Slip and fall in Dallas: who is responsible, your deadline, and finding a slip and fall lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

If you fall on a broken Dallas sidewalk, city code says the owner next to it is primarily liable.1 If you fall on city property, written notice to the Office of Risk Management is due within six months.23 Most other fall claims in Texas generally must be filed within two years.4

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Road map of Dallas, where city code makes the property owner next to a sidewalk responsible for repairing it
Fell on Dallas city property? Written notice is due in 6 months. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Who is responsible for a broken sidewalk in Dallas?

Dallas says the neighbor comes first. Its code tells the property owner next to a sidewalk to rebuild or repair it when it becomes defective, unsafe or hazardous.5 If the owner gets written notice and does not fix it within 30 days, that is an offense.6

A separate section goes further. It says the owner or person using the property next to a defective sidewalk is primarily liable for loss or damage from it.1 The same section says the city does not take on that liability just because it inspected the sidewalk.7

A city code does not settle every case. Whether a court will hold a neighbor responsible for your fall depends on the facts, so ask a lawyer how that section applies to you before you count on it. The City of Dallas has 4,536 miles of sidewalk and 2,086 miles of gaps, so a fall on one of its streets is not unusual.89

What should I do after a slip and fall in Dallas?

  1. Get care first. A hard fall can mean a head injury, and Parkland, Baylor University Medical Center and Methodist Dallas are the city's Level I trauma centers.101112
  2. Take photos of the exact spot, your shoes and what made you fall. Put something next to a crack or spill to show its size.
  3. Tell the manager or owner, and ask for a copy of the incident report.
  4. Get names of anyone who saw it.
  5. Report a sidewalk hazard. Dallas lists 311, or (214) 670-3111 from outside the city.13 Your service request can later show when the city heard about it.
  6. Save your shoes in a bag and keep your receipts.

How do I report a dangerous sidewalk in Dallas?

Call 311 and keep the request number. Dallas says hazardous sidewalk conditions can get temporary asphalt repairs if you call (214) 670-3111.14 If the sidewalk is fixed before you can take pictures, your request shows that a problem existed.

There is also a 50/50 cost share for residential sidewalks.15 That helps a homeowner, but it does not change who may be responsible for your fall. If you are the owner being blamed, talk to your homeowner's insurer.

What if I fell on City of Dallas property?

The clock is much shorter. The charter says the city is not liable for a personal injury unless written notice arrives within six months after the injury.2 Texas law also says a government must get notice within six months, and cities may require it sooner.16 Treat six months as the outer limit.

Where you fellSend notice toTip
City building, park or streetOffice of Risk Management at 1500 Marilla 6A South; phone 214-671-9458.3The notice must say when, where and how you were hurt, the full extent and the amount claimed.17
Love FieldSame office, if the hazard was in a city-run areaDallas Police's Love Field Unit is at 214-670-6160.18
DART bus, train or stationDART, in writingDART says email does not count as legal notice.19

Expect a call. Dallas says an adjuster will contact you within three working days of getting your claim.20 Texas also lowers what a government owes you compared with what a store owes a customer, unless you paid to use the property.21 That makes these claims harder, so do not wait to get advice.

Can I sue a store or apartment owner for a fall in Dallas?

Often yes, but you have to show the owner knew or should have known about the danger and did not fix it or warn you. Ask if the place has cameras, and ask them in writing to keep the footage from that day. Stores can reuse it within days.

Your reason for being there matters. If you were trespassing, the owner only had to avoid hurting you on purpose, recklessly or through gross negligence.22 If an owner let you on land for recreation, the law often limits the owner's duty too.23 Being partly at fault is allowed, but not above 50 percent.24

Where do I file a slip and fall claim in Dallas?

Small claims in Dallas County justice courts can hear money claims up to $20,000.25 Many fall injuries cost more than that, once surgery and missed work are counted, and those cases go to a higher court. Keep every bill, note every missed shift and write down how you feel each week.

What should I ask a slip and fall lawyer in Dallas?

  • Who owned the spot where I fell, and is it public or private?
  • Has my six-month clock started, and who gets the notice?
  • Does section 43-33 of the city code help my case?
  • Will you ask for the store's video right away?
  • What would you need to show the owner knew about the danger?

Questions

Can I sue the city for tripping on a sidewalk in Dallas?

Possibly, but city code puts primary liability on the owner next to it, and any claim against the city needs written notice within six months.12

How long do I have to sue after a fall in Dallas?

Generally two years, but six months for notice to a government.416

Who do I call about a broken sidewalk in Dallas?

311, or (214) 670-3111 from outside the city.13

Is a store always responsible if I fall?

No. You must generally show the owner knew or should have known about the danger.

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Dallas

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Texas

Sources

  1. Dallas City Code § 43-33, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be primarily liable in damages for any loss or damage sustained as a result of such defective condition”
  2. Dallas City Charter, Chapter XXIII, Section 1, checked 2026-11-08. “within six months after the injury was received”
  3. City of Dallas, Notice of Claim Form, checked 2026-11-08. “OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT 1500 MARILLA 6A SOUTH DALLAS, TEXAS 75201 214-671-9458”
  4. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a), checked 2026-11-08. “personal injury, forcible entry and detainer, and forcible detainer not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues.”
  5. Dallas City Code § 43-63, checked 2026-11-08. “the abutting property owner shall reconstruct or repair the sidewalk, driveway, or appurtenance”
  6. Dallas City Code § 43-63, checked 2026-11-08. “fails to reconstruct or repair a defective, unsafe, or hazardous condition within 30 days after the date of the written notice”
  7. Dallas City Code § 43-33, checked 2026-11-08. “The city shall not be held as assuming any such liability by reason of inspection or reinspection authorized herein”
  8. City of Dallas, Sidewalk Master Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “there were 4,536 miles of existing sidewalk”
  9. City of Dallas, Sidewalk Master Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “needed to fill in all 2,086 miles of sidewalk gaps”
  10. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “PARKLAND MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 7/1/2028 E DALLAS 75235”
  11. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER 4/1/2028 E DALLAS 75246”
  12. Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “METHODIST DALLAS MEDICAL CENTER 12/1/2027 E DALLAS 75203”
  13. City of Dallas Public Works, Service Request, checked 2026-11-08. “dial 3-1-1 when dialing from inside the city limits, and (214) 670-3111 when calling from outside the Dallas city limits”
  14. City of Dallas Public Works, Sidewalk Replacement Program, checked 2026-11-08. “Sidewalk hazardous conditions are eligible for temporary asphalt repairs.”
  15. City of Dallas Public Works, Sidewalk Replacement Program, checked 2026-11-08. “The City partners with residents to share the cost 50/50 for existing residential sidewalk removal and replacement.”
  16. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101(a), checked 2026-11-08. “A governmental unit is entitled to receive notice of a claim against it under this chapter not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred.”
  17. Dallas City Charter, Chapter XXIII, Section 1, checked 2026-11-08. “when, where, and how the exact injury occurred; (2) the full extent of the injury; and (3) the amount of damages claimed or asserted”
  18. Dallas Police Department, Love Field Unit, checked 2026-11-08. “the Love Field Police Unit at 214-670-6160”
  19. DART, Legal Notices, checked 2026-11-08. “communications made through E-Mail or other messaging system shall in no way be deemed to constitute legal notice to DART”
  20. City of Dallas, How to File a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Within three working days after receiving your claim , a claim adjuster will contact you”
  21. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.022(a), checked 2026-11-08. “if a claim arises from a premise defect, the governmental unit owes to the claimant only the duty that a private person owes to a licensee on private property, unless the claimant pays for the use of the premises.”
  22. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 75.007(b), checked 2026-11-08. “An owner, lessee, or occupant of land does not owe a duty of care to a trespasser on the land and is not liable for any injury to a trespasser on the land, except that an owner, lessee, or occupant owes a duty to refrain from injuring a trespasser wilfully, wantonly, or through gross negligence.”
  23. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 75.002(c), checked 2026-11-08. “If an owner, lessee, or occupant of real property other than agricultural land gives permission to another to enter the premises for recreation, the owner, lessee, or occupant, by giving the permission, does not: (1) assure that the premises are safe for that purpose; (2) owe to the person to whom permission is granted a greater degree of care than is owed to a trespasser on the premises;”
  24. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001, checked 2026-11-08. “a claimant may not recover damages if his percentage of responsibility is greater than 50 percent.”
  25. Dallas County JP 1-1, Small Claims Procedures, checked 2026-11-08. “for $20,000 or less”

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