To put it simply, aggravated assault can be filed whenever the amount of force someone attempted to use against another would be likely to result in significant bodily injury. When this standard is not met, the offense is considered simple assault. For example, if you throw a punch at someone and miss, you are guilty of regular assault. On the other hand, if you tried to push someone from the roof of a skyscraper and they moved at the last minute, you could be charged with aggravated assault.