By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
Hurt by City property?
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Can I sue the City for a falling tree or branch?
Yes, if the tree was City property and its condition was dangerous. StreetsLA’s Urban Forestry Division “is responsible for maintaining the City’s street tree canopy of more than 660,000 trees” (StreetsLA; StreetsLA trees). A limb that falls on a person or a car is a dangerous condition of public property claim under Gov. Code § 835. You must show the City created the hazard (for example, by a bad cut) or had notice of it, actual or constructive, in time to act (§ 835.2).
Notice is the usual fight. Dead branches, leaning trunks, cracked limbs and earlier 311 reports about the same tree help prove the City should have known. StreetsLA says tree emergencies should be reported through the 311 system (StreetsLA); its call center is (800) 996-2489 (StreetsLA). Photograph the tree, the break, the stump and the damage before crews clear it.
Tree roots that lift sidewalks are a separate problem. The City Controller explains that since a 1974 ordinance, the City repairs sidewalks damaged by street tree roots at no cost to owners (L.A. Controller). See sidewalk trip and fall claims.
Injuries in City parks and recreation facilities
The City’s Department of Recreation and Parks says the City park system “encompasses more than 16,000 acres of land at around 500 park sites,” with facilities that include 398 playgrounds, 59 swimming pools, 185 recreation and senior centers and 92 miles of trails. It also notes that other government agencies, conservancies and nonprofits manage parks within city limits (L.A. Recreation and Parks). So confirm who owns the park before you file. A City park claim goes to the City Clerk like any other City claim; the City Attorney says no other City office can receive a damages claim (L.A. City Attorney).
Broken playground equipment, holes in fields, damaged stairs and railings, and unsafe pool areas are judged by the same § 835 test. The City can argue the defect was trivial (§ 830.2) or that it acted reasonably given the cost of a fix (§ 835.4).
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City buildings, signs, lights and other property
Anything the City owns or controls can be the basis of a claim: City Hall and other buildings, libraries, street signs, light poles, parking structures. Public property means property “owned or controlled by the public entity” (Gov. Code § 830(c)). Two recent examples from public records:
- In April 2026 a Council motion recommended a $250,000 settlement in Colbourn v. City of Los Angeles, where a street sign fell on the plaintiff in North Hollywood, subject to the Mayor’s approval (Council File 26-0400).
- ABC7 reported that the City’s record liability payouts for fiscal year 2025 (about $286.3 million) included a $10.5 million payment involving a falling light (ABC7, July 12, 2025).
These are other people’s cases. What any claim is worth depends on its own facts; see how much the City pays.
Can I sue the City for a sewer backup?
Possibly, depending on where the blockage was. LA Sanitation maintains “over 6,700 miles of public sewer pipelines” and the City owns the public main line. The private lateral that runs from your building to the main belongs to you: “Property owners are responsible for the maintenance and repair of their entire lateral,” which includes the lower section from the property line to the middle of the street (LA Sanitation).
- Blockage in the City main (for example, roots or grease in the main that the City knew about): a claim against the City under § 835 is possible.
- Blockage in your lateral: usually the owner’s responsibility, not the City’s.
A sewer backup claim is a property damage claim with the same deadlines as any other (Gov. Code § 911.2):
- Damage to belongings (furniture, clothes, a car): six months.
- Damage to the house or land itself: one year.
- Any injury or illness: six months.
Our advice is to file one claim covering everything within six months. LA Sanitation’s 24-hour Customer Care Center is 1-800-773-2489, and it also takes reports through MyLA311 (LA Sanitation). Get the call or service request number, photograph the overflow and the cleanup, and keep plumber reports that show where the blockage was. If a water main break flooded you, that is usually an LADWP claim: LADWP directs claims to its own Claims Section (LADWP), while the City Attorney says all damage claims against the City go to the City Clerk (L.A. City Attorney). When in doubt, we file with both.
City, County or State: who owns it?
Los Angeles is full of property owned by different governments side by side. A claim sent to the wrong agency may not count, so identify the owner first.
| What hurt you | Usually owned by | File the claim with |
|---|---|---|
| Street tree or limb, sidewalk, street sign, streetlight on a City street | City of Los Angeles | Los Angeles City Clerk (claims.lacity.org, mail or Room 395) |
| City park, recreation center, pool | City of Los Angeles (Recreation and Parks), but other agencies also run parks inside city limits | Los Angeles City Clerk, if it is a City park |
| Backup from the public sewer main | City of Los Angeles (LA Sanitation) | Los Angeles City Clerk |
| Water main or power equipment | LADWP | LADWP Claims Section and, to be safe, the City Clerk (LADWP claims) |
| County park, County building, road in an unincorporated area | County of Los Angeles | Executive Officer, Board of Supervisors, 500 W. Temple St., Room 383 (LA County claims) |
| State highway or other State property | State of California | Caltrans district ($12,500 or less, highway claims) or the Department of General Services (Caltrans claims) |
For more, see which agency do I file with.
How to file and the deadlines
City claims are filed online at claims.lacity.org, by mail to the Office of the City Clerk, 200 North Spring Street, Room 395, Los Angeles, CA 90012, or in person at Room 395, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Email and fax are not accepted (City Clerk). The City Attorney’s claims page lists the deadlines: six months for death, personal injury and personal property, one year for other claims including real property (L.A. City Attorney). The City then has 45 days to act before the claim is deemed rejected (Gov. Code § 912.4). Step-by-step instructions are on how to file, and the documents checklist lists what to attach.
Related pages
- How to file a claim against the City of Los Angeles
- Dangerous condition of public property
- Sidewalk trip and fall claims
- Pothole damage claims
- Claim deadline
- Which agency do I file with?
- LADWP claims
- Claims against LA County
- Wrongful death claims against the City
- California slip and fall lawyer
Common questions
Can I sue the City of Los Angeles if a tree branch fell on my car?
Yes, if it was a City street tree and the City created the hazard or knew or should have known about it in time to act, under Government Code section 835. File a claim with the City Clerk within six months; car damage is personal property damage.
Who maintains street trees in Los Angeles?
StreetsLA’s Urban Forestry Division, which says it maintains the City’s street tree canopy of more than 660,000 trees. Report tree emergencies through MyLA311 or 311.
Can I sue the city for a sewer backup in Los Angeles?
Possibly, if the backup came from a blockage in the City’s public sewer main that the City knew or should have known about. LA Sanitation says property owners are responsible for their entire sewer lateral, so a blockage in the lateral is usually the owner’s problem.
How long do I have to file a sewer backup claim against the City of Los Angeles?
Six months for damage to belongings and for any injury, and one year for damage to the house or land itself, under Government Code section 911.2. Filing one claim for everything within six months avoids missing the shorter deadline.
Where do I file a claim for an injury in a Los Angeles park?
If it is a City park, with the Los Angeles City Clerk. If it is a County park, with the Executive Officer of the LA County Board of Supervisors. Other agencies also manage parks inside city limits, so confirm the owner first.
Does a claim against LADWP go to the City Clerk?
LADWP directs claims to its own Claims Section at 221 N. Figueroa Street, Suite 1640, while the City Attorney says all damage claims against the City go to the City Clerk. When in doubt, file with both.
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Sources
- Cal. Gov. Code § 830
- Cal. Gov. Code § 830.2
- Cal. Gov. Code § 835
- Cal. Gov. Code § 835.2
- Cal. Gov. Code § 835.4
- Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2
- Cal. Gov. Code § 912.4
- StreetsLA FAQ
- StreetsLA, Trees
- L.A. Controller, sidewalk audit (Nov. 17, 2021)
- L.A. Recreation and Parks, RAP by the numbers
- LA Sanitation, Managing L.A.’s sewer system
- LA Sanitation, Report a flooded street
- Council File 26-0400 (Apr. 2026)
- ABC7 (July 12, 2025)
- L.A. City Attorney, Claims
- L.A. City Clerk, Claim for Damage
- LADWP, Claims
Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 6, 2026.