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Home » General Blog » What to Do After a Slip and Fall in Bellevue
Wet floor sign at a store entrance on a rainy day in Bellevue, WA

If you slip and fall in Bellevue, get medical care first, then report the fall and take photos before anything is cleaned up. The first few days matter most. Spills get mopped up, and store videos can be erased within days. Here are the steps to take, who may be responsible, and the time limits under Washington law.

The 8 steps to take after a fall

  1. Get checked by a doctor the same day. Head, back and hip injuries often feel minor at first. A visit also creates a record that ties your injury to the fall.
  2. Report the fall before you leave. Tell the manager, landlord or front desk. Ask them to write an incident report, and ask for a copy or the report number.
  3. Take photos of what made you fall. The wet floor, ice, broken step or loose mat. Get close-ups and wide shots, and show if there was no warning sign.
  4. Photograph your injuries that day and over the next weeks as they change.
  5. Get names and phone numbers of anyone who saw it, including staff.
  6. Ask for the video to be saved. Many stores and garages have cameras that record over old video. Ask in writing, the same day if you can.
  7. Keep your shoes and clothes as they were. They can show you were wearing normal shoes.
  8. Don’t give a recorded statement to the property’s insurer before you get advice. Read Should I give a recorded statement?
Slip and fall accident evidence documentation and injury scene in Bellevue
Photographing wet surfaces and reporting hazardous floor conditions immediately preserves critical evidence.

Where falls happen in Bellevue

Bellevue’s long rainy season means wet entrances and slick floors for much of the year. Falls often happen in:

  • grocery stores and shopping centers, near entrances and in produce or freezer aisles,
  • apartment buildings, on wet stairs, broken steps and badly lit walkways,
  • parking garages, on oil spots, ramps and wet concrete,
  • offices and hotels, on freshly mopped floors with no warning sign,
  • sidewalks and parking lots in ice or snow.

Who is responsible for a slip and fall?

In Washington, the person or business in control of the property may be responsible. That might be the owner, a tenant business or a property manager. How much care they owe depends on why you were there:

Why you were there What the owner had to do
A customer or shopper (an “invitee”) The most care: check for dangers, then fix them or warn about them
A guest, like a friend’s visit (a “licensee”) Fix or warn about dangers they knew about or should have known about
No permission to be there (a “trespasser”) Only not hurt you on purpose

In most cases you must show the owner knew about the danger, or should have found it. Examples: a spill left on the floor for an hour, a step broken for weeks, or a leak staff had seen before. Learn more on our premises liability page.

What if I was partly at fault?

You can still claim. Washington uses “pure comparative fault.” If you are found 20% at fault, for example because you were looking at your phone, your money is reduced by 20%. Insurers often push this argument, so photos and witnesses matter.

Falls on city property

If you fell on a city sidewalk, at a park or in a city building, the claim is against the government. In Washington, you must first file a claim form with the city or agency. Then you must wait 60 days before you can file a lawsuit (RCW 4.96.020). Start early so this extra step doesn’t eat into your deadline.

How long do I have?

Most Washington injury lawsuits must be filed within 3 years of the fall (RCW 4.16.080). Don’t wait that long. Videos, witnesses and the condition that caused the fall disappear much sooner. See statute of limitations.

What a slip and fall claim can pay for

  • medical bills, now and later
  • lost wages and lost earning ability
  • pain and the effect on your daily life
  • costs like rides to appointments and help at home

Common questions

Should I go to the doctor if I feel fine?
Yes. Some injuries, like a concussion, can show up hours later. A same-day visit also protects your claim.

The store said they’ll pay my bills. Do I need a lawyer?
Maybe not for a small bump. But read anything before you sign. A release often ends your right to ask for more later, even if you need surgery.

What if there was a “wet floor” sign?
A sign doesn’t always end the claim. It depends on where it was, whether you could see it and how big the danger was.

Can I claim if I fell at my apartment?
Often, yes, if the landlord knew or should have known about the problem, such as a broken stair or a leak.

Map route to Bellevue Accident Lawyers office at 2223 112th Ave NE near Bellevue Square
Select Law’s Bellevue office is located at 2223 112th Ave NE, Suite 202, just minutes from Bellevue Square.

Talk to a Bellevue personal injury lawyer

If you were hurt in a fall in Bellevue or anywhere on the Eastside, call Bellevue Accident Lawyers, Select Law’s Bellevue office, at (206) 591-4919 for a free consultation. Office: 2223 112th Ave NE, Suite 202, Bellevue, WA 98004. Or visit the Bellevue office page.

Related: Slip and fall injuries · Premises liability claims in Washington and Arizona · King County personal injury lawyer

This post is general information, not legal advice for your case.

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Parham Hakimi

Parham Hakimi is the founder of Select Law. Parham is passionate
about helping clients get a fresh start and victims who have
been wronged by the acts of others... Read more

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