Bounce House Risks Highlighted by Recent Lawsuits

Although bounce houses can bring hours of fun, injuries have been on the rise in recent years.

Every year, thousands of children are injured in bounce houses. Incidents occur at public gatherings and family homes. Part of the reason injuries are increasing appears to be a simple one: Inflatable bounce houses are not only more popular, but also come in do-it-yourself-packages that parents can purchase and set up themselves.

When a serious injury occurs, families cannot only bring a lawsuit against the bounce house company, but may include the seller, installer, operators, and the organizer of the event.

Two young boys in upstate New York were seriously injured in 2014 when a gust of wind unexpectedly caught the inflatable bounce house they were playing in and lifted it 15 to 20 feet off the ground.

One of the boys was thrown onto a nearby street, breaking both of his arms and his jaw. The other boy fell and struck his head on a nearby car before landing on the pavement. Both were flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital. The child that landed on the care had to be put in a medically-induced coma due to the nature of his head injury. A 10 year old girl suffered minor injuries in the accident.

The inflatable bounce house had been set up in the backyard of an apartment at the time of the incident. Witnesses said that bounce house was tethered to the ground and a local meteorologist said that the incident was surprising given the weather conditions at the time. Winds were only measured to be about 5-10 miles per hour.

The parents of the two young boys recently filed lawsuits against the manufacturer, the seller and the neighbor who set up the bounce house and hosted the event that day.

"The bounce house is defectively designed, in that it presents an unreasonable risk of injury to prospective consumers," the lawsuits state. "The bounce house is not fit for the ordinary use for what it was intended."

An attorney for one of the plaintiffs said the reason the families waited three years to file the lawsuits is because they were waiting to learn the full extent of their son's injuries, treatments and recovery. The lawsuits seek unspecified damages.

Injury claims for harm caused in an inflatable recreational structure are complicated cases. Litigants often find themselves suffering financially; many will turn to lawsuit funding.

Lawsuit funding is a cash advance that these families may be able to secure in order to help with their children’s medical bills and any other bills and expenses incurred as a direct result of the accident. Lawsuit finance is predicated on the strength and value of the case. If approved for funding, the money can be wired or sent via overnight mail in as little as 48 hours.

Applying for lawsuit funding is simple and easy and there are absolutely no fees unless the plaintiff wins the case. In fact, if the plaintiff does not win the case, there is no obligation to repay the cash advance.

If your child has been injured in an inflatable structure that was unsafe, you are entitled to ensure that the legal rights of your child are protected. An experienced personal injury attorney has the skills to help you through the legal process to hold the wrongdoers responsible. Once the lawsuit is under way, contact Lawsuit Financial for the financial assistance you need during the pending claim.

As the weather becomes nicer, inflatable bounce houses will become more prevalent, even as a permanent place in the backyard. However, it is important to be aware of the risks and take appropriate measures to minimize accidents.

• Having a bounce house at your party, family reunion, etc., exposes you, the owner, to a significant amount of risk.
• Before hosting a party or event with a bounce house, you should review your liability policy to be sure that it covers injuries arising from bounce houses. If bounce houses are excluded from your policy, you might be able to purchase “special events coverage” to cover the event.
• Require the bounce house rental company to produce their certificate of insurance in order to prove that they have adequate insurance coverage.
• If you choose to rent a bounce house or attend an event where a bounce house is present, ensure that it has been installed by qualified personnel before allowing your child to play inside.
• If you purchase and set up an inflatable bounce house, follow recommended guidelines for safe installation including anchorage.
• If you are planning to use the bounce house outdoors, the bouncer should be placed on a flat surface. Remove all rocks, sticks or objects such as sprinkler systems sticking up from the ground before setting up the bouncer. The bouncer should have plenty of open space on all sides, and should be placed away from tree branches and power lines.
• Wind is an inflatable’s worst enemy. One industry professional advises that if your “pants are flapping like a flag,” you should direct children to leave the bounce house until the wind dies down.
• Encourage children to bounce away from the walls, entrances and exits of the bouncer.
• Bounce houses are not babysitters. A parent or supervisor should always be preset and make sure that children are bouncing safely and that the number of children bouncing at any one time does not exceed the maximum occupancy or weight limits of the bouncer. Supervision means constantly observing and not just being near the area.
• Inflatable bouncing houses must be installed away from fences, gardens, branches, etc., which can be dangerous for toddlers if they are thrown on them.

About Lawsuit Financial

Lawsuit Financial Corporation is a pro-justice lawsuit funding company that seeks to educate plaintiffs and attorneys about lawsuit funding. Our company is an attorney owned and operated full service legal finance company recognized by attorneys nationwide as a preferred choice for legal funding services. Mark Bello, CEO and General Counsel, is recognized as an expert in this field, both as an underwriter of these transactions and as an advocate for appropriate treatment of plaintiffs/clients in this industry and in litigation.