So, the children have been bugging you to get them a trampoline. Trampolines are fun, and most children love to jump and play on them; sometimes they’re used as a “club house”.
All good, clean fun, right – until someone gets injured in your back yard. If you own one, there are some things you need to know to protect yourself from a lawsuit. And some basic rules you should require jumpers to follow.
In 2010, more than 92-thousand people went to emergency rooms to be treated for injuries sustained on trampolines, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The most common types of accidents:
- Colliding with another person
- Landing improperly while jumping or doing a stunt
- Falling on the trampoline springs or frame, and
- Falling off of the trampoline
Before purchasing a trampoline, you should check with your insurance company to make sure that any injuries on a trampoline will be covered.
After making sure that you have insurance coverage, which may be an added expense to your standard policy, there are some things you can do to keep jumpers safe from injury, and prevent lawsuits.
- Allow only one person at a time to jump
- Use padding on all springs and hardware
- Invest in a cover with a zipper and netting around the trampoline
- Supervise when someone comes to jump
- Advise against stunt-jumping which often leads to head injury
- Make sure the trampoline is not located near trees and is on flat ground
- Children under the age of six should not use a full-sized trampoline
- Don’t use a ladder; it gives young children easy access
- Have a professional install your trampoline
In many situations, a homeowner may be found negligent if it is deemed that proper care and maintenance have not been exercised. For instance, if there are broken springs, or a pad is missing and someone is injured, you may be held responsible.