From Louisville to Lexington, Jeffersontown, and more, trampoline parks are becoming popular sources of indoor activity for families in Kentucky. These centers provide wall-to-wall exercise and entertainment for all ages. The first park of this kind opened in the United States in 2004. As of today, there are over 600 facilities across the country. While many outings to trampoline parks end on a positive note, a number of unsuspecting victims are leaving with serious injuries that could have been prevented.
When an amusement center of any kind, like a trampoline park, conducts business in a negligent manner, injuries are a real possibility. While safety measures are supposed to be taken to reduce the risk of injury, not all facilities follow through with their obligations. If you or someone you know was injured at a trampoline park, a Louisville trampoline park lawyer from Thomas Law Offices will fight on your behalf to ensure you recover compensation for your losses.
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Trampoline Park Accidents in Kentucky
Prior to being open for entertainment purposes for all ages, trampoline parks were designed for controlled athletic training. Gymnasts and military pilots, for example, were able to utilize the centers to improve their performance. Once the parks became a more mainstream form of entertainment, the number of injuries began to rise.
Trampoline parks vary greatly in regard to how well they’re run. The quality of the equipment, how well the staff is trained, and the amount of effort the employees put into ensuring the patrons are prepared for the experience depends on the facility.
As trampoline parks continue to expand across the state, so do instances of injury. Just in the recent past, a number of claims have been filed against facilities in Kentucky. For example, there have been claims made that stunt fall areas have been improperly inflated and that the parks fail to warn visitors of the dangerous conditions of inflatables. The injuries have resulted in economic and noneconomic losses that the victims are seeking recovery for.
How Serious Are Trampoline Park Injuries?
According to data compiled by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were an estimated 116,191 trampoline-related injuries in 2018. The majority of the injured victims were between the ages of five and 14. While more than 110,000 of the injured were treated in a hospital and released, approximately 5,400 died as a result of their injuries.
In order to understand how serious trampoline park injuries are, let’s take a look at the most common injuries accident victims are treated for in hospital settings. The majority of accidents happen when the trampoline or landing equipment is poorly maintained, which results in the jumper landing in a way that harms them.
- Fractures. Broken bones are the most common trampoline park accident injury. They happen when a person lands incorrectly or on a surface that’s not properly supported. Fractured arms and legs can take months to heal. If surgery is required to properly set the bone, recovery can take even longer.
- Spinal Cord Injuries. The neck, back, and spinal cord are delicate structures. It’s not uncommon for trampoline jumpers to do flips. When instructed on how to do so safely, issues rarely occur. When staff is negligent, however, a jumper could land on their neck and seriously injure themselves. In the most severe cases, permanent paralysis can occur.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries. If not properly told or shown how to use a piece of equipment at a trampoline park, a person could sustain a head injury. While a minor TBI like a concussion may not seem like a big deal, the lasting effects can be substantial. If the impact is severe and results in other brain injuries, a person could suffer cognitively or physically, as well.
No matter what kind of injury you’ve sustained, it’s possible it’s the result of negligence. When you work with a trampoline park lawyer, we can investigate your accident and determine if negligence played a role. If it did, we can help you seek compensation from the liable park.
Determining Liability for a Trampoline Park Accident
In order to determine if premises liability played a role in a trampoline park accident, it has to be shown that reasonable measures were not taken to create a safe environment for guests. Examples of negligence include:
- Defective or poorly maintained equipment
- Inadequate instruction prior to accessing the jumping field
- Unreasonably dangerous design
- Lack of properly trained staff
- Failure to supervise or enforce rules
Thomas Law Offices will investigate your accident and determine the factors that contributed to the facility’s negligence.
Understanding Liability Waivers
Trampoline parks require purchasers to sign liability waivers prior to accessing the attraction. A standard waiver discharges the park from all liability in the event of serious bodily injury, permanent disability, or death. In other words, if a person or parent signs a waiver for themselves or a child and an accident occurs, the trampoline park cannot be sued. The facility’s manufacturers, installers, designers, and suppliers are also unaccountable for any injuries.
While companies will insist these waivers will hold up in a court of law, this isn’t always the case. This is especially true in the event a child is injured after a parent signed a waiver. According to the Supreme Court of Kentucky, a parent is legally unable to enter into a contract on behalf of their child. So in the event of an accident at a trampoline park, the facility can be held accountable if negligence was present. If you signed a liability waiver and were injured, speaking with a Louisville attorney is the best way to determine if the waiver is valid.
Protect Your Family with Thomas Law Offices
No matter what type of accident you’ve been in, we understand that the consequences can seriously impact your everyday life. If you’re ready to get your life back in order and hold the trampoline park accountable for the negligence, contact our firm today. Our Louisville trampoline park lawyers will review your claim and help you seek the compensation you and your family need to recover.
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