Trampoline parks are popular attractions. Whether you go there for a fun weekend with the family, a birthday party, or another event, the park owners and operators have a responsibility to keep you safe. the park operators may attempt to reduce liability for injuries they fail to stop by using liability waivers and other legal tools and agreements to avoid lawsuits. Many of these contracts that say that you use the park “at your own risk” can be overcome in court and might not apply to suing third parties for injuries at a trampoline park.
If you or a loved one was injured at a trampoline park in Maryland, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras today. Our Maryland trampoline park injury lawyers may be able to take your case and work to get you the compensation you need to cover medical bills, lost wages, and other damages you suffered in your injury case. For a free legal consultation, call our attorneys today at (410) 694-7291.
Common Injuries in Trampoline Parks
Trampoline parks are designed with padding between the trampolines and at the edges to help avoid potential injuries. However, when other guests’ actions get out of hand or simply when there are too many people bouncing on the trampoline at one time, injuries can happen anyway. Our personal injury attorneys explain some of the most common injuries people face at trampoline parks:
Head and Brain Injuries
Jumping around can put minor concussive force on the brain, but typically not enough to cause any injuries. the bigger concern is if you strike against an object or someone else jumping on the trampoline. Although the walls and spaces between trampolines may be padded to prevent injury, you can still strike against these surfaces hard enough that the padding might not matter. Moreover, other jumpers and not padded, and you could get hit by a stray fist or knee or knock head-to-head with someone else, potentially causing serious injuries.
Broken Bones
Landing awkwardly can sometimes put extra force on the landing point, potentially damaging bones. For instance, landing hard on your wrist or leg during a flip or a fall can potentially break the bone. Landing badly during a flip could also cause even more severe breaks like broken collar bones or even a broken neck. You could also break bones if you land and part of your body slides between the trampolines or between the trampoline and the frame. There is typically padding to prevent this, but if your arm or leg is caught in the gap and your body falls away from the gap, the torque on your limb could potentially break bones. You could also break ribs, fingers, and other bones in other instances where you strike against another person or land badly.
Bruises and Internal Injuries
Any hard landing could potentially cause bruising. In some cases, large bruises may cause discomfort for days. Severe bruising can cover a large area, leading to serious pain and suffering. Sometimes injuries that cause external bruising can also have internal injuries as well, potentially including bruising on your organs or even ruptures and other damage inside your body. This could require intensive medical care to treat these kinds of blunt force injuries.
Sprains and Strains
Damage to your muscles and ligaments is common in many sports and physical activities. Jumping on a trampoline is no different. These injuries can occur from overexertion, so it is always important to stretch before physical activity. These injuries can also occur if you land badly or fall into other objects or people. Whiplash injuries could also occur if you bounce hard and cannot control the motion or if you fall and land near the edge of a trampoline with your head hanging over the edge.
Whiplash is a combination of strains and sprains and other damage to the soft tissue in your neck.
Suing for Injuries at Trampoline Parks in Maryland
If you were injured because of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you may be able to sue them for the injuries you faced. Trampoline park owners and operators know that there is a risk of injury, and they should be responsible for trying to stop these injuries. They have plenty of opportunities and abilities to reduce injuries by taking steps to implement the following safety precautions:
- Height and weight limitations for participants
- Limits on the number of people on the trampolines at once
- Rules to prevent dangerous activities
- Supervision to prevent dangerous activities
- Padding and other safety features
- Proper maintenance and upkeep
- Proper inspection
The court could see any of these things as a potential duty that the owner or operator owes its patrons. If the operator breached this duty by failing to maintain the facility, failing to enforce safety rules, or otherwise failing to keep participants safe, they could be liable for any injuries that negligence causes. Many injuries occur because the park’s staff fails to intervene in instances of roughhousing, “double bouncing,” or other dangerous activities in the park.
In some cases, you may sign a waiver or the facility might have “at your own risk” signs posted. However, some of these conditions might not hold up to legal scrutiny and may not bar your lawsuit. In most cases, you can still sue someone else for injuries. This means that if another guest at the trampoline park was acting unreasonably or disobeyed the rules and caused your injuries, you may be able to sue them. Coverage for the injuries may be paid through various insurance policies, and you may be entitled to substantial damages for the injuries you faced.
Call Our Maryland Trampoline Injury Lawyers for a Free Legal Consultation
If you or your child was injured at a trampoline park in Maryland, call the Maryland personal injury lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras today. Our Maryland trampoline injury attorneys represent victims and their families, and we work to get our clients the financial compensation they need. This can often include compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages resulting from the accident. For a free legal consultation on your case and help understanding what your claim is worth, call our law offices today at (410) 694-7291.