In what is being labeled as a freak accident, a 30-year-old man lost his life at an indoor trampoline park after suffering spinal cord injuries in Phoenix.
According to The Arizona Republic, the man broke his neck after falling into a foam pit inside one of the half-dozen trampoline parks that have emerged in the Phoenix area in recent years. The sites have been a magnet for recreation-seekers of all ages, but have also, according to the newspaper, been the site for a number of injuries – everything from strained muscles to fractured bones.
While both the trampoline park is conducting its own investigation into what happened, the park remains open.
Our Phoenix injury lawyers want everyone to keep in mind that government oversight of these type of facilities is minimal, as this is a somewhat new genre. Many of these parks have not only trampolines, but dodge ball, Velcro walls and basketball hoops. City and county officials don’t inspect for much more than fire hazards or the safety of the actual structure. Inspectors are not looking at whether the equipment is safe for play, according to the newspaper article.
The centers have cropped up across the state, with two in Phoenix, one in Peoria, one in Scottsdale, one in Glendale and three in Chandler. In the last two years, some of these centers have had more than 30 calls for an emergency ambulance.
Unlike gymnastics centers, these trampoline parks might not require their staff to acquire any sort of safety certification.
Patrons are often required to sign a waiver, freeing the park of any liability if you get hurt. There is at least one case, though, in which The Republic is reporting the parents of a 17-year-old are suing, saying someone other than the teen’s legal guardian signed the paperwork to play in the park. That teen ended up with a broken ankle.
Additionally, the parents of a 16-year-old are suing one of the parks for negligence after she broke her leg.
In another case, the mother of a 10-year-old boy told a reporter her son may need more than $50,000 worth of dental work over the course of his life, after suffering an injury at one of these parks.
In the fatal fall suffered by the 30-year-old man, the victim reportedly broke his neck, and later died, after falling into a pile of foam cubes after jumping on a trampoline.
Spinal cord injuries in Phoenix aren’t always fatal, but they can be devastating and require years of intense physical therapy. A person may permanently lose certain capabilities, such as the ability to walk or use arms and hands. This type of injury can be especially painful for someone who was previously very active and full of vitality.
People who do survive an injury to the spinal cord will often have to cope with medical complications, such as bladder and bowel problems, chronic pain and increased chances of heart and respiratory problems.
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