Find a slip and fall lawyer in Houston: who owns the property decides your deadline

Last checked November 8, 2026

In Houston, the owner of the place where you fell decides your deadline. A store or landlord: generally 2 years to sue.1 City of Houston property: verified written notice within 90 days.2 Harris County: 180 days.3 METRO: 180 days.4 Neighborhood sidewalks are generally the adjoining owner's job to repair.5

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Road map of central Houston, where the owner of the property or sidewalk decides which claim deadline applies after a fall
Fell on City of Houston property? Written notice is due in 90 days. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Who is responsible for my slip and fall in Houston?

First find out who owns or runs the place. A fall in a grocery store and a fall at a city building can look the same on your X-ray and still follow very different rules. Save the name on the lease, the receipt or the sign out front.

Where you fellDeadlineWhere to start
Store, restaurant, apartment or other private placeGenerally 2 years to sue1Ask for an incident report and the manager's name
City of Houston building or property90 days, written and verified2Sign before a notary, then mail to the City Secretary, P.O. Box 1562, Houston 77251-156267
Harris County building or property180 days, in writing3Risk Management: (713) 274-54688
METRO bus, train or station180 days4METRO's signed notice form; call 713-635-4000 or email claims9
Another Texas government bodyUsually 6 months for notice10Do not wait to learn who owns it

A copy of a city notice also goes to the City Attorney's Claims section at P.O. Box 368, Houston 77001-0368.11 The charter says missing the notice excuses the city from any liability, so treat day 90 as a hard stop.12

Who pays if I trip on a broken sidewalk in Houston?

Many people assume the city. But a City Council page says upkeep of neighborhood sidewalks falls on the abutting property owner.5 The same page says the city steps in only in specific situations, such as a busy thoroughfare, near a school or for people with mobility impairments.13

A repair duty is not the same as being legally liable for your injury, and Texas courts look at the facts of each case. Before day 90, photograph the crack with something for scale, note the nearest address and ask a lawyer whether a notice to the city is a good idea anyway. We did not find a city page that settles who pays for an injury on a neighborhood sidewalk.

What if I fell at my Houston apartment complex?

Houston has a program for this. The Multi-Family Habitability Program covers rental properties with three or more units.14 Inspectors look at stairways, balconies, railings, exterior lighting and walkways, and the city gets about 3,300 to 3,600 complaints a year through 311.1516

  1. Tell the office in writing about the broken stair, railing or light, and keep a copy.
  2. Take photos before anyone repairs it, including how dark it is at night.
  3. Call 311 to report the condition. A city inspection record could help show the problem was real.
  4. Ask neighbors whether they complained about the same spot. Their texts or emails can show the owner knew.

Is it harder to win a fall claim against Houston or Harris County?

Usually yes. For a dangerous condition on government property, the agency owes you less care than a store owes a customer, unless you paid to use the property.17 So a paid entry fee or parking pass can matter. Keep it.

State law gives governments 6 months for notice, and cities may ask for it sooner.10 Houston does.2 The city's procedure asks for the required information in writing, signed before a notary.6 Harris County's written notice goes to Commissioners Court, 1001 Preston, Room 610.3

What will a Houston property owner say to avoid paying?

  • You were not looking. More than 50% of the blame means no recovery at all.18
  • You were somewhere you should not have been. A trespasser is owed far less, only protection from being hurt on purpose, recklessly or through gross negligence.19
  • You were there for fun. If an owner lets you on land for recreation, the law often limits the owner's duty, with some exceptions.20
  • No one knew about the spill. That is why witnesses, video and photos from the first hour matter so much.

Ask the business in writing to save its video right away. Cameras often record over old footage, and we do not know how long any given Houston store keeps it.

Where do I get records and file a small Houston claim?

Get treated and say that you fell. Harris Health says it can send records within 15 business days when a request is clear and complete, and you should include a copy of photo ID.21 Memorial Hermann handles requests through its Release of Information Department.22

For smaller losses, Harris County justice courts hear civil claims up to $20,000.23 Talk to someone before you file there, because how you frame the claim can matter. Children may have more time on the lawsuit deadline, but a notice deadline is a separate question.24

Questions

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

Generally 2 years to sue a private owner.1 City property needs written notice within 90 days.2

Who fixes a broken sidewalk in a Houston neighborhood?

A City Council page says that is the abutting property owner's job.5

Can I sue if I fell at a Houston apartment?

Possibly. Get proof of the condition and report it through 311. The city's program covers rentals with three or more units.14

What if I fell at a METRO station?

METRO's form must be signed and delivered within 180 days.4

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Houston

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Texas

Sources

  1. 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.”
  2. City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “duly verified, within 90 days after the same has been sustained”
  3. Harris County, Claim Filing Procedures, checked 2026-11-08. “Written notice of your claim must be mailed or delivered in person within 180 days of the occurrence to: Harris County Commissioners Court 1001 Preston, Room 610 Houston, Texas 77002”
  4. METRO, Notice of Claim Form, checked 2026-11-08. “within 180 days of the incident by anyone desiring to make a claim against METRO”
  5. Houston City Council District A, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “the maintenance and repair of neighborhood sidewalks is the responsibility of the abutting property owner”
  6. City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “in writing and sign the letter before a Notary Public”
  7. City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “City Secretary's Office City of Houston Post Office Box 1562 Houston, Texas 77251-1562”
  8. Harris County, Claim Filing Procedures, checked 2026-11-08. “please call Harris County Risk Management at (713) 274-5468”
  9. METRO, Notice of Claim Form, checked 2026-11-08. “Email: [email protected]”
  10. 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.”
  11. City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “City Attorney's Office Attn: Claims/Subrogation Section Post Office Box 368 Houston, Texas 77001-0368”
  12. City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “shall exonerate, excuse and exempt the city from any liability whatsoever”
  13. Houston City Council District A, FAQ, checked 2026-11-08. “such as on a busy thoroughfare, near a school, or for citizens with mobility impairments”
  14. Houston Permitting Center, Overview of Apartment Inspection Ordinance, March 2026, checked 2026-11-08. “monitors multi-family rental properties with three or more units”
  15. Houston Permitting Center, Overview of Apartment Inspection Ordinance, March 2026, checked 2026-11-08. “Stairways, balconies, and railings • Exterior lighting • Walkways and accessibility paths”
  16. Houston Permitting Center, Overview of Apartment Inspection Ordinance, March 2026, checked 2026-11-08. “RECEIVES AN AVERAGE OF 3,300 TO 3,600 311 COMPLAINTS PER YEAR”
  17. 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.”
  18. 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.”
  19. 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.”
  20. 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;”
  21. Harris Health, Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “helps us send your records within 15 business days”
  22. Memorial Hermann, Request Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “The Memorial Hermann Release of Information Department processes requests for protected health information.”
  23. Harris County Justice Courts, About, checked 2026-11-08. “Justice Courts have jurisdiction of civil matters in which the amount in controversy is no more than $20,000”
  24. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”

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