Find Proof of What Caused Your Fall
A Dallas slip and fall lawyer must connect the hazard, the property’s control and the owner’s knowledge with your injury. Genthe investigates the exact floor, step or walkway and builds the claim around your treatment and losses, rather than a generic settlement request.
Jump to the FAQs. Our intake team answers 24/7 and arranges attorney follow-up.
Recent Recoveries
- $2,000,000Car crash — litigation settlement
- $1,750,000Slip & fall — litigation settlement
- $1,000,00018-wheeler — litigation settlement
- $850,000Tractor-trailer — litigation settlement
- $650,000Commercial collision — litigation settlement
- $650,000Trucking accident — litigation settlement
- $550,000On-the-job injury — litigation settlement
Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Client Reviews
What our clients say about us
Selected reviews reproduced as written and attributed to their authors. Individual experiences and prior results do not guarantee another case’s outcome.
Rated five out of five stars
“In 2022, I suffered a devastating fall while running errands. I was badly injured. Broken knee. Broken ankle. Severe head and neck trauma. I called several attorneys for help. No one returned my calls… He made sure I had the best specialists that covered every medical issue that I required… They took away my fear and gave me hope.”
Tracy Fortner
Rated five out of five stars
“From start to finish Aaron’s team were open and honest about everything, realistic about expectations and extremely patient with any questions or concerns I had. I feel that in the legal field, as a client, it can be easy to feel intimidated or unheard but with the Genthe Law Firm this was never the case.”
Nick V.
Rated five out of five stars
“I was well informed of each step and what to expect. Law suits can often be a lengthy process, Genthe was great about staying in communication of where we were at and expected time lines.”
Allison Sanderson
Your Attorney
The lawyer who works your case
Meet Aaron Genthe, founder of Genthe Law Firm, who represents injured people in Dallas and throughout Texas.
Founder · Trial Attorney
Aaron Genthe
A Texas A&M graduate who went into personal injury straight out of law school, Aaron spent years as a litigator at one of the larger firms in Dallas — long enough to build a reputation as an aggressive and effective attorney, and long enough to watch how easily a client becomes a file number at a firm that size.
He started Genthe Law Firm so that the person you speak to about your injury is the person who tries it. Premises cases are the ones where that matters earliest: the work that decides them happens in the first two weeks, and that work needs an evidence-preservation plan.
- Practicing since
- 2015
- Education
- Texas A&M graduate
- Fee
- Contingency — nothing unless you recover
Representation built around your case
Get Lawyers Who Fight for Fall Victims
Dallas premises liability representation should connect the specific condition, control of the property and notice evidence with the injury—not stop at a photograph of the floor.
01 · Individual case strategy
Your Fall Gets More Than Routine Paperwork
A fall claim needs more than a fast opinion based on one image.
Genthe investigates the condition, who controlled it and the available evidence of what was known. We develop the treatment and supported losses alongside that inquiry. The case follows the actual premises issues rather than a routine settlement request built only around the fact that someone fell.
02 · Attorney-led representation
Your Lawyer Gives Your Injuries Personal Attention
A manager’s account and a legal responsibility assessment are different tasks.
The lawyer handling your case reviews the available records and explains the significance of control, timing and prior reports. Paralegals support collection and coordination while the attorney directs the strategy. You get legal guidance about the gaps in the evidence and any proposed resolution.
Meet the Genthe team
03 · Trial-ready advocacy
We Prepare for Trial Against Property Owners
A supported account of the condition improves the negotiating position.
We connect the scene and notice evidence with documented injury losses, preparing for possible litigation. The willingness to take an appropriate claim to court helps us negotiate beyond a blanket denial that the property owner knew anything about the hazard.
We evaluate the exact location, control, notice timeline and documented losses under scrutiny. Written fee terms help you decide before representation.
How a Dallas Slip and Fall Lawyer Proves Your Case
You fell because the floor was wet. What a Texas court asks is narrower: did the store know that liquid was there, or had it been there long enough that a reasonable inspection would have found it? That notice is yours to prove, not theirs to disprove.
Without evidence of timing, a store can seek summary judgment before anybody reaches the medical bills. Genthe pursues sweep sheets, inspection records, maintenance tickets, witnesses and the relevant cameras promptly. We also examine the floor, lighting, warnings and what you were reasonably doing, because an open-and-obvious argument can concern whether a duty existed.
“People call us six months later with a surgery, a stack of bills and a photograph of nothing at all. The case was winnable in week one and it was over by week five, and nobody had told them.” Aaron Genthe · Founder
A specific preservation request names the cameras and dates. A duty to preserve can arise before a letter; no request guarantees footage remains available. The legal elements are explained below.
The Test
What You Must Prove in a Texas Premises Liability Claim
The four things you have to prove
For an invitee’s premises-defect claim, the usual elements are actual or constructive knowledge of a condition, an unreasonable risk of harm, a failure to use reasonable care to reduce or eliminate the risk, and proximate causation of injury. The defendant’s control and the visitor’s status also matter.
Actual knowledge — somebody knew
Someone who worked there created the hazard, saw it, or was told about it. A customer who reported the spill twenty minutes earlier.
Constructive knowledge — it had been there long enough
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Reece, 81 S.W.3d 812 (Tex. 2002), requires temporal evidence when constructive notice is the route to proving knowledge. An employee’s proximity alone is not enough; the circumstances must support a reasonable opportunity to discover the hazard.
The owner made the hazard itself
Evidence that the defendant placed the substance or created the condition can support knowledge. Identify who did what, when, and whether that person’s conduct can be attributed to the premises defendant; a hazardous condition alone does not establish who created it.
An owner, tenant and maintenance contractor may divide responsibility for a shared entrance or parking area. A brand name alone does not identify control.
Duty
Invitee, licensee or trespasser: what the owner owed you
Invitee — you were there for their benefit
Customers, tenants, hotel guests, delivery drivers, people at a business during opening hours. This is the highest duty Texas recognizes: the owner must inspect for hazards and make safe or warn about the ones it knows about or should have found.
Licensee — you were there for your own
A social guest is commonly a licensee. The usual duty includes avoiding willful, wanton or grossly negligent injury and warning of, or making safe, a dangerous condition the owner actually knows about and the guest does not. There is generally no invitee-style duty to inspect for unknown hazards.
Trespasser
CPRC §75.007 generally limits the duty to avoid willful, wanton or grossly negligent injury. Statutory and child-trespasser exceptions require their own elements; an accessible pool or excavation does not automatically establish attractive-nuisance liability.
A city, a county, the State or a school district
Public ownership requires a separate duty and immunity review. See government property below before assuming a claim is permitted.
Where It Happens
Where Dallas slip and fall accidents happen
Across Dallas–Fort Worth, each is a different defendant with different records, kept for different lengths of time. Where you fell decides what proves it — and, on public ground, how long you have.
- 01Grocery stores and supermarketsProduce misters, freezer condensation, a dropped jar, a leaking case. The sweep log is the case, and the good ones are kept to the minute.
- 02Big-box retailersWide aisles, thin staffing and a lot of camera coverage. These defendants have practiced claims departments and an incident-report process running before you are back on your feet.
- 03Restaurants and barsKitchen runoff at the pass, grease tracked into the dining room, a sanitizer bucket, an unlit step down to the patio.
- 04Apartment complexes and rentalsStairwells, breezeways, loose handrails, dead lighting and pooling by the laundry. The work-order history usually shows the landlord had been told.
- 05Hotels, resorts and short-term rentalsLobby marble in the rain, bathtubs without a mat, pool decks, and the question of who the operator actually is behind the brand on the sign.
- 06Parking lots, curbs and entrancesWheel stops, potholes, unmarked level changes, missing bollard lighting. Often owned by a landlord and maintained by somebody else entirely.
- 07Public sidewalks and city propertyHeaved slabs, open water-meter boxes and unbarricaded works. Identify the public entity and review the government-property duties and notice section below.
- 08Stadiums, fairs and event groundsSpilled drinks on concourse concrete, temporary cabling, unlit steps in raked seating, and a stack of contractors between you and whoever is responsible.
Common Slip and Fall Injuries
Hip and pelvic fractures
Keep the diagnosis, surgery and rehabilitation plan, mobility limits and need for help at home. Age or an earlier condition does not by itself explain away a new fall injury.
Wrist, arm and shoulder injuries
A hand used to break the fall can suffer fractures or ligament injuries. Document treatment and restrictions on lifting, driving and paid work.
Knee and back injuries
Imaging, treatment history and functional limits help distinguish the harm attributed to the fall from a pre-existing condition.
Head injuries and TBI
Seek appropriate medical evaluation for a head injury. Keep follow-up instructions and symptom changes; a legal case assessment does not replace clinical care.
The Defense
How stores and insurers fight slip and fall claims
“It was open and obvious”
The strongest defense there is, and it is not a jury argument — it is a no-duty argument made to the judge.
“There was a wet floor sign”
A sign is evidence of a warning, not proof of one. The questions are when it went out, whether it was where the hazard was, whether it was visible from the direction you were walking, and whether it was still standing.
“You cannot prove how long it was there”
Not a defense so much as the shape of the whole fight, and the one raised in nearly every no-evidence motion filed in these cases.
“You were on your phone / you were not looking”
See comparative fault below for the reduction, bar and example.
“You assumed the risk”
Farley v. M&M Cattle Co., 529 S.W.2d 751 (Tex. 1975), eliminated voluntary assumption of risk as a separate issue in ordinary negligence cases. The conduct is assessed under responsibility principles. Express consent or a release, and rules governing whether a duty exists, remain distinct issues.
“We do not own that area”
Common at a mall, a leased unit, a parking lot or a shared entrance, and sometimes true.
How Long Do You Have to File a Slip and Fall Claim in Texas?
CPRC §16.003 generally requires a personal-injury lawsuit within two years. Minority, legal disability and other exceptions can affect that date. The date a claim is reported to an insurer does not itself substitute for filing suit.
Government notice can be due much earlier. Ask a lawyer to identify the responsible entity, the claim and both the notice and filing deadlines promptly.
Comparative Fault: The 51% Bar
Under CPRC §§33.001 and 33.012, a claimant more than 50% responsible cannot recover under the chapter. At 50% or less, the damages are reduced by the claimant’s percentage. For example, a 20% responsibility finding reduces $200,000 in otherwise recoverable damages to $160,000.
Fault allocation and whether the owner owed a duty are separate questions. Photographs, visibility, warnings and why you used that route can matter to both analyses.
Falls on City of Dallas or Government Property
TTCA §101.101 generally requires notice within six months describing the injury, time, place and incident. A valid city-charter provision can require earlier notice. Actual-notice exceptions exist but should not be assumed from a routine incident report.
Under §101.022, an ordinary government premises defect generally uses a licensee-level duty requiring actual knowledge. Payment for use, special defects, recreational use and other statutes can change the analysis. School districts and other public entities may have additional immunity limits. A city sidewalk, a county building and school property are not interchangeable defendants. Preserve the precise location and entity information and seek an individual review.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall
Start with care and the information available. You do not have to prove how long the hazard existed before asking for a review.
Report and identify the location
Tell the manager, landlord or person in charge, and ask for an incident report, copy or reference. Mark the exact aisle, entrance, stair or walkway, your route, time and reason for being there: shopping, visiting, working or passing through. Keep receipts or bookings. A report does not itself admit liability.
Save the scene and witnesses
Take lawful wide and close photographs of the substance, defect, lighting, weather you actually observed, warnings and footwear. Get names and phone numbers of customers and staff. If cleanup came first, record what you saw and when it changed; do not invent dimensions or duration. Label later repairs and photographs as later changes. Never enter restricted areas or risk another fall to measure a defect.
Get treatment and keep the shoes
Seek medical assessment even if you could walk away; hip, wrist, shoulder and head symptoms can emerge later. A gap in medical records may be used to question causation. Save clothes and footwear unwashed. Have someone review a recorded-statement request or broad medical authorization before agreeing to it.
Ask about video and inspection records
Identify cameras, the date, time range, location and event promptly; retain the request. Ask about sweep logs, maintenance history, prior incidents and the same condition’s earlier complaints. Coverage, retention and access require confirmation. Preservation duties may begin when litigation is reasonably anticipated, before a letter arrives.
Missing video and the law
Brookshire Brothers, Ltd. v. Aldridge, 438 S.W.3d 9 (Tex. 2014), assigns spoliation decisions to the judge. A jury instruction generally requires intentional concealment, with a narrow exception for negligent loss that irreparably prevents a meaningful presentation. Missing footage alone does not establish entitlement to an instruction.
Questions for your consultation
Who controlled this area? What could establish the condition and what was known about it? Bring incident correspondence, treatment information and images taken at different times. We review how standing, working and daily tasks changed alongside medical and financial records. A complete file is not required.
Different situations may need workplace injury guidance, construction-site guidance or daycare injury guidance. A fall at work can involve employer coverage and another business’s responsibility.
Case Value
Slip and fall compensation in Texas
“What is my case worth?” is the first question on nearly every call, and no honest answer comes before the treatment is understood.
Economic losses
The half of the claim proved with paper. Keep every bill, every receipt and every pay stub, including the overtime.
Medical treatment
Ambulance, ER, imaging, injections, surgery, hardware and rehabilitation — and the care still ahead of you, not only the bills already printed.
Lost income
The wages, shifts and self-employed work you have already lost, counted on what you actually earned rather than on a base rate.
Lost earning capacity
Where a hip, a wrist or a back ends the work you did, this is the largest number in the case: the difference between what you would have earned for the rest of your working life and what you can earn now.
Future care
Revision surgery, pain management, mobility equipment, home modification and attendant care, valued by a life care planner rather than guessed at.
Out-of-pocket costs
Prescriptions, braces, mileage to treatment, and the help at home you had to pay somebody for.
Non-economic losses
The half no invoice arrives for. A first offer covers the column on the left and ignores this one, which is most of why first offers are what they are.
Pain and suffering
The physical toll of the injury and of the treatment it took to put right, over the months or years it actually took.
Physical impairment
What you can no longer do — stairs, kneeling, lifting, driving, standing through a shift, picking up a grandchild.
Disfigurement
Scarring, grafts and hardware, valued separately from the surgery that caused or repaired them.
Mental anguish
Sleep, confidence and the fear of falling again, which in older clients is frequently the injury that changes their life more than the fracture did.
Loss of consortium
A claim belonging to a spouse for what a serious injury took out of the relationship.
The Process
How our premises liability lawyers handle your case
- 01
Free case review
You call or message. We ask where you fell, who owns it, what you were doing there and what you still have — photographs, the report number, the shoes.
- 02
The preservation letter goes out
Same day where the video is still live. It names the camera angles, the date range and the sweep and inspection records, so nothing is “routinely” overwritten after we asked.
- 03
We build the notice case
The logs, the maintenance history, the prior incidents at the same spot, the witnesses and the footage. This is the part that decides whether the claim survives a summary judgment motion.
- 04
We value it and we negotiate
Future care and lost earning capacity valued properly, every policy identified, and suit filed if the numbers will not move.
- 05
You get paid
We go through the settlement line by line, including what the health insurer or hospital lien is owed and what we got that reduced. Nobody leaves here wondering what just happened.
What a Dallas Slip and Fall Lawyer Costs
The first Genthe case review is free. Accepted injury cases use a written contingency-fee agreement: the attorney’s fee is a percentage of the recovery rather than an upfront hourly payment. Review how case expenses and any medical reimbursement claims affect the amount you receive.
You can bring the incident reference, existing photos, treatment information and insurance correspondence. Missing inspection records or unavailable video should not stop you from asking about your options.
Also Handled Here
Premises Cases We Handle Beyond Slip and Fall
Premises liability can involve unsafe stairs, falling objects, poor lighting and negligent security as well as spills. The duty, notice and causation evidence depends on the claim.
- 01Construction AccidentsFalls on a job site rather than on premises
- 02Traumatic Brain InjuryHead injury from a fall, including without a blackout
- 03Wrongful DeathWhere a fall was fatal, most often in the elderly
- 04Dog BitesThe other claim brought against an occupier
- 05Daycare InjuryChildren hurt by unsafe premises and supervision
- 06Car AccidentsStruck in a parking lot or while walking to the door
Read more on slip, trip and fall claims
- Proving Negligence in Slip and Fall Cases in TexasThe notice rule, at length
- “Wet Floor” Signs as Legal Shields — and When That Does Not WorkWhat a sign is actually worth
- Are Stores Liable for Spills Caused by Other Shoppers?When nobody who works there dropped it
- Learn How Texas Slip and Fall Cases WorkThe claim from start to finish
- Average Slip and Fall Settlement Amounts in TexasWhat drives the number
- Pain & Suffering in Slip and Fall SettlementsValuing the half with no invoice
- Elderly Slip and Fall Injuries in TexasFractures, decline and pre-existing conditions
- What Happens When a Child Slips and Falls in a Store?Claims brought for a minor
Across North Texas
Slip and fall cases across Dallas–Fort Worth
Texas premises law is the same in every county. Who owns the floor, and where it sits, decides who you sue and which court hears it.
We represent people hurt in falls at grocery stores, big-box retailers, restaurants, apartment complexes, hotels, parking lots and event venues throughout the Metroplex: in Dallas County (Dallas, Garland, Irving, Richardson, Mesquite, Carrollton), Collin County (Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen), Denton County (Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound) and Tarrant County (Fort Worth, Arlington, Grapevine).
A premises claim can usually be filed in the county where the fall happened. For a city sidewalk or public building, see the government-property notice and immunity discussion; city charters can matter in Dallas, Plano and Fort Worth. Our office is on Coit Road in North Dallas, and we meet clients wherever is easiest for them.
Slip and Fall Lawsuit FAQs
How long do I have to bring a slip and fall claim in Texas?
Two years from the date of the fall is the filing period for most injury claims under CPRC §16.003, subject to exceptions. A claim involving government property may require formal written notice within six months, or sooner under a city charter; reporting to an insurer is not filing suit.
The store says it was my own fault for not looking. Is that the end of it?
No. Texas modified comparative fault reduces recovery by your percentage and bars it only above 50%; being 20% responsible on a $200,000 claim means $160,000, not zero. Whether the owner owed a duty is a separate question, and the actual route, lighting and warnings matter.
There was a wet floor sign. Do I still have a case?
Often, yes. A sign raises questions rather than closing them: when it was put out, whether it addressed the hazard, whether it was visible from your walking direction and whether it remained upright. Its presence alone does not settle whether the warning was adequate.
How do I get the store’s surveillance video?
Identify the location, cameras, date and time range promptly, ask about preservation and retain your request. Routine retention, coverage and access vary, and a legal preservation duty can arise before a written request. Whether video can be obtained depends on the facts and legal process; missing footage does not automatically prove fault or justify a sanction.
Who pays for my medical bills while the claim is running?
Available health coverage, applicable medical-payments coverage or an arrangement with a provider may address bills while a liability claim is pending. A property owner’s liability insurer generally does not pay treatment bills as they arrive merely because a claim was made. Coverage, reimbursement rights and liens require individual review.
I fell at a friend’s house. Can I really make a claim?
A claim may be possible if the legal duty and injury evidence support it. Homeowner’s insurance may cover a claim against the responsible person, subject to policy terms and exclusions; the policy is not itself the defendant and coverage is not automatic.
I fell on a city sidewalk. Is anybody responsible?
Possibly. Identify the exact sidewalk segment and who owned, maintained or controlled it; the nearest business and public entity are not interchangeable. For a public-property claim, governmental immunity, the applicable duty and formal notice—generally within six months and sometimes sooner under a city charter—need prompt review.
What does it cost to hire you?
The initial case review is free, and there is no upfront attorney fee. The attorney’s fee is a percentage of recovery under written contingency terms; expenses and medical reimbursement claims are explained before representation.
How much is a slip and fall settlement worth in Texas?
It depends on the injury, treatment, income loss and how strong the proof is that the owner knew about the hazard. A sprained wrist and a hip fracture requiring surgery are very different cases, and Texas reduces recovery by your own share of fault. Future care and earning capacity must be supported by the treatment and recovery evidence.
Can I sue Walmart or Kroger for a slip and fall?
Yes, when the premises-liability elements are supported; large retailers face the same premises rules as other owners. Preserve camera and notice evidence promptly: a dated complaint helps only if it concerns the same condition and an appropriate recipient, and a scene photograph alone may not establish notice.
What is premises liability?
It is the area of law that makes a property owner or occupier responsible for injuries caused by a dangerous property condition when the applicable legal elements are met. Slip and fall is one kind; the subject also includes trip hazards, broken stairs, falling objects, poor lighting and negligent security.
Can I sue my apartment complex or landlord for a fall?
Often, for the common areas the landlord controls: stairs, walkways, parking lots and pools. Inside your own unit it depends on who controlled the defect and whether the landlord had been told about it. See slip and fall claims at Texas apartment complexes.
Is a trip and fall handled the same as a slip and fall?
The same premises principles can apply to spills, broken steps, uneven sidewalks and loose mats. The applicable duty, notice, reasonable care and causation still need proof. See the legal elements.
Do you handle slip and fall cases outside Dallas?
Yes, across Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant counties and elsewhere in Texas when we can help. See our Dallas–Fort Worth coverage. State premises law is shared; ownership, venue and public-entity notice can vary.
What should I identify after a fall at a Dallas business?
Identify the exact condition, time, route, witnesses and incident reference. The preparation checklist explains why a store name or street address alone may not identify control.
How can I describe a spill if staff clean it before photographs?
Record what you actually observed, who was present and when cleanup occurred. Save existing images. Do not invent dimensions or duration; the scene checklist covers lawful preservation.
Does an incident report mean the business accepted responsibility?
No. It may document the event or your statement without admitting liability. Keep the report and distinguish what an employee observed from what was relayed after the fall.
Why keep the footwear I wore when I slipped?
Its condition may matter to the disputed mechanism. Photograph and identify it, and ask about preservation before altering or discarding it. It does not prove either party’s account by itself.
Should I return to measure the condition myself?
No unsafe or unauthorized return is needed. Preserve lawful observations and identify the custodian. Counsel can discuss appropriate access, measurements or inspection; see the evidence checklist.
What can Genthe review when the fall occurred at work?
Bring the employer and property information as well as incident details. Employer coverage and a possible claim involving another business may overlap, so a premises label alone does not identify the correct route.