How Dangerous Are Trampolines?
The world is full of safety hazards for you and your children. You probably do everything you can to make your home as safe as possible, and you probably do a great job. But sometimes, danger lurks in unexpected places, like toys meant to be fun. Trampolines, for example, have been getting bad press for years – and they may be more dangerous than they are fun.
ER Visits From Trampolines
A recent study found that trampolines were the reason behind more than one million hospital visits over the course of 10 years. In fact, in those 10 years, the study recorded 288,876 fractures, including broken bones and sprains. That’s more than $400 million in health care costs. The overall cost for trampoline-related ER visits during that time period was more than $1 billion.
Trampolines have been considered unsafe by many parents for some time now. The American Academy of Pediatrics has been urging parents to steer their children clear from trampolines since 1999. Furthermore, many homeowner insurance policies prohibit trampolines.
Trampolines Can Cause Severe Injuries
But kids love trampolines, and parents still buy them despite the warnings. It’s easy for a parent to think those injuries are due to recklessness and that their children will be different. Many are comfortable only as long as safety precautions are taken and kids are supervised. However, without precautions like nets that surround the trampoline and careful supervision, they can become very dangerous.
Now, with indoor trampolines becoming more and more popular for birthday parties and other celebrations, trampolines are becoming harder and harder to avoid. Regardless of whether the trampoline is indoors or outdoors, their use always means a risk for serious injury.
Who’s At-Fault for Trampoline Injuries?
When a child is injured in a trampoline incident, it doesn’t necessarily mean someone else is financially or legally responsible. If there was negligence on the part of the property owner or someone else partially caused the accident, the injured person may be able to recover reparation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other losses through a personal injury claim.
Other than the property owner, a claim may be brought against the other party on the trampoline at the time of the incident or even the trampoline manufacturer. Assessing who’s culpable for the mishap is vital, as an injury claim against the wrong party could result in no compensation.
Most injuries that occur from a trampoline fall into three main categories:
The trampoline owner didn’t adequately supervise its use or it wasn’t maintained according to safety standards. In this case, the owner could be responsible.
The trampoline was produced and sold with something wrong. The manufacturer may be at fault if this is true.
Other people on the trampoline were using it in an irresponsible manner. Depending on the injury and circumstances, another bouncer on the trampoline may be at fault.
The type of lawsuit an injured party would file depends on which of those three categories it fell into. For instance, if a property owner didn’t properly supervise the trampoline’s use, the injured party can file a premises liability claim. If the trampoline had an issue before it left the manufacturer, then it’s a products liability case. A negligence claim is what an injured party would file if someone else was acting irresponsibly on the trampoline at the time of the injury.
Personal Injury Attorneys Specializing in Trampoline Injuries
Liljegren Law Group is based in San Diego and serves clients in the city and surrounding areas. We’re experienced in a variety of personal injury specializations. Contact us today to find out how we can help you seek compensation for trampoline-related damages.
Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/05/07/home-trampoline-hospital-visits/8820793/
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/who-liable-trampoline-injuries.html
http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/04/surprising-dangers-of-trampolines-for-kids/