Understanding Trampoline Park Injury Stats and Liability

K.C. Harpring

personal injury Attorney

Key Takeaways

• Trampoline parks injure children at alarming rates, with those under 14 making up nearly 75 percent of cases.
• Fractures, spinal cord damage, and head or neck trauma are common outcomes, often requiring surgery or extended recovery.
• If your child is hurt in Denver, document the scene, get medical care, and talk to an attorney before insurers do.
• Signing a waiver does not automatically block recovery in Colorado, especially when a park acted recklessly or ignored known risks.
• Colorado courts void parental waivers signed on behalf of minors, preserving the child’s right to pursue a claim.

Every year, people leave a trampoline park with something they did not expect: a serious injury. Trampoline park injuries range from broken legs and torn ligaments to spinal cord damage and head trauma, and Denver families face these risks as much as anyone else in the country. Commercial parks pose dangers that backyard setups simply do not, including high-impact collision exposure, elevated platforms, and the lack of uniform federal safety standards governing how facilities operate.

If you or a family member suffered a serious injury at one of these venues, the path forward can feel overwhelming. Medical bills accumulate quickly, liability is rarely straightforward, and facility operators have insurance teams working to limit payouts. At Dormer Harpring, our Denver Personal Injury Lawyers help injured individuals and families throughout Denver make sense of the process, pursue the compensation they deserve, and hold negligent operators fully accountable for the harm they caused.

Why Are Trampoline Parks Dangerous?

Commercial trampoline parks differ from backyard setups in both scale and risk. Dozens of jumpers often share a facility at once, and the combination of varying skill levels, open jump zones, and minimal staff supervision creates conditions where collisions are nearly inevitable, a supervision lapse that mirrors the risks children face in other group settings. Multiple interconnected surfaces, foam pits, and elevated platforms only add to that hazard profile.

Overcrowding makes an already dangerous environment even more dangerous. When too many people share a single trampoline, the rebound force from one jumper affects everyone on the surface, and controlled landings become far more difficult to execute. Poor maintenance, inadequate padding, and insufficient safety netting can turn even a routine jump into a catastrophic fall.

Types of Injuries

Several injury patterns appear at trampoline parks with regularity, and many carry serious long-term consequences:

• Fractures and Broken Bones: Broken legs and ankles are among the most common outcomes, typically resulting from awkward landings or collisions with other users.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: Compression fractures and disc injuries can develop into chronic pain or limited mobility, with the most severe cases resulting in permanent paralysis.
• Head and Neck Trauma: Falls and failed flips can cause concussions or cervical fractures. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a broken neck carries outcomes ranging from chronic pain to permanent paralysis.
• Soft Tissue Damage: Sprains, ligament tears, and contusions can require extended recovery and affect a person’s ability to work or manage daily activities.

Any of these injuries can carry consequences that extend well beyond the emergency room, affecting a person’s ability to work, recover, and move forward.

What Should I Do If My Child Has Been Injured at a Trampoline Park?

When a child is hurt at a trampoline park in Denver, the steps taken immediately afterward can shape the outcome of any legal claim:

• Seek Medical Attention Immediately: Some injuries produce no obvious symptoms right away, even when a child insists they feel fine. A prompt evaluation creates an important medical record.
• Document the Scene: Photograph damaged equipment, inadequate padding, or overcrowded conditions, and collect witness contact information before leaving.
• Report the Incident to Park Staff: Request a written incident report and keep a copy before you leave the facility.
• Preserve Evidence: Keep the clothing and footwear your child was wearing, and do not return any defective equipment to the park.
• Contact an Attorney: An attorney can evaluate your child’s case, explain your legal options, and help protect their right to fair compensation.

Liability can involve the facility operator, equipment manufacturers, or third parties. Understanding your options before making statements or accepting offers is the most protective step a parent can take.

Trampoline Park Statistics

Children are the most frequent victims of trampoline park injuries, and the reasons are well-documented. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 90 percent of trampoline injuries involve children, most between the ages of 5 and 14. Over 75 percent of those injuries happen when two or more children jump at the same time and collide. In other words, the single biggest risk factor is simply allowing multiple jumpers on the same surface at the same time.

When a facility fails to limit occupancy, supervise its customers, or maintain safe equipment, what might appear to be an accident can become a matter of negligence.

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Liability Waivers

Before entering, almost every trampoline park in Denver asks parents to sign a liability waiver. Many families walk away thinking that paper means they cannot sue. In Colorado, that is not necessarily true.

Courts here will not uphold a waiver when a business acted recklessly. If a park knew about a safety problem and chose to do nothing about it, that waiver may carry little weight. A facility that allowed dangerous overcrowding or ignored broken equipment can still be held responsible, regardless of what was signed at the door.

There is also an important protection specific to children. Under Colorado law, a parent cannot legally sign away a child’s right to sue. So even if you signed a waiver on your child’s behalf, that signature may not be the final word. A waiver is always worth reviewing with an attorney before you assume it limits your legal options.

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If your child suffered trampoline park injuries in Denver, you have the right to know where you stand legally. Dormer Harpring represents injured children and their families across Colorado, reviewing liability, pushing back against inadequate waivers, and fighting for the compensation your family deserves. Call us at  (303) 747-4404 today to speak with a personal injury attorney about your case.