One story that is heard far too often is one where a child and their parents go to a party or event and the child ends up injured while using a bounce house. Bounce houses are popular attractions for children because of the fun they provide, but they’re also one of the most dangerous and resulted in at least 4,900 injuries in only a three year period. Those who have a child injured as the result of using a bounce house can determine if they have a case and are eligible to receive compensation.

Causes of the Injury

There are numerous ways children can be injured while using a bounce house, but most of the reasons fall into one of three categories, and they are:

• Negligence – Negligence is a broad term that can be attributed to almost any party tasked with manufacturing, maintaining or operating a bounce house. If a person fails to fulfill an obligation to prevent an unsafe environment they are considered negligent and likely responsible for damages.
• Operator Error – Those who operate the bounce house have a responsibility to make sure this device is safe when it is in use. Examples of operator error include not ensuring it is adequately inflated or failing to keep track of the number of children inside the bounce house at all times.
• Product Defect – If the bounce house itself is defective in some way, this can lead to serious injuries. This not only includes defects in manufacturing, but also design flaws that make the use of the bounce house more dangerous.

Responsible Parties

There are three primary groups or persons who can be held responsible for bounce house injuries that occur, and they include:

• Manufacturers – Those who manufacture bounce houses must make sure these products are safe before they are ever used by the public. If the product causes harm even when used properly this shows liability.
• Renters – Renters are often individuals or businesses that own the bounce house and charge customers to use it. These individuals are tasked with making sure the bounce house is maintained and safe before it is rented out and used.
• Operators – Operators can be held liable if their actions or negligence lead to children being injured.

Awards

If a parent is successful in their litigation against on of the above-mentioned parties they will often be eligible to receive compensation for things such as medical bills and lost wages due to the need to care for their children. In cases where extreme negligence is proven, parents may also be entitled to damages for the pain and suffering their child endured. The best way to win a negligence case is to hire a personal injury attorney. The sooner you hire your attorney, the more likely you are to win your case as evidence tends to disappear over time.

Bounce House Dude by Gordon / CC BY-SA 2.0