Thinking of giving in and buying that trampoline for your little ones? Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly discourages trampoline use for recreational purposes and that children under six years old should never use a trampoline, not even a mini-tramp? To make matters worse, the very activities most kids want to use a trampoline for, bouncing with friends and doing cool ticks like flips and somersaults, are forbidden because they are the activities that most commonly result in serious injury. And then there’s the hit you may take on your home owner’s insurance premium, or you could get cancelled entirely.
But what if your child was injured on someone else’s trampoline?
Trampoline Injury Liability
Most trampoline accident claims are brought through premises liability lawsuits. That means the property or business owner is on the hook for your medical expenses and long-term costs created by your child’s trampoline injuries. Trampoline injuries can include brain and spinal cord injuries and can cause permanent impairment. If your child survives a catastrophic trampoline injury they may not go on to live independently as an adult, but require life-long care and supervision instead.
Homeowners and property owners can be on the hook for trampoline injuries, even if the child was trespassing. When these accidents happen at someone’s home, they are usually covered by homeowner’s insurance. If the accident happens at a business, you seek compensation from the business’s liability insurance. If a defective trampoline was to blame, you may be able to recover compensation from the maker or seller of the trampoline.
Common Causes of Trampoline Injuries
Common causes of trampoline injuries include:
- Two or more people using the trampoline at the same time, referred to as “double jumping”
- An adult or large child using the trampoline with a smaller child
- Improper assembly of trampoline
- Failure to restrict access to child trespassers
- Inadequate supervision
To learn more about trampoline injuries and your rights, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney. If the injury happened in New York, please contact attorney Eric R. Bernstein today. He handles premises liability claims including trampoline accident claims in New York City, Long Island and throughout the state.
