Bounce House Flies Forty Feet Injuring Two Toddlers Playing Inside
While bounce houses are a common sight in most residential neighborhoods, some high profile accidents involving this type of recreational equipment has raised questions regarding the safety of bounce houses and similar inflatables. A recent example involved a bounce house that was swept up by a gust of wind and flew an astounding forty feet before crashing back to earth. Two toddlers who were playing inside the bounce house were both injured in the accident according to the USA Today report.
According to the report, the two boys climbed into the bounce house, which was located on a farm with amusement attractions, when the inflatable suddenly went airborne. The party inflatable flew over a fence before it slammed into the ground. A two-year-old who was playing inside the bouncer suffered critical injuries that required that he be taken by air transport to the hospital. The other toddler also was injured in the incident.
The circumstances surrounding the accident are somewhat murky. One of the farm owners reportedly told WMUR-TV that the inflatable was closed, so it could dry after being hosed off shortly before the bouncer accident. A parent of one of the toddlers contradicted this claim and told the radio station that a farm volunteer made it appear the attraction was open.
This recent accident is one of several bouncer accidents that have recently garnered national media coverage. In an incident in upstate New York in May, two boys were injured when a bounce house tore loose from it anchors and took flight. One of the boys in that incident suffered severe injuries that resulted in a month in the hospital and a medically induced coma. Another incident occurred in Scottsdale, Ariz. when a bouncer was swept into traffic lanes. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries in that incident. A third incident occurred in New York when three bounce houses were tumbled by wind.
Commercial bounce houses are constructed from heavy vinyl material and weigh approximately 250 pounds. They are supposed to be anchored to the ground with 18 inch steel stakes. If bounce houses are designed or manufactured with product defects, the manufacturer might be legally responsible for injuries caused by defects. If the anchoring system is insufficient to prevent the bounce houses from going airborne because of a gust of wind, for example, this could constitute a basis for imposing liability.
The manufacturer can also be liable if the manufacturer fails to provide adequate warnings of risks that would not be obvious to consumers when using the bouncer for the purpose it was intended. If the bouncer is prone to rolling over or taking flight during a wind storm, the manufacturer might be liable for failing to provide adequate warnings regarding the risk of using the bounce house in strong winds.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years of Legal Experience to Work For Your Claim
There are other parties that might be liable for a bouncer accident in addition to manufacturers, including homeowner’s, party hosts and equipment rental companies. If your child is injured by a bounce house or other inflatable, your child might have a right to financial compensation for his or her injuries. Our personal injury lawyers at Montlick and Associates have been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast for over thirty years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/10/13/wind-bounce-house-toddlers-injured/17195767/