Are Bounce Houses Safe? The Dangers of Bounce Houses
Bounce houses, inflatable bouncers, moon jumps. Kids love them, and for good reason. They offer the excitement of a trampoline with the safety of a giant cushion. But how safe are they really? And are bounce houses safer than trampolines? Reports of chipped teeth, scrapes, and bruises are unfortunate. Tales of broken necks, paralysis, and death are downright shocking.
Bounce Houses- How Safe are They?
While bounce houses have not gotten the same negative backlash as trampolines (some companies won’t even insure a home with a trampoline) more and more stories of freak accidents are popping up. Like when a bounce house went airborne with children inside, crossed three lanes of traffic and was deposited onto a busy street in Tucson, Arizona. A bizarre occurrence- yes, and with minimal injuries. But then there are the other stories- a child smothered to death under the weight of adults, a back flip that leaves a teenager paralyzed- that force parents to re-think renting that bounce house for the next birthday party or school function. Bounce house injury, liability, statistical information, and safety tips below were provided by ConsumerReports.org.
Bounce House Injuries- Year-by-Year
- 2007: a 3-year-old died when he was crushed by two adults in a bounce house.
- 2008: a young girl broke her neck and died when she fell inside a bounce house.
- 2009: a 17-year-old boy attempted a back flip in a bounce house, broke his neck, and is now partially paralyzed.
- 2010: a Cleveland man died when a bounce house collapsed, pinning him underneath.
- 2010: winds blew a bounce house from a birthday party into a pond, with a 5-year-old girl trapped inside. She had to be rescued from the water.
Bounce House Injury Statistics
Statistics show an alarming rise in the number of bounce house injuries- a 277% increase from 1997 to 2004.
- 1997:1,300 injuries
- 2004: 4,900 injuries
- 2007: 7,297 injuries
- 43% of injuries occurred with no adult supervision
- 52% of injuries occurred when children of different ages were playing together
Bounce House Safety Tips
- Supervise children playing on bounce house device.
- Limit the number of users on the device.
- Make sure the inflatable isn’t overloaded or unstable.
- Securely anchor the inflatable to the ground with pegs.
- Place the blower so it can’t accidentally be unplugged, causing the inflatable to collapse.
Contact An Experienced Child Injury Attorney
Bounce house injuries can be caused by a number of factors including improper anchoring or set-up, lack of rental directions and nonexistent operator supervision.
At Thomas J. Henry, we have the experience and resources to handle your child’s case and bounce house injury lawsuits. If your child has been the victim of a serious injury, contact our offices. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Our attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.
