Are Trampoline Parks Becoming Hotspots for Injuries?

Trampoline parks have become notorious for causing injuries to children. A study published in the medical journal Pediatrics claims trampoline park injuries have increased in recent years. The study used data from a government injury surveillance program operated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).If you have not heard of trampoline parks, they are indoor recreation centers that connect dozens of trampolines together. Some parks set up trampolines on walls. Patrons bounce around in close proximity, and sometimes perform dangerous maneuvers because they are poorly supervised. Many of the people visiting these businesses are children, teenagers and young adults.In 2010, almost 600 people went to emergency rooms to be treated for trampoline park injuries. By 2014, the number of hospital trips increased to 6,932. However, there is an obvious reason for such a massive increase. Only 25 trampoline parks existed nationwide in 2010. This number increased to 350 by 2014. More than 50 million Americans have visited these parks in the last six years. More than a dozen trampoline parks are located throughout Texas.Parents have good reasons to be cautious about going to trampoline parks for a family outing. Injured patrons have suffered sprains, fractures, brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. The worst injures found in the study involved paralysis.

Why Are People Suffering Trampoline Park Injuries?

Injuries happen for the following reasons:

• Collisions: Trampoline park injuries happen when jumpers slam into each other.

• Poor supervision: Trampoline park patrons are young. Only 19 percent of injuries at these parks involved patrons 18 years or older. Many of the people injured were children who were poorly supervised by park staff.

• Falling off trampolines: People have suffered serious injuries after falling off trampolines and landing on hard surfaces. Patrons were also injured by falling on unpadded or padded parts of the trampoline.

• Bad landings: Poorly supervised patrons who performed flips or other risky maneuvers have been hurt by bad landings.

• Unsafe equipment or conditions: Trampoline parks may allow unsafe conditions to persist to cut costs. These businesses may fail to perform maintenance on equipment.

Trampoline parks are one of many types of indoor recreation centers that may have unsafe conditions for guests. Businesses that offer indoor rock climbing, ziplining, go karts, waterslides and play gyms may cause similar injuries.

Did You Suffer an Injury at an Indoor Rec Center?

Trampoline parks and other businesses may require you to sign a waiver. Although this may seem like it protects the park from liability when patrons are injured, that is not always the case. Waivers are not a “get out of being sued” card that businesses can use to avoid being held liable. If you or a loved one suffered injuries at an indoor recreation center, you should not be afraid to call an attorney to discover possible legal options.The Texas personal injury attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC are dedicated to defending the rights of people who have suffered injured due to the negligence of others.