If you are on this page, you probably have a child that was injured in a trampoline park in Connecticut. You also may think that someone else may have been negligent in the injury of your child.
Sorry you’re here. We are parents too.
This website is designed to be a place for you to seek outlet. You have questions: is the waiver valid? Is it their fault? What if I can’t afford the medical bills?
These are not easy questions. Big box trampoline parks have taken advantage of families across the country. Often, they’ve convinced families they have no recourse, even when it’s not true. Sometimes, when the trampoline park employee was negligent, you do have recourse.
Connecticut law may allow for a lawsuit against a trampoline park for negligence, even if you signed a waiver saying you would not and could not sue!
The Waiver
Let’s retrace the steps of how you got here. At some point before entering the trampoline park, you or your spouse, or legal guardian of the child, may have signed a waiver or “exculpatory agreement.” This agreement was either online or in person. Since we are in the age of technology, most trampoline parks have the waivers on tablets or computers. Sometimes, no waiver was signed.
Most parents don’t have time to read the entire waiver, and we don’t blame you. The legalese and dense language proves a difficult read, and we’ve never met anyone who consulted a lawyer before signing the trampoline park waiver.
The key language in any waiver usually follows this format:
“I . . . parent or legal guardian of (insert child’s name) . . . hereby forever release any and all possible future claims against (insert trampoline park) for any harm caused to the child, regardless of negligence . . . I further agree that even if my child sustains a catastrophic injury. . OR DEATH . . . I will not file a lawsuit, and am hereby waiving my right to a jury trial . . . I also agree that if I do pursue an action . . . I will be responsible for the trampoline park’s legal fees and expenses.”
It’s important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible to investigate your case. While the waivers have differed across the country, most of them have similar language as mentioned above. Now is the time to take action and protect your child’s interest.
Can I still hire a lawyer and file a lawsuit?
The answer to both of those questions is YES. You can absolutely hire a lawyer, and you can absolutely file a lawsuit. The only important question is will I win?
The answer to that question is maybe. Some courts in Connecticut have held that the exculpatory agreements and liability waivers signed by parents on behalf of children are “void against public policy.” The Court in a case called Hanks v. Powder Ridge Restaurant Corp., 276 Conn.314 (2005), found that after a snow tuber was injured in an accident that he signed a waiver for, the waiver was deemed invalid. The Hanks court held that because the facility forced the patrons to sign a waiver that absolves the facility of all liability for “prospective negligence,” that was against general Connecticut public policy. https://www.leagle.com/decision/20051619885a2d73411607
The Court went on to opine that because the snow tubers were under the “care and control” of the operators as a result of the economic transaction, the agreement was deemed an “adhesion contract,” which are generally deemed invalid. The tubers in the Hanks case did not have the opportunity to purchase protection against negligence at an additional, reasonable fee, and the operators had superior bargaining power in the entire transaction.
Every case is different, and every case requires an in-depth analysis. There have been at least nine lawsuits against trampoline parks in Connecticut in the last 3 years. While some of these suits have settled outside of court, not all of them. Some of these injuries included fractures and broken bones, and concerns for “permanent damage.”
Please click the following link to learn more about a few of the lawsuits that have been filed.
Trampoline Park Injuries in Connecticut
As stated in the above articles, trampoline park injuries range from simple bruises, cuts, scrapes, to broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and other catastrophic injuries with lifelong consequences.
At Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, physicians performed research on the staggering number of trampoline park injuries. A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics documented a sharp increase in trampoline park injuries. The physicians studied data and emergency room reports from a national database.
In 2010, there were about 600 visits from trampoline parks. In 2014, there were 7,000 emergency room visits from trampoline park injuries. Dr. Steven Rogers and Dr. Jesse Strum completed the study and published the data.
Also, what about the injuries that aren’t reported to the emergency room but only a primary care doctor or an urgent care facility?
Real Connecticut Parents . . . Real Connecticut Reviews
The following is a list of real reviews from parents in Connecticut. They are observations and experiences similar to the one you might have had.
Review of a park in Hartford:
- “This place was nothing but a danger zone for my 2.5 year old. From the start there is a playground area for kids. No signs say that there is a minimum height or age to go in. It looked padded so I let him climb up. Little did I know this play area connected to a slide with a straight 20+ foot drop.”
- “If I could only give less than one I would. No supervision of kids. No one follows the rules. Don’t bring a toddler here no matter what! Disgusting everything! Mats, floors, bathroom, no soap in bathrooms ever and no toilet tissue”
One mom said this about a park in Manchester:
- “The kids here are a mixed bag because some just shouldn’t be jumping with small kids period. For SAFETY! Also, I noticed there is a bunch of bullying that openly takes place…”
One Mom said this about a park in Orange, CT:
- “Chaos!! I’ve been to many trampoline parks with my children and I felt the least safe at this one. There were lots of kids and not many staff members.”
Another parent had this nightmare experience in Orange, CT
- “I gave this place two stars because the customer service here is horrible. The place is run by teenagers and when my 2 year old son got hurt they told me they were out of ice packs and didn’t even offer any help. I had to rush him to the ER.”
This is an all too common experience in another Connecticut trampoline park reported by a parent:
- “They have an area for “little jumpers” that is for children who are below 46 inches tall. Many bigger kids were running in and out of the little kid area jumping around like maniacs, almost crushing the little kids and could have seriously harmed the little kids. Its not the parents job to tell other peoples kids to leave. The management needs to enforce this rule and protect the small children from getting seriously injured. They advertise and promote the little jumper zone as a place that is safe for little kids and that big kids dont go- but then they let the big kids in!!! Makes NO sense and is false advertising and dangerous. They have many referees but NOT ONE stood near the little jumpers entrance. Another reviewer wrote about this on yelp 5 months ago and still nothing has been done. Don’t advertise a little kid area and then let wild big kids in to hurt them!”
Trampoline Parks in Connecticut
The following is a sample of a jump park you may have visited with your children. Just because a trampoline park is one this list, does not mean that they have been sued for negligence or done anything wrong.
Hartford
- Launch Trampoline Park
- Trick Dtnamix
- Sky Zone Trampoline Park
- Jump Off Indoor Trampoline Park
Orange
- Jump on In
- Extreme Air Indoor Trampoline Park
- Rockin Jump
- Urban Air
Manchester
- Launch Trampoline Park
- Flight Fit n Fun Trampoline Park