I didn't take any photos at the scene?
You may still have a case. We can move to preserve the store's surveillance video, subpoena cleaning and inspection logs, and locate witnesses. The sooner you call, the more of that evidence still exists.
Injured? Let's talk today.
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