Trampoline centers have become an increasingly popular place for children to jump around and have fun. On most occasions, the kids have a great time and everyone comes home safely. However, not all trampoline sessions ends this way. Serious personal injuries can occur at these trampoline centers especially when staff ignore their own safety rules. In May 2011, Pam Zekman of CBS news investigated one trampoline center after there had been sixteen 911 calls for an ambulance in six months. Just recently, two separate personal injury lawsuits were filed against two different trampoline centers in the Chicago area after two children were allegedly injured at these centers.

Certain safety precautions must be followed by trampoline centers to reduce the risk of injury to children. One basic safety precaution is that only one child can be on a trampoline at a time. Consequently, one child should never be allowed to sit on a trampoline while other children jump around that child. While most trampoline centers have rules in place prohibiting these practices, these rules are not always followed. When then they are not followed, serious personal injury can occur.

Two personal injury lawsuits were recently filed against two Chicago area trampoline centers. In both instances, the trampoline centers allegedly failed to follow their own safety rules prohibiting more than one child from jumping on a trampoline at the same time. In both instances, a child suffered a broken leg.

During November 2010 and May 2011, CBS News' Pam Zekman reported that 911 had to be called sixteen times in six months for injuries sustained at one trampoline center, Extreme Trampoline, located in Carole Stream, Illinois. When CBS news visited that center on one Saturday afternoon in May 2011, an undercover camera showed trampoline staff regularly ignoring children violating safety rules. Part of the video showed one child sitting down on the trampoline while multiple other children were jumping around the child on the same trampoline directly in front of trampoline staff.

Although it unreasonable to expect that children will always follow the rules when jumping on trampolines. It is reasonable to expect and, in fact, require that trampoline center staff stop dangerous behavior when it happens right in front of them. When trampoline staff choose to ignore when children violate these safety rules--safety rules that are designed to protect children from serious injury--the trampoline center should be held responsible for any injuries that follow.

Sources Used:

CBS News Chicago, 2 Trampoline Centers Sued Over Accidents, Injuries, July 17, 2012.

CBS News Chicago, 2 Investigators Expose Trampoline Dangers, May 25, 2011.