What are the top three things every young kid begs their parents for? By our count it's these: a puppy, an ice-cream cone, and a trampoline. The thing is, only one of those three options poses a significant risk of causing severe neck injury. Any neck injury attorney will tell you that trampoline injuries account for a large portion of neck injuries in young children.
How Trampoline Neck Injuries Occur
While bouncing on a trampoline alone is a low risk activity (unless you’re attempting aggressive maneuvers), most families that own recreational trampolines more frequently use them with multiple people, which poses a far greater risk of injury. In fact, three quarters of all serious trampoline injuries occur with multiple jumpers on the mat.
Size Disparities Contribute to Neck Injuries
A neck injury attorney will surely have encountered children who were injured while jumping with a parent or other adult. The reason for this is the size disparity: children bouncing with adults are 14 times more likely to be injured. Why is this? Studies have shown that, if the landing is awkward, a 170-pound adult bouncing with a 50-pound child can cause the child to hit the mat with force equivalent to being dropped from 9 feet onto hard ground. Clearly, even though the mat is made of soft material, it’s recoil and the height that a small child can reach are a dangerous combination.
If you or a loved one has sustained a neck injury in a trampoline accident, contact a Toronto personal injury lawyer as soon as possible for a free consultation.