Broken bone injury in San Antonio: who pays and what to do first
Get care first. In San Antonio, a suspected hip, pelvis or upper leg break means calling 911. Who pays depends on whether you fell or crashed on city property, a private lot or a road. A claim against the City of San Antonio needs written notice within 90 days, and the city charter says it is not liable for sidewalk defects. For most other claims, Texas gives 2 years to sue.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (38)
Who pays when I break a bone in San Antonio?
| Where it happened | Who may owe | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| A car or truck crash | The at-fault driver's insurer | Texas requires only $30,000 per person. |
| A sidewalk | Usually the owner of the property next to it | Owners must maintain it. The city's charter bars liability for sidewalk defects. |
| A rented scooter | The scooter company, and maybe the rider who hit you | Veo's user agreement sends vehicle claims to binding arbitration. |
| Your job | Workers' comp, if your employer has it | You must tell your employer within 30 days. |
| A city vehicle or city property | The City of San Antonio | Written notice within 90 days. |
Most Texas employers carry workers' comp, but not all.
What should I do right after breaking a bone in San Antonio?
- If you think a bone is broken, go to an ER or urgent care now instead of waiting.
- Doctors find a fracture by exam and imaging.
- An open fracture, where bone breaks through the skin, needs urgent care.
- Pain far beyond what you expect, especially under a cast, can be a warning sign of compartment syndrome. A cast or bandage wrapped too tightly can bring it on.
University Hospital is a Level I trauma center. The San Antonio Fire Department EMS report is usually ready within a week, for a $10 fee. It records what the crew saw.
Can I sue the City of San Antonio for a broken sidewalk?
Probably not, and the charter explains why. It says the city will in no event be liable for a defect or obstruction connected with a sidewalk. The city says that by city law, owners must repair and maintain the sidewalk next to their property.
That makes the property owner the first place to look. City code gives the owner 30 days to repair a dangerous sidewalk after written notice from Public Works, and the city says owners can be cited and fined up to $500 for hazards. Report a bad sidewalk on the 311 app. Take your own photos too, with something for scale.
What if a rented scooter caused my fracture in San Antonio?
City code prohibits riding a motor-assisted scooter on sidewalks, and scooters may not ride in parks, plazas or the River Walk, Alamo Plaza, La Villita, Main Plaza or Market Square. A rider who broke those rules may share the blame. Bird and Veo each have a city contract for 1,000 scooters.
What does a broken bone claim cover in Texas?
Noneconomic damages in Texas split into mental anguish, disfigurement and physical impairment. To count on its own, physical impairment has to be substantial and go beyond what the other damages already cover. A fracture into a joint can raise the arthritis risk more than 20-fold, which matters for future care.
Lost pay must be proved as a loss after income tax. Medical damages can cover only what was paid or owed. Settlement terms may not be public, so no page can name a typical figure. One federal study found a median trial award of $98,000 for premises cases and $15,000 for auto cases in 2005, for trials only.
How long do I have to file a broken bone claim in San Antonio?
The usual court deadline is 2 years. Government property or vehicles change the clock: 6 months for most Texas local governments, and 90 days for the City of San Antonio. The notice must say when, where and how it happened, how serious it is and the amount of damages.
A child's time does not run until age 18. If you are over 50 percent at fault, you recover nothing. A hospital can claim a lien if you were admitted within 72 hours, and if Medicare paid, it must be repaid from a settlement.
Questions
Does it matter if I broke a bone in a parking lot?
The place decides who owes. A private lot has an owner or manager. A city street or lot may bring in the 90-day city notice.
Who pays my ER bill first?
Your health plan or Medicare usually pays first, and they may want repayment later. Texas limits medical damages to what was paid or owed.
How long does a fracture case take?
It depends on how long you heal. Jury trials averaged 27 months in federal data, and many cases end earlier.
Can I still claim if I was partly at fault?
Yes, if you were 50 percent or less at fault, with your award cut by your share.
Broken bones in San Antonio? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (38)
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “There is a suspected broken bone in the hip, pelvis, or upper leg.”
- San Antonio City Charter, Article XII, Sec. 150 (Municode), checked 2026-11-08. “notice in writing of such death, injury or destruction within ninety days after the injury has been sustained”
- San Antonio City Charter, Article XII, Sec. 150 (Municode), checked 2026-11-08. “in no event shall the city be liable in damages to any one on account of any defect in, obstruction, on or anything else in connection with any sidewalk in the city”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- City of San Antonio, Sidewalk Rebate Program brochure, checked 2026-11-08. “property owners are responsible for repairing and maintaining any sidewalks adjoining their properties”
- City of San Antonio, Sidewalk Rebate Program brochure (quoting Sec. 29-11), checked 2026-11-08. “within thirty (30) days from date of receipt of such notice”
- Tex. Transp. Code § 601.072(a-1), checked 2026-11-08. “(1) $30,000 for bodily injury to or death of one person in one collision; (2) $60,000 for bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in one collision, subject to the amount provided by Subdivision (1) for bodily injury to or death of one of the persons; and (3) $25,000 for damage to or destruction of property of others in one collision.”
- Veo User Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “All claims arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including access to and use of the Services, and use and rental of any Vehicle, shall be finally settled by binding arbitration”
- Tex. Lab. Code § 409.001(a), checked 2026-11-08. “shall notify the employer of the employee of an injury not later than the 30th day after the date on which: (1) the injury occurs;”
- Texas Department of Insurance, Employee resources, checked 2026-11-08. “Not all Texas employers provide workers' compensation insurance, but most do.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “it's important to get medical care right away if you think you have a fracture”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “They will also likely order an x-ray or other imaging test to see if your bone is broken.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Whether the bone breaks through the skin; if it does, it's called an open (or compound) fracture.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Pain that is much higher than expected with the injury”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “A cast or bandage that is too tight”
- University Health, Trauma Care, checked 2026-11-08. “verified by the American College of Surgeons as both a Level I trauma center and a Level I pediatric trauma center”
- San Antonio Fire Department, EMS Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “typically available within a week after the incident”
- San Antonio Fire Department, EMS Reports, checked 2026-11-08. “Processing Fee (Medical / Billing): $10”
- City of San Antonio, Property Owner's Responsibilities, checked 2026-11-08. “City Ordinances require sidewalks to be maintained by property owners as an extension of their front yards”
- City of San Antonio, 311 Mobile App, checked 2026-11-08. “Sidewalks - Streets/traffic”
- San Antonio City Code, Ch. 19, Art. XIX (Municode), Sec. 19-661, checked 2026-11-09. “Riding on sidewalks is prohibited.”
- San Antonio City Code, Ch. 19, Art. XIX (Municode), Sec. 19-661, checked 2026-11-09. “Riders may not ride on trails, creek ways, plazas and in parks, including but not limited to the Riverwalk, Alamo Plaza, La Villita, Main Plaza and Market Square.”
- City of San Antonio, Dockless Vehicles, checked 2026-11-09. “Bird and Veo have contracts with the City of San Antonio to operate 1,000 dockless vehicles per vendor, for a total of 2,000.”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.001(12), checked 2026-11-09. “physical pain and suffering, mental or emotional pain or anguish, loss of consortium, disfigurement, physical impairment”
- Golden Eagle Archery, Inc. v. Jackson, 116 S.W.3d 757 (Tex. 2003), checked 2026-11-09. “the effect of any physical impairment must be substantial and extend beyond any pain, suffering, mental anguish, lost wages or diminished earning capacity”
- PubMed Central (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “articular fractures can increase the risk more than 20-fold”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 18.091, checked 2026-11-09. “must be presented in the form of a net loss after reduction for income tax payments”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.0105, checked 2026-11-09. “recovery of medical or health care expenses incurred is limited to the amount actually paid or incurred by or on behalf of the claimant”
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005, checked 2026-11-09. “The terms of settlement agreements and other key information for civil cases resolved prior to trial may not be reported to the court or may not be publicly available.”
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005, checked 2026-11-09. “Premises liability $98,000”
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005, checked 2026-11-09. “Automobile $15,000”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 101.101, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred”
- San Antonio City Charter, Article XII, Sec. 150 (Municode), checked 2026-11-08. “stating in such written notice when, where and how the death, injury or destruction occurred”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001, checked 2026-11-08. “the time of the disability is not included in a limitations period”
- 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”
- Tex. Prop. Code § 55.002, checked 2026-11-09. “For the lien to attach, the individual must be admitted to a hospital not later than 72 hours after the accident.”
- CMS, checked 2026-11-09. “because it must be repaid to Medicare when a beneficiary receives a settlement, judgment, award, or other payment”
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005, checked 2026-11-09. “the processing of a case required an additional half year for a jury trial (27 months), compared to a bench trial (21 months)”