Falls, a major cause of serious injuries, often result from uneven sidewalks caused by tree roots. The jurisdiction (city or county) may say the fall was the outcome of the victim's “inattention” and do nothing to eliminate the hazard. But accurate measurements of an irregular rise of sidewalk demonstrated to the city that a recognized hazard did exist and its defective maintenance contributed to the fall. The outcome was a financial award to the victim. Remedial actions were taken to reduce the chance of future falls on this and other city sidewalks.
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