Trampolines

[SplshMtn99]

Yup, I'm a customer service rep who works at a small insurance agency. I'm the one with the "pleasure" of informing customers that their insurance company has notified us that their insurance will be cancelled unless the trampoline is removed from the premises. I also need to get signed statements saying it will not be put back up again.

Hate this part of my job. I get yelled at alot by homeowners.

 

[LisaSt]

We have one in our yard and our 3 year old just got her cast off ot to long ago. She broke her right leg jumping on it it broke just below the knee joint on the growth plate just be carefull more kids are sent to the hospital wth injuries caused by them than just about any other thing. I told my wife not to get one but she insisted so when this happened I willingly laughed at her and said I TOLD YOU SO. After all it wasn't her that had to live with a cast on for weeks that went from her hip to her toes it was our poor 3 year old daughter. Mind you as soon as she figured out how to walk with the cast on she was right back on it trying to jump again. all our kids are in gymnastics and know how to use the trampoline I am sure it was a fluke thing but it still does happen.

 

[teachingmyown]

Another consideration about those "safety" nets...from a similar thread on a different board I learned that since their arrival on the trampoline scene, pediatric dentists have noted an increase in accidental tooth extractions. Personally, we've paid way too much $$ to get these permanent teeth in straight just for one to be snagged in a trampoline safety net and yanked out.

 

[tonyswife]

A child under the age of five does not belong on a trampoline, under any circumstances. Their cartilage and bone structure is not strong enough to withstand the pressure, particularly their spines. Really think about the use of trampolines. They are so unsafe.

 

[DawnCt1]

I would not have a trampoline. We have an inground pool and do not have a diving board or a slide. Why look for trouble.

 

[LisaSt]

Our gymanstics club the kids go to even my son who is 1.5 has 10 minutes a day of trampoline for all the kids. We do not let any kids onours unless their parents give us the ok and they agree to a waiver we have stating we are not held responsible for their child if something were to happen to them while they are on it.

 

[tonyswife]

Originally posted by LisaSt
Our gymanstics club the kids go to even my son who is 1.5 has 10 minutes a day of trampoline for all the kids. We do not let any kids onours unless their parents give us the ok and they agree to a waiver we have stating we are not held responsible for their child if something were to happen to them while they are on it.

I'm just curious if this waiver thing would hold up in court. Several posters have mentioned it. Anyone know for sure/have experience.

I know a lot of gyms allow toddlers on the trampolines, but in general, it's not safe. I've been through the safety certification class many times over and we are always told the same thing. Still, gyms do it. I guess with extreme caution it's probably ok. I seriously doubt that kind of caution is being used in people's backyards.

 

[LisaSt]

We only allow 1 kid on at a time and the waiver is signed by the parent and by us we both get a copy we are told it is a binding agreement of both parents and so it would hold up in court. I guess I hope to never have to worry about it going there but you never know.


Darren

 

[teachingmyown]

Have you had this ok'd by a lawyer? It is my understanding that such a waiver is really only a smokescreen and won't actually hold up if a liability case goes to court. It's only real value is if it somehow prevents the injured party from pursuing a case. I don't know anyone with any practical experience with this however.

Originally posted by LisaSt
...<snip>.... We do not let any kids onours unless their parents give us the ok and they agree to a waiver we have stating we are not held responsible for their child if something were to happen to them while they are on it.

 

[MosMom]

Originally posted by monkeyboy
sorry that just made me

 

[LisaSt]

We asked a good family friend who is a lawyer in London where we live I am not to sure if it is different in Canada than itis in the US. I know up here our auto insurance is no fault and even if you are injured in an accident you do not get to sue the person for damages your insurance company covers it all and they get the money back from the other persons insurance company. It is also mandatory for us to have auto insurance onour vehicles. So that being said I have never had to worry about this yet but as I was informed by a lawyer they singned it they know the possabilties for injury and they are ok with it. Just like playing sports you sing up you sing the waiver you are SOL if soemthing happens.

 

[tonyswife]

Originally posted by LisaSt
We only allow 1 kid on at a time and the waiver is signed by the parent and by us we both get a copy we are told it is a binding agreement of both parents and so it would hold up in court. I guess I hope to never have to worry about it going there but you never know.


Darren

I hope you never have to find out too!

Be safe!

 

[LisaSt]

We try to be only our 3 year old has hurt herself on it so far. We also tell the kids they get one chance if we see them acting up on it they get told once if we see it again they are no longer allowed to use it. We always have either myself or my wife out with them just to keep an eye and if we are not outside no other ids are to go on it and we try to keep them out of the yard if we are not going to be back there just to be safe.

 

[aprilgail2]

My daughter was asking for one last year and I didn't get it...that same year 2 kids in her preschool class broke bones on one (one leg- one ankle) and in her Karate class one kid broke his ankle in 3 places on one and another kid broke her arm on one...needless to say we will NOT be getting one!!

 

[disneysnowflake]

My son went to his friend's house. We didn't know they just bought a big trampoline. It was behind their house. DS2 and his friend were jumping. Other kids got onto the trampoline and an older boy pushed DS2. He fell off the trampoline, but landed on his stomach on that bar that goes around the trampoline. The friend's mom called us. We rushed over to get him.

His entire side and stomach was jet black from hitting that trampoline metal so hard. We took him to the doctor because we weren't sure if something internal was hurt. Luckily it wasn't. It took 2 weeks for that to go away. That really hurt him.

Oh, and our new neighbors just moved here from another state. They bought a trampoline with a net around it. They were just told that if they don't get rid of it their homeowners insurance would be cancelled.

 

[mrsstats]

In NY, must insurance companies will not insure your home if you have one. If you already have insurance in place you will have insurance until they find out about it. Then the would issue cancellation when they were legally allowed to do so.

 

[LisaSt]

Our home insurance in Canada is fine with us having a trampoline we called to check and they have no problems with it.

 

[ilovepcot]

My first time on a tramp was as an adult. I was very cautious and careful. Very!!!! I cracked my foot on the outer metal rim that runs the perimeter of the tramp. That could have easily been the head or face of a child hitting that area. Deadly!!!!!!

 

[MICKEY88]

my 15 year old son's best friend broke his leg on a tramp last summer, he messed up the growth plate required several surgeries, and was told he would not grow any taller....he was just jumping up and down ,and the force snapped his leg...

I talked to a HS Administrator shortly after this incident and he told me he had been told by the schools insurance company that unless they removed the school's trampoline within 24 hours, the schools insurance would be cancelled..

do a simple search online for trampoline injuries,,see how many articles you find...

 

[Deb in IA]

From your friendly DIS pediatrician:

News Release
PEDIATRICIANS WARN AGAINST DANGERS OF HOME TRAMPOLINES



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Release: May 3, 1999, 5 p.m. (ET)

Below is a news release on a revised policy published in the May issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

CHICAGO - A revised policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that trampolines should not be used at home - either indoors or outdoors. The policy goes on to recommend that trampolines should not be part of routine physical education classes in schools, and that the trampoline has no place in outdoor playgrounds and should never be regarded as play equipment.

“Despite all currently available measures to prevent injury, the potential for serious injury while using a trampoline remains. The need for supervision and trained personnel at all times makes home use extremely unwise,” states the revised policy.

Based on data collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), the AAP found that trampoline related injuries are on the rise.

Trampoline-related injuries increased 140 percent from 1990 to 1996.
An estimated 83,400 trampoline-related injuries requiring an emergency department visit occurred in 1996 in the United States.
30 percent of trampoline-related injuries treated in an emergency department were fractures, often resulting in hospitalization and surgery.
Catastrophic cervical spine injuries are rare, however head and neck injuries constitute a notable number of the more serious injuries requiring hospitalization.
Since 1990, the CPSC has received reports of six deaths involving trampolines. Victims ranged in age from 3 years through 21 years. Most deaths occurred when victims fell from the trampolines, and most involved the spinal cord.
The AAP concluded that the largest proportion of trampoline-related injuries occurred on home trampolines and that most trampoline-related injuries occurred either while children played on trampolines or as they fell off. They also found that most injuries happen when there are simultaneous multiple users.

If there is an environment in which a trampoline will be used, the AAP offers guidelines on design and behavioral use in order to lessen the chance of injury.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 55,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.




Personally, I think trampolines are accidents waiting to happen . . .