Trampoline Parks: Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe

Autumn in Pittsburgh means Steelers football, colorful leaves and a move from outdoor to indoor activities as the weather gets crisper and cooler. For many school-aged children, this means field trips to indoor activity centers that offer everything from rock climbing to the increasingly popular trampoline parks.

Once few and far between, indoor trampoline parks are offered all throughout the Pittsburgh region. But like bounce houses and other activities aimed at kids, they also come with serious safety concerns.

How serious? Many folks suffered a personal injury on trampolines last year.

In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that there were more than 104,691 trampoline-related injuries treated in emergency rooms across the country in 2014 – with 22 deaths attributed to them between 2000 and 2009.

Usually, people who suffer a personal injury do so by:

• Colliding with another person while jumping
• Landing improperly while jumping or attempting to perform a flip or other stunt
• Falling or jumping off the trampoline and onto a hard surface
• Falling on the springs or frame of the trampoline

The personal injury attorneys at Pribanic & Pribanic wanted to give you some tips on how to stay safe if you and your family want to embark on a trampoline park adventure this fall.

To avoid a personal injury – which news reports indicate could be anything from bruising to paralysis to broken bones – take these simple steps:

1. Take turns: Only one person on a trampoline at a time
2. Don’t try any tricks: A flip gone wrong can lead to neck and back injuries – possibly even paralysis
3. Make sure it’s covered: Before jumping on any trampoline, make sure that the shock-absorbing pad completely covers the metal springs, hooks and frame
4. Make sure there’s adult supervision: When the kids are jumping, make sure there’s an adult watching. And when we say “kids” we mean children ages six and younger. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission indicates full-size trampolines are not suited to those younger than

While the popularity of trampoline parks has been explosive, so have backyard trampolines.

But, according to the “Pediatrics,” home trampolines have also caused myriad personal injury cases.

Of particular concern is what the publication called “reports of decreased quality of recreational trampoline equipment sold over the past several decades.”

According to the International Trampoline Industry Association, trampolines sold in 1989 had an expected life of 10 years. However, the life expectancy of trampolines sold in 2004 was just five years.

Experts recommend being aware of the manufacturer’s warranty, and note that sometimes, pads and shock absorbents must be replaced during the life span on the trampoline, while the frame and hooks may last longer.

For those who insist on having backyard trampolines, you can cut down on the chance of your child suffering a personal injury if you:

• Make sure the trampoline is not placed near another structure, tree, vehicle, etc.
• Use netting or another type of enclosure to cut down on the chance of falls

But sometimes, even when taking every precaution, accidents can still happen.

If there is any question about whether your trampoline-related personal injury was due to a defective product or negligence on the part of the trampoline park operator, you should always call an experienced personal injury attorney who understands negligence, product liability and personal injury suits.

If you were seriously injured, or you know someone who suffered a serious personal injury (or who died) from a trampoline-related incident, call the Pittsburgh personal injury attorneys at Pribanic & Pribanic today at 412-672-5444 or toll-free at 800-392-4529 to schedule a free initial consultation today.