Trampoline parks have recently grown in popularity and are one of the favorite spots for children to bounce and have fun. There are now over 800 trampoline parks operating in the USA since they started back in 2004.

However, trampoline park injuries are the most common causes of personal injury in children. Trampoline falls, injuries, and accidents have been on a rise lately. The material, structures, and parks have been found to pose a significant risk of causing injury to the children. A recent survey conducted by National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) found that trampoline park injuries may directly cause around 100,000 emergency department visits every year. Another study from American Academy of Pediatrics shows that trampoline use poses significant risk of injury to children.

An injury at a trampoline park may often occur due to falls, impact with trampoline spring frames, and collision among the users. The injuries may result in medical conditions including paralysis, injury to the spinal cord, traumatic brain injury, whiplash neck injury, concussion, and complex fractures. Some of the common injuries occurring at the trampoline parks are listed and described in brief below.

Paralysis

The medical condition of paralysis is characterized by loss of strength of muscle along with the loss of control over it, in some parts of the body. Paralysis may be caused usually when some problem affects the nerve cells connecting the body part and the brain. The nervous system gets damaged when an injury occurs to its constituents like the spinal cord, brain, nerves, or neural junctions. In such a scenario, the signals do not move and hence a loss of control occurs. Spinal cord injuries, head injuries, stroke, and other conditions can cause paralysis. There have been numerous incidences when an injury at the trampoline park has caused paralysis in the affected individual.

Death

Over the last ten year there were at least six deaths caused by trampoline parks according to CBS News. That number may be even higher because many lawsuits end by signing confidentiality agreements to not talk about it.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

A jolt or violent blow to the body or head can be a cause of traumatic brain injury. These injuries can also occur when an object such as a bullet passes through the brain tissue. While mild traumatic brain injuries may only affect the brain cells for a while, the most serious ones can cause severe complications and even death. Falls, violence, sports injuries, vehicle-related collisions, and other kinds of occurrences may be a cause of traumatic brain injury. Falls are common at trampoline parks and may cause a mild or even severe traumatic brain injury.

Spinal Cord Injury

An injury to the spinal cord damages certain nerves or some part of the spinal cord. The injury can be severe enough to cause a permanent change in sensation, strength, and other body functions. Spinal cord injuries may result in symptoms including difficulty breathing, loss of movement, changes in sexual functionality, loss of bladder/bowel control, pain, and others. An automatic and sudden blow to the spine may dislocate, fracture, compress or crush one or multiple vertebrae. At a trampoline park, a fall from a significant height or a spinal or head injury may cause injury to the spinal cord.

Concussions

The medical condition of concussion is characterized by an injury to the brain that may result in temporary loss of certain normal brain functions. Direct trauma or injury to the head such as those caused by falling or being hit by another person at a trampoline park may cause a concussion. Concussion affects judgment, memory, speech, reflexes, muscle coordination, and body balance. The injury may result in confusion and dizziness, a. There are also other symptoms of conditions including headache, ringing ears, seeing stars, and trouble falling asleep among others.

Whiplash Neck Injuries

The neck injury that occurs due to rapid back-and-forth and forceful movement of the neck region of the body is termed a whiplash neck injury. While automobile accidents often cause this kind of injury, they may also occur at a trampoline park due to occurrences including falls and collisions among others. Most of the whiplash neck injuries get better in a few weeks through exercise and pain medications and long-term complications are absent. However, in rare cases, these injuries may also cause long-lasting complications and chronic neck pain.

Complex Fractures

Certain falls, accidents, and injuries may cause high-energy or complex fractures. The condition is characterized by the breaking of multiple bones and serious injuries all over the human body. The treatment of these kinds of injuries and multiple fractures may take a long period and require multiple surgeries.

Conclusion

Design flaws, unsafe jumping, transfer of energy, missing protective parts, and other reasons can be a cause of an injury at a trampoline park. The Abbott Law Group trampoline injury attorneys can help you can get adequate compensation for your injury that is sustained while visiting a trampoline park. However, it is always important to be on the safer side and to avoid any kind of injury. Therefore inspections, precautions, and following the guidelines may help you be in good health and enjoy your time at a trampoline park as well.