{"id":368957,"date":"2023-02-22T16:52:50","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T21:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/how-can-i-sue-the-city.html"},"modified":"2026-06-30T14:03:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T19:03:07","slug":"how-can-i-sue-the-city","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/how-can-i-sue-the-city.html","title":{"rendered":"How Can I Sue the City?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How Can I Sue the City?<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Robert Rafii, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

You can sue a city government if it has waived sovereign immunity, typically under state or federal Tort Claims Acts. These laws allow lawsuits for specific claims like personal injury, property damage, or civil rights violations caused by government employees acting within their job duties.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Because of the doctrine of\u00a0sovereign immunity<\/a>, suing a city, municipality, or other government entity can be complicated. Sovereign immunity is a legal concept that means government entities (\u201csovereigns”) have to give their consent before they can be sued.<\/p>\n

If you have suffered a personal injury<\/a> involving the city government, such as a car accident with a city employee, you have a limited period of time to enforce your legal rights by suing the city for negligence. Consult with a personal injury lawyer<\/a>\u00a0in your area to evaluate your case. An experienced attorney can guide you through the legal process of suing your local government and advocate for you along the way.<\/p>\n

Types of Cases Against a City or Municipality<\/h2>\n

The most common types of cases against the government \u2014 negligence and accident tort cases \u2014 are eligible to be brought under various state and federal laws known as Tort Claims Acts. Torts<\/a> are injuries caused by civil wrongdoings; each state has its own Tort Claims law, under which it has waived sovereign immunity for certain kinds of claims that might arise under state law.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the federal government passed the Federal Tort Claims Act<\/a> (FTCA) in 1946 to allow injured people to sue the government of the United States for injuries caused by federal agencies and employees. Therefore, under various federal and state laws, the government has waived its sovereign immunity for certain types of cases.<\/p>\n

Your potential claims against a city may vary depending on the state in which the incident occurred, but in general, you can sue a city (and the federal government) for:<\/p>\n