Slip and fall in Tempe: who is responsible and how to find a slip and fall lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

Tempe code makes the people next to a sidewalk keep it in good repair.1 A fall on private property generally gives you 2 years to sue.2 A fall on Tempe city property needs a notice of claim with the City Clerk within 180 days.3 Report hazards to Transportation Maintenance at 480-350-8219.4

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Road map of Tempe with Town Lake and its concrete paths, where the city keeps paths open from 5 a.m. to midnight
Fell on Tempe city property? You may have just 180 days to claim. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Who is responsible for a broken sidewalk in Tempe?

Tempe's code points first at the people next to it. Section 29-2 makes it a duty for those who own, occupy or control premises to keep the sidewalk in front in good repair.1 The same section tells them to keep tree branches trimmed so they do not block the way.5 About 90% of Tempe streets include sidewalks, so this comes up often.6

One caution. That code duty does not by itself settle who has to pay a person who gets hurt. We did not find a Tempe rule that says so either way. If you tripped on a lifted slab, the owner, the tenant and the city may each say it was someone else's job. That is why you should treat the city's short deadline as live until you know for sure.

To report the hazard, Tempe Police point people to Transportation Maintenance at 480-350-8219. Its list includes sidewalks and path lighting.4 Tempe 311 is at 480-350-4311.7 Save the confirmation. A report made before your fall by someone else would be useful, and you can ask for those through a records request.

How do I file a claim if I fell on City of Tempe property?

Fill out Tempe's Notice of Claim form and file it with the City Clerk within 180 days.3 That covers things like city buildings, parks and pools.8 Hand delivery goes to 31 E. 5th Street, 2nd Floor, by appointment at 480-350-8242 or [email protected].9 Risk Management answers questions at 480-350-8321.9

If the claim does not settle, a lawsuit against a public agency must be filed within 1 year.10 Small claims court is not an option against a public body.11

What if I fell at ASU or at a Valley Metro station in Tempe?

PlaceWhere the claim goesNote
ASU campusArizona Board of Regents, 2700 N. Central Ave., Suite 400, Phoenix12ASU itself is not authorized to accept it.12 The 180-day limit applies to public bodies.13
Light rail station or platformValley Metro Risk Management, 101 N. 1st Ave., Suite 1300, Phoenix, or [email protected]14Riders can report it through the Alert VM app or to a security officer.15
Streetcar stop on Mill or AshValley Metro Risk Management, at the address above14The streetcar shares Mill and Ash with traffic.16 Ask Valley Metro at 602-253-5000 who to name.17

Get the name right. Valley Metro is a brand, and the legal bodies behind it are different for rail and bus.18 If you are not sure, ask Risk Management before the 180 days run out.

Can I sue a store or apartment complex in Tempe after a fall?

Yes, if the owner or manager knew about the hazard or should have found it and did not fix it. That is the usual question in a store fall, and it usually comes down to how long the spill or defect was there. Photos with time stamps and any employee names help.

  • Renters: landlords of Arizona homes and apartments must keep shared areas clean and safe.19 Stairs, walkways and pool decks in a complex fall under this.
  • People who were trespassing: the owner only had to avoid hurting you on purpose or through reckless conduct.20
  • Your own carelessness counts. Arizona lowers your payment by your share of the blame.21

What about a fall on the Tempe Town Lake path or in a Tempe park?

Recreation rules are tougher on you. If you were hurt on land you used for free recreation, the owner is liable only for willful, malicious or grossly negligent conduct.22 Town Lake has 12-foot concrete paths on each side, open from 5 a.m. to midnight every day.23 A cracked path there may fall under that rule, depending on the facts.

Paying to enter or use a facility can change the analysis. Keep your receipt. And if you were on a bike or scooter on that path, see Tempe's speed limits for riders, since speed will come up.24

What should I do in the first week after a fall in Tempe?

  1. See a doctor and describe exactly how you fell. HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center has an emergency department on Mill Avenue, open all hours.25
  2. Go back and photograph the spot before it gets fixed, with something in the shot for scale.
  3. Report it in writing to the manager or the city, and keep a copy. Do not sign anything that says you were not hurt.
  4. Keep the shoes you wore, unwashed, in a bag.
  5. Ask for ambulance records if one came. Tempe Fire Medical Rescue handles them at 480-858-7262.26
  6. Write down witnesses' names and numbers today, because people move away fast in a college town.

How long do I have to file a slip and fall claim in Tempe?

Where you fellTime limit
Private store, office or apartmentGenerally 2 years to sue2
City of Tempe, ASU or another public body180 days for the claim,8 1 year to sue10
Injured person is a minorThe clock usually starts at adulthood27

Smaller cases may land in Maricopa justice court, with a civil limit of $10,000,28 while Superior Court sends disputes under $50,000 to arbitration.29 A slip and fall lawyer in Tempe can look at who controlled the spot before you pick a target. Ask how they will find out who owned and maintained it.

Questions

Can I sue the City of Tempe for a fall on a sidewalk?

Maybe, but the code puts repair duties on those next to the sidewalk,1 and any claim against the city is due in 180 days.3

Who do I call about a dangerous sidewalk in Tempe?

Transportation Maintenance at 480-350-8219, or Tempe 311 at 480-350-4311.47

Does a fall at ASU go to the university?

No. A notice of claim goes to the Arizona Board of Regents.12

What if I fell at a free city park?

The owner may be liable only for willful, malicious or grossly negligent conduct.22

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Tempe

Slip and fall

Arizona

Sources

  1. Tempe City Code 29-2, checked 2026-11-08. “It shall be the duty of all persons to keep the sidewalks in front of the premises owned, occupied or controlled by them”
  2. A.R.S. § 12-542(1), checked 2026-11-08. “there shall be commenced and prosecuted within two years after the cause of action accrues, and not afterward, the following actions: 1. For injuries done to the person of another”
  3. City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “claims must be filed with the City Clerk's Office within 180 days after the cause of action accrues”
  4. Tempe Police, Traffic Complaint Tipline, checked 2026-11-08. “please contact Transportation Maintenance at 480-350-8219”
  5. Tempe City Code 29-2, checked 2026-11-08. “Keep the branches of all trees growing along such sidewalks so trimmed and cut as not to interfere with the free use”
  6. Tempe Transportation Plan 2050, Understanding, checked 2026-11-08. “Percent of streets that include sidewalks”
  7. City of Tempe, Office of Animal Welfare, checked 2026-11-08. “If you have a time-sensitive, animal-related need during business hours, please contact Tempe 311 at 480-350-4311.”
  8. A.R.S. § 12-821.01(A), checked 2026-11-08. “Any claim that is not filed within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues is barred and no action may be maintained thereon.”
  9. City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “City of Tempe City Clerk's Office 31 E. 5th Street, 2nd Floor Tempe, AZ 85281”
  10. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “All actions against any public entity or public employee shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward.”
  11. Arizona Revised Statutes 22-503, checked 2026-11-08. “Actions against this state, its political subdivisions or an officer or employee of the state or its political subdivisions in his official capacity.”
  12. Arizona Board of Regents, Service of Process, checked 2026-11-08. “are not authorized to accept service of lawsuits or notices of claim”
  13. Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
  14. Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Valley Metro Attention: Risk Management 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300 Phoenix, AZ 85003”
  15. Valley Metro, Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “On rail, riders can use the Alert VM app, speak with a security officer or Customer Experience Representative, or use emergency call buttons”
  16. Valley Metro, Tempe Streetcar, checked 2026-11-08. “differs from light rail in that it shares the roadway with vehicle traffic”
  17. City of Tempe, Transit, checked 2026-11-08. “Call 602-253-5000 for bus, Orbit, light rail, streetcar and express route complaints”
  18. Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Please note, Valley Metro is a brand name only. Valley Metro Rail, Inc. operates light rail service.”
  19. A.R.S. § 33-1324(A)(3), checked 2026-11-08. “Keep all common areas of the premises in a clean and safe condition.”
  20. A.R.S. § 12-557(A), checked 2026-11-08. “A possessor of real property, including an owner, easement holder, lessee, renter or other occupant, does not owe a duty of care to a trespasser except to refrain from causing intentional, wilful or wanton injury.”
  21. A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
  22. A.R.S. § 33-1551(A), checked 2026-11-08. “A public or private owner, easement holder, lessee, tenant, manager or occupant of premises is not liable to a recreational user or educational user except on a showing that the owner, easement holder, lessee, tenant, manager or occupant was guilty of wilful, malicious or grossly negligent conduct”
  23. City of Tempe, Paths, Parks and Recreation, checked 2026-11-08. “Paths around Tempe Town Lake are open from 5 am to midnight every day”
  24. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “The speed limit for electric bicycles on multi-use paths was lowered from 20 mph to 15 mph”
  25. HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center, checked 2026-11-08. “The emergency entrance is on the West side of Mill Avenue.”
  26. Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Record requests by phone 480-858-7262”
  27. A.R.S. § 12-502, checked 2026-11-08. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
  28. Maricopa County Justice Courts, checked 2026-11-08. “small claims up to $5,000, and civil lawsuits for amounts up to $10,000”
  29. Maricopa County Superior Court, Arbitration, checked 2026-11-08. “Compulsory Arbitration is a mandatory program for disputes valued under $50,000.”

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