Trip-and-Fall

What is a Trip-and-Fall?

A Trip-and-fall is when a person trips and falls on someone else’s property due to a hazard. These accidents typically occur due to hazards such as obstacles, uneven flooring, or poor lighting, which cause individuals to lose their balance and fall.

According to the Legal Information Institute (LII) at Cornell Law School, a trip and fall accident involves “a situation in which a person trips and falls over an object that should not have been there.” As such negligence or unsafe conditions play a predominant role in causing trip-and-fall accidents, which can lead to liability for property owners or managers.

Trip-and-falls are most commonly caused by Obstacles such as cables, cords, or debris left in walkways, uneven surfaces such as cracked sidewalks, loose tiles, or damaged flooring, and poor lighting. The consequences of trip and fall accidents can range from minor bruises to severe injuries such as fractures, head injuries, or spinal cord damage. Victims of trip-and-fall accidents may pursue compensation through premises liability claims if the accident resulted from unsafe conditions that the property owner or manager failed to address, which are imperative in preventing foreseeable hazards and maintaining a safe premises.