Are Indoor Trampoline Parks Dangerous?
For some kids, a trampoline park is a great way to have fun. Whether it be for a birthday celebration or just something to do to get out of the house. However, these massive bounce houses have a more dangerous side to them. Sure, most kids get hurt jumping around with their friends on trampolines, but it isn’t that big of a deal, right? Well, most of the time it isn’t. However, one family in Houston got the shock of their life when their 16-year-old was rushed to the hospital for an almost lethal injury at a trampoline park.
What Happened?
Back in 2013, Max Menchaca and his friends were having a fun day out at a trampoline park, when things went horribly wrong. Max’s mother got a horrible phone call from her husband about their son. Max was being treated for a traumatic brain injury that could have killed him. Max’s mother rushed to the hospital with her daughter and prepared for the worst. Max was climbing an incline with his friends at the park and when they slid down, max suddenly disappeared. There was a large hole in one of the trampolines. Max fell through at hit his head hard on the concrete below. He shattered his skull and his brain started hemorrhaging in three different places.
Luckily, Max survived, but at a horrible cost. When his family went to see him, he was like a child again. It was like his brain turned back the clock to when he was 8. After years of fighting, the family was awarded $11.5 million for the medical expenses and damages Max suffered. Max is fine now and is on his way to finishing college. However, the family wants to let people know how dangerous these parks are. Max’s family hoped the large settlement would prompt the trampoline park industry to take notice and improve the safety conditions so no one else has to go through this traumatic event. However, years later and this industry is still virtually unregulated. This is especially concerning considering that someone is twice as likely to be hospitalized at these parks, then using a trampoline at their house.
Hold These Parks Responsible
One thing these parks try to do to limit their liability is to make you sign a waiver for your children, saying you understand the dangers before allowing your kids to play in the park. These parks do that so the parents of the victim feel like they have no recourse since they waved their rights. However, this isn’t true. If your child is a minor, this wavier isn’t enforceable. A piece of paper does not give anyone the right to put a child in danger. So, if your child was harmed in one of these parks, you might have legal recourse to hold the park responsible for their negligence.
Were You or Your Child Injured by Someone’s Negligence? Contact The Law Giant
At The Law Giant, Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers, we understand how traumatic events like this can be. That’s why we are committed to helping victims recover compensation through personal injury lawsuits. If you have been injured and negligence may have caused the injury, you should promptly talk to an attorney with experience in personal injury and negligence cases. Your lawyer will know what your rights are under the law. You may be entitled to compensation. contact our firm today at (866) 523-4167 to schedule a free, initial evaluation of your case.