Kids LOVE trampolines and there is no doubt that they’re an excellent way to pass time and burn energy. But, despite their popularity, pediatricians and safety experts warn that home trampolines are intrinsically dangerous and should be strongly discouraged. Although trampoline injury rates have been decreasing since 2004, the potential for severe injury remains relatively high.
Parents must carefully weigh the risks before allowing their children to jump, especially when experts believe that enclosures and padding do not prevent the large numbers of injuries that occur on the trampoline mat itself and may provide a false sense of security.
If your child was injured in a trampoline accident, it is essential to understand your legal rights as well as the legal rights of your child to secure medical care, protect your family’s financial stability, and hold all negligent parties accountable. An experienced child injury attorney can support your family through this challenging time.
Trampoline Accident Statistics
Trampolines are responsible for thousands of injuries every year. Data shared by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons shows that:
- There were more than 300,000 medically treated trampoline injuries in 2018.
- Trampoline injuries were tied to more than 110,000 visits to the emergency room in 2018.
- The most common causes of trampoline injuries are multiple children on the trampoline (75 percent), falls (27-39 percent), and direct contact with the springs or frame (20 percent).
- The most common trampoline injuries are soft tissue injuries (51.9 percent), fractures (34.6 percent), and lacerations (11.7 percent).
- On average, there are two trampoline deaths per year.
- Children five years and younger appear to be at increased risk of fractures and dislocations from trampoline-related injuries. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Determining Liability in Trampoline Accidents
Understanding who may be held accountable in a trampoline accident is a critical first step in protecting your child’s rights and pursuing the compensation your child and family may need to recover. But, determining who is responsible is not always straightforward because liability may rest with multiple parties. Liability may involve the owners or employees of a trampoline park, the manufacturers of a defective trampoline, or homeowners who failed to repair a broken trampoline.
• If the accident occurred at a trampoline park, liability may rest with the owners or operators for failing to maintain a safe environment, enforce proper safety rules, or provide adequate supervision. In many cases, employees who failed to follow safety protocols may also contribute to liability, and claims are typically brought against the trampoline park and its insurance coverage.
• If the injury was caused by a defective trampoline or safety equipment, the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer may be held responsible under product liability laws. These claims may involve design defects, manufacturing defects, or a failure to provide adequate warnings or instructions, and are typically pursued against the product manufacturer and related parties in the supply chain.
• If the trampoline was located on private residential property, the homeowner may be liable if they failed to properly maintain the equipment, repair known hazards, or warn guests of unsafe conditions. In these cases, a claim is typically brought against the homeowner’s insurance policy, though liability may depend on whether the injured child was invited or otherwise lawfully present on the property.
How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
A personal injury lawyer can help by thoroughly investigating the accident, identifying all potentially responsible parties, and gathering the evidence needed to build a strong claim. An experienced attorney understands how to navigate claims against all types of parties to pursue compensation for medical expenses, future care needs, pain and suffering, and other losses. Having legal guidance allows parents to focus on their child’s recovery while protecting their family’s legal rights.
Contact a Child Injury Lawyer Today!
A child injury lawyer can help you recover a full and fair settlement for the injuries sustained to your child caused by the negligence of another. We know the sneaky strategies used by insurance companies to get injured people to agree to settlements far below what they are worth. There are no up-front costs to you to file a claim and our clients typically end up with a settlement or jury award that is five to ten times larger than they could have negotiated on their own. We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County who were injured in Washington State since 1979. Contact the experienced and hard-working child injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Mount Vernon, WA today for a FREE consultation!
