Proving the store's notice is usually the heart of a store injury case, and it is done with the store's own evidence. A store can be responsible in three ways: where it created the hazard, where it had actual notice (someone reported it), or where it had constructive notice — the hazard was present long enough that a reasonable inspection should have found and addressed it.
That last category is where the store's records matter most. Many stores keep sweep or inspection logs recording when aisles were last checked, and surveillance footage often shows how long a hazard was present before the injury. Together, these can establish that staff should have found and cleaned it in time — and did not.
Because the store controls this evidence and footage can be overwritten within days, acting quickly to demand it be preserved is critical. A prompt investigation is how the store's notice — and its negligence — is established, which is often what makes or breaks the claim.