Tips For Homeowners To Avoid Trampoline Injury Liability

If you’re a homeowner and you own a trampoline, the thought of possibly seeing someone else’s children injured much less your own is inconceivable, however as specific as the event may be, a trampoline owner will be liable for injuries that occur on or around the trampoline if negligence played a role in the injury.

To prevent injury, just like for any other situation in which a person invites a person onto their property, a homeowner must provide a duty of care to its invitees and they can do that in this case by taking reasonable steps to make sure the equipment is in good condition and is being used properly. The CPSC has a list of guidelines for parents and homeowners:

• Allow only one person on the trampoline at a time.
• Do not attempt or allow somersaults.
• Do not use the trampoline without shock absorbing pads that completely cover its springs, hooks, and frame.
• Place the trampoline away from structures, trees, and other play areas.
• No child under six years of age should use a full-sized trampoline.
• Do not use a ladder with the trampoline because it provides unsupervised access to small children.
• Always supervise children who use a trampoline.
• Prevent falls off of a trampoline with a trampoline enclosure.

Again, trampoline injury cases are very situation specific, but in adhering to these rules should the time come that one is sued in a trampoline injury case, one’s vulnerability will be less because it will be shown that you put the effort in to prevent any possible injuries.

At Eric Roy Law Firm, we make our clients who work with our personal injury attorney in Las Vegas, NV aware of the fact that for anyone to successfully sue someone for a trampoline injury, they must be able to prove negligence on the account of the homeowner. For example, allowing a child to play on a trampoline when a dangerous metal frame is exposed or letting a child play on the trampoline without supervision. Some states have rules that will make a homeowner liable for injury even when they take reasonable safety precautions with varying degrees of effect depending on the state.

The person filing a lawsuit must also prove that the owner’s negligence caused the injury. For instance, in leaving a ladder next to the trampoline, the owner can give children access to playing on it without supervision which makes them liable. However if a 14-year-old that can easily access the trampoline without a ladder climbs onto the trampoline themselves and still gets injured, then the homeowner is less liable.