According to a local Florida media report, there were close to 300 calls to 911 from trampoline parks about falls and injuries between 2016 and 2018. In Central Florida, more reports of trampoline park accidents caused dislocated joints, broken bones, and injuries to the neck and head areas. Our team of Florida injury lawyers from Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA can help you through the legal processes and ensure that you get proper financial compensation.
Trampoline Accident Statistics
Here are some of the statistics that reveal the dangers of trampolines:
- Up to 100,000 injuries are caused by trampolines each year. In fact, there were more than 1 million individuals who landed in emergency rooms between 2002 and 2011 with trampoline-related injuries.
- Trampoline accidents between 2000 and 2009 caused about 22 deaths.
- Using trampolines at home has resulted in more than 95% of fractures.
- Many trampoline-related injuries affect children.
Accidents That Occur at Trampoline Parks
Trampoline parks have several different types of activities attractions. Injuries sustained in a trampoline park can range from mild to severe, and children are the most affected, with approximately 116,372 children visiting emergency rooms in 2019. Most of these injuries occurred when multiple people jumped in on a single trampoline. When this happens, children are highly prone to more injuries.
Other injuries you can sustain in a trampoline park include:
- Sprains and dislocations
- Broken legs
- Neck injuries and spinal fractures
- Head injuries and head trauma
Most of these injuries happen when the staff in the park fail to provide proper instruction or fail to warn of the risks involved in specific activities. There are other attractions available in these parks, and they also pose similar dangers, such as monkey bars, ninja courses, trapeze, rope courses, and zip lines. Many of these other activities and attractions require training and proper form—something that trampoline parks often fail to provide customers with.
Common Causes of Accidents at Trampoline Parks
Some of the reasons that may cause trampoline park accidents include:
Unsafe Jumping
Trampoline parks have clear rules on how people should perform different activities. In cases where jumpers don’t follow these guidelines and participate in unsafe jumping, there is a high possibility of getting injured or even injuring others. Some dangerous jumping can include double bouncing, somersaults, and flips.
Crowded Trampoline
A trampoline park should regulate the number of jumpers depending on the size of the trampoline. When too many people jump on a single trampoline, it gets crowded, and the risk of injuries is much higher. Supervisors should have a maximum number of jumpers on each trampoline, usually two or three at a time.
Improperly Designed or Assembled Trampoline
The way a trampoline is created and connected can also be a major cause of injuries. In most trampoline parks, you will notice that they consist of several trampolines connected instead of having them in separate areas or a big one occupying a large area. The improper connection between the trampolines can reduce energy transfer between the pads, affecting how a jumper experiences each jump. If a jumper jumps but doesn’t get the right energy transfer, it can lead to injuries in their legs or other body parts.
Lack of supervision
The American Academy of Pediatrics is against children playing at trampoline parks without adequate protective padding and no direct supervision from an adult. The association also recommends that children shouldn’t engage in flips and somersaults while jumping, and there should only be one jumper at a time per trampoline. Whenever children are in a trampoline park, they should be under the supervision of an adult. This should be standard practice even if the trampoline is in a friend’s backyard, indoors, a recreational park, or other areas. This way, there are minimal chances of an injury because an adult will ensure that children follow the recommended rules. If an accident occurs due to lack of supervision, the trampoline park may be liable for sustained injuries.
Lack of Training and Instruction
Every trampoline park should have instructions displayed in every area. If a trampoline facility fails to display instructions that jumpers should follow or doesn’t put the proper protective parts in place, there is a high possibility of injuries. Jumpers may land improperly, hit a hard surface, or fall.
Energy Transference on the Trampoline
Generally, when people jump on a trampoline, they transfer energy to other jumpers on the same trampoline. The energy transference can lead to a child or other jumpers getting bounced in a different direction or higher than they anticipated, leading to injuries.
Can I Still Sue if I Signed a Liability Waiver?
Even if you’ve signed a liability waiver in Florida, it doesn’t prevent you from filing a trampoline park lawsuit. However, it’s common for most people to sign liability waivers without considering what it entails. As such, you need to consider whether the waiver is enforceable when children and adults get hurt.
In case an adult gets hurt, the negligence waiver can be admissible to prevent a lawsuit. However, the waiver must be clear and unambiguous about the person’s assumption of the risk, how it was signed, and the facts surrounding the signing of that waiver.
If a child is involved, the trampoline park waiver likely isn’t enforceable. Florida law allows a parent to waive negligence liability when a child participates in school-related or government-sponsored activities. However, in private trampoline parks, you can only waive the primary dangers associated with the specific activity.
Who is Liable for Injuries at Trampoline Park?
If you, a child, or a loved one suffers an injury while visiting a trampoline park, it’s important to determine who is liable for the accident. Typically, the circumstances leading to the accident can determine who is responsible for the injury. The parties who may be liable for injuries at trampoline parks include:
The Trampoline Park Owner or Operator
A trampoline operator or owner is responsible for ensuring that all the guests within their property is safe. If a certain part of the facility was the direct cause of an injury, the trampoline park owner could be held liable for the injury you or your loved one sustained. For instance, if the injury resulted from poorly maintained equipment, this can be considered negligence on behalf of the park operator or owner.
The Trampoline or Attraction’s Manufacturer
In other cases, the trampoline or attraction’s manufacturer can be the liable party for causing the injuries. This is usually the case if a defective product or a fault in the trampoline caused the accident.
Other Trampoline Park Customers
Also, if another guest in the park is the direct cause of the accident that led to the injuries of you, your loved one, or a child, they may be responsible for the accident. This can apply if another child pushes your child off the trampoline, leading to injuries.
Contact Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys to Discuss your Trampoline Park Lawsuit
The process of proving liability in a trampoline accident may seem somewhat straightforward, but you should not have to try to do it alone. You can benefit from an experienced attorney who can carefully analyze all the circumstances leading to the accident through an in-depth investigation.
If your child, a member of your family, or a friend was injured while at a trampoline park in Florida, call Prosper Shaked Injury Accident Attorneys PA. We will work with you to ensure that you recover that you receive the best medical treatment and just monetary compensation for your injuries.