Trampoline Park Injury Attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri
At The Gogel Law Firm, our trampoline park injury attorney in St. Louis represents clients who have been hurt in accidents throughout Missouri, including our youngest, most vulnerable residents who count on the staff, property owners, and corporations to keep them safe while they are on their premises.
That includes children and adults who sustain injuries at trampoline parks throughout the state.
Over four years, trampoline parks have accounted for over 18,000 emergency room visits, with reported injuries reaching over 15,000 people nationwide, and at least six confirmed deaths.
With the popularity of trampoline parks hitting its stride in small and major cities throughout the country, engineers and medical specialists are beginning to speak out about the dangers of the recreation centers, so parents can make informed decisions about visiting the facilities with their children.
Why are St. Louis Trampoline Parks Dangerous?
A biomechanical engineer and university professor have been testing trampoline parks like Defy, Sky Zone, and Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Parks for over five years, and found the trampolines therein compare to gymnastic trampolines, which are comparatively used by trained athletes.
The findings listed the energy that is transferred between the trampoline beds in the facilities is not separate but operates like one big trampoline making the complete system unpredictable.
The research went on to explain the way many trampolines are incorporated as a system can create an unsafe transfer of energy, leaving many experts to believe the cable and chain connections many parks use are flawed.
In short, everyone who is bouncing in the trampoline park system is influencing everybody else’s jump, which can lead to serious injuries.
What are the Most Common Injuries that Occur in Trampoline Parks?
A video recorded inside an east coast trampoline park showed a dad double bouncing his son, who later came down with such force that he broke his femur. The research points to the way the transfer of energy work in trampoline parks led to the child breaking the largest bone in his body, which typically takes 900 pounds of force to occur in an adult, so maybe half of that force was required for the child to suffer the same injury.
A Utah trauma surgeon was interviewed during the research phase and stated he has treated about 100 patients with severe trampoline park injuries, including broken legs, spinal fractures, and head trauma.
He went on to say that the injuries he has witnessed from trampoline parks are similar to what you would see in high-velocity motor vehicle crashes, where the drivers who collide are traveling at 90 miles per hour, or where a motorcyclist is thrown from their bike and flies for 100 feet before landing.
The most common injuries the trauma surgeon has seen from trampoline parks are broken necks, broken backs, dislocated and open-fractured elbows and shoulders stating, “They’re all catastrophic injuries.”
What if We Signed a Waiver Before Entering the Trampoline Park? Can We Still Pursue Damages for the Injuries that Occurred?
Trampoline parks, gyms, and other recreational facilities typically require all who are admitted to signing a waiver stating, in various legal ways, that if you get hurt while you are there, the retailer is not responsible.
The contract is designed to insulate the facility from any liability if/when someone gets hurt while using the park differently than it was intended. That could include manipulating the equipment or violating the park’s safety rules.
However, the contract does not expressly release the trampoline park from injuries resulting from its own negligence, unless it states, clearly and unmistakably, that the waiver releases the trampoline park from liability for its future negligence of fault.
The common risks for injuries at trampoline parks that may be the result of future negligence or fault may include:
- Dangerous designs
- Improper maintenance of the trampolines
- Insufficient padding and safety protocol
- Lack of supervision by park staff
If you or your child has been injured at a trampoline park in St. Louis, contact our experienced premises liability attorneys to see how we can help you pursue the negligent owner or operator for your full financial recovery.
At The Gogel Law Firm, Our Personal Injury Attorneys in St. Louis, MO Also Focuses On The Following Practice Areas:
- Dangerous Roadway
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Premises Liability
- Wrongful Death
- Brain Injury
- Bicycle Accident
- Car Accident
- Workers Compensation
- Medical Malpractice
- Legal Malpractice
- Nursing Home Abuse
- DUI Accident
How Can the Gogel Law Firm Help Me Pursue the Trampoline Park for Financial Recovery?
Formerly an insurance defense lawyer, our St. Louis personal injury attorney and law firm founder, Jeremy A. Gogel is committed to helping our clients fight for the financial compensation they need from the trampoline park’s insurance companies, so they can get the complete medical care they need to fully heal.
Trampoline park visits can turn into traumatic injuries without notice, which may require multiple surgeries and extensive follow-up care that our clients should never have to pay out of pocket.
With the intimate knowledge gained while representing insurance companies, Jeremy has created customized solutions for our injury clients to ensure they can pursue the negligent party’s insurance provider for the maximum amount of their claim.
Contact Our Skilled Trampoline Park Injury Attorneys in St. Louis at the Gogel Law Firm Today to Schedule a Free Consultation
If you or your child have been injured at a trampoline part, contact our experienced trampoline park injury attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri today to schedule a free consultation by calling 314-370-8173 or contact us online to have one of our skilled lawyers call you.
Frequently Asked Questions for Our Trampoline Park Injury Attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri
Are Visitors Assuming All the Risks When Visiting Trampoline Parks?
Trampoline parks remain largely unregulated by local city and state ordinances, so it is assumed that visitors are accepting the inherent risks of the trampoline park upon entry and payment. However, hazards and gross negligence are not part of that assumption, which is why you should speak with an experienced trampoline park injury attorney in St. Louis, so we can review your claim and outline the applicable legal solutions for your unique case.
What is the Difference Between Ordinary Negligence and Gross Negligence?
In the case of trampoline park negligence, ordinary negligence refers to careless mistakes or inattention, which could lead to injuries on the premises without notice. Gross negligence occurs when the trampoline park behaved in a manner with extreme disregard for the health and safety of others. Depending on your unique trampoline park injury circumstances, either type of negligence may allow us to pursue a case against the property owner/operator.
Will My Trampoline Park Accident and Injury Case Go to Court?
Some trampoline parks have a forced arbitration clause in their waiver, which means if someone gets hurt on their property, they must try to resolve the matter during an alternative dispute resolution format — like arbitration — before the courts become involved. Typically, most personal injury cases, including trampoline park claims, settle long before they see the inside of the courtroom.
What is the Statute of Limitations to File a Personal Injury Claim in Missouri?
The statute of limitations to file a personal injury claim in Missouri is five years from the date the injury occurred unless you could not possibly have been unaware of the injury before that time, then the five-year period begins upon the discovery of the injury.
