Ohio parents may be interested to learn that trampolines should not be viewed as toys and are responsible for thousands of visits to the emergency room every year. A study by Indiana University discovered that there were a projected 288,876 fractures that resulted from trampoline use between 2002 and 2011. All injuries associated with trampolines resulted in emergency room visit expenses of over $1 billion.
Children younger than 16 are some of the most frequent victims of dislocations and fractures related to trampoline use. The American Academy of Pediatrics state that 95 percent of the injuries occur on trampolines at the user’s home. Elbows, legs, ankles, wrists and forearms are the areas of the body that are often fractured. The most frequently occurring trampoline injuries include soft-tissue damage, sprains and bruises. However, the injuries that make up at least 10 percent of visits to the emergency room occur in the neck and head.
One pediatric orthopedic surgeon states that trampolines are dangerous even when they are used with netting to prevent falling. She supports the AAP’s guideline that suggests trampoline use should be limited to people who train for diving or gymnastics and only in supervised and specially designed settings.
Doctors also treat patients who are seriously injured at indoor trampoline parks. In addition to children falling, the injuries also result from parents falling onto their children while they are inside the jump house supervising the children.
A personal injury attorney may use premises liability law to hold negligent property owners responsible for deaths or serious injuries sustained on their property. Financial compensation may be obtainable if inadequate maintenance, lack of repair, inadequate security, icy sidewalks, wet or slippery floors contributed to a swimming pool accident, slip-and-fall accident or tripping accident.