Trip and fall incidents result from raised edges, uneven surfaces, cords, thresholds, or objects in walkways. The mechanism is a foot catching rather than sliding.
Height differential is a common measure of hazard significance.
Alternative Names:
Trip-and-Fall, Stumble and Fall
Why it Matters?
Elevation differential measurements drive these cases, and many jurisdictions apply a trivial defect doctrine treating minor height differences as non-actionable as a matter of law. Where recognized, that provides a summary judgment path unavailable in slip cases. The open and obvious defense is also stronger for trip hazards, since an elevation change in a walkway is frequently visible in a way a clear liquid is not.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What is the trivial defect doctrine?
Why is open and obvious stronger here?
