Inflatable Bounce House Injuries on the Rise

Zephyrhills, FL (Law Firm Newswire) December 18, 2012 – A recent nationwide study points out the dangers of “bounce houses” – large inflatable playpens for children.

“Wherever children gather to play, safety is paramount,” said Zephyrhills personal injury lawyer Robert Alston. “Manufacturers have a responsibility to meet safety standards, and anyone providing access to these toys has a responsibility to provide adequate supervision.”

The study suggests that as many as 30 children per day visit emergency rooms nationwide due to injuries sustained in bounce houses, including sprains, concussions, and broken bones. Children may be tempted to crowd into bounce houses to the point where collisions and ejections from the structures become more likely.

As bounce house use has increased, so have the number of injuries sustained in them. Between 1995 and 2010, the number of minor children treated in emergency rooms after being injured in bounce houses increased from less than 1,000 to nearly 11,000. More than one-third of those injured were under the age of five. About three percent of those children who visited emergency rooms were hospitalized, most often for bone fractures.

The study did not include fatal accidents, but according to separate U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data, four deaths occurred in bounce houses between 2003 and 2007. They all involved kids hitting their heads on hard surfaces.

According to National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials spokeswoman Laura Woodburn, safety recommendations for bounce houses, usually listed in their instruction booklets, include not overcrowding bounce houses and not allowing younger children inside with much older children or adults.

Further safety recommendations include supervision during use by trained operators and prohibiting children from flipping or deliberately crashing into others.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against the at-home use of trampolines, which often cause serious injuries similar to bounce houses.

Robert Alston is a partner in the firm of Alston & Baker, P. A. To contact a Zephyrhills Social Security lawyer, Zephyrhills accident attorney, or Zephyrhills divorce lawyer, visit http://www.alstonbakerlaw.com.

Alston & Baker, P.A.
5518 Seventh Street
Zephyrhills, Florida 33542
Call: 813-779-8895
Toll-free: 1-888-500-5245

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