How Homeowners Can Bounce Back From Trampoline-related Accidents
Definition of catastrophe: an event causing great and often sudden damage or injury. An illustration of catastrophe: The play date from hell that took place at the home of Gail and Bill Anderson, whose twins had several friends over to bounce around on their backyard trampoline one summer afternoon. Everyone was having a great time until one child collided with a much smaller child, sending him flying. The child landed awkwardly on a metal support on the trampoline, suffering severe head and neck trauma which required a lengthy hospitalization and resulted in the Andersons being hit with a claim on their umbrella insurance in Florida.
Thats why its important to be extremely careful when trampolines are in use, because injuries are so prevalenteven occurring under the watchful eyes of adults and with a safety enclosure in place, because accidents can happen in a split second. Three out of four injuries happen when several people are jumping at the same time, which is often the case, and the age group that gets hit the hardest in terms of injuries is children under five. Industry analysts found that nearly 100,000 trampoline-related injuries occurred in 2009 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), and more than 3,100 of those cases required hospitalization. The most common injuries are fractures and dislocations, but sprains, strains, and contusions frequently occur as well, and head and neck injuries are noted in 10 percent to 17 percent of cases.
With statistics like these, its probable that many people who purchase trampolines may not be aware of the risk and liability that this equipment poses. In fact, some insurers require homeowners wanting a recreational trampoline to place it in an enclosed area and restrict access to the equipment. Others actually exclude coverage for trampolines.
Who doesnt enjoy bouncing up and down like a jellybean? However, to help limit the risk, trampoline owners should follow manufacturers recommendations such as:
Allow only one person at a time to jump on the trampoline
Do not allow jumpers to somersault or flip on the trampoline
Do not allow anyone to use the trampoline without adult supervision
The Andersons found out the hard way about excessive liability when the parents of the injured child sued them. The Andersons exhausted their homeowners policy and had to take out a loan to pay the remainder of the damages awarded in litigation. Had the Andersons purchased umbrella insurance in Florida, the policy would have picked up where their homeowners policy left off and covered the remaining amount owed. Talk to a professional insurance agent about this important coverage, and seek their advice about ways to reduce risks around the house.
Thats why its important to be extremely careful when trampolines are in use, because injuries are so prevalenteven occurring under the watchful eyes of adults and with a safety enclosure in place, because accidents can happen in a split second. Three out of four injuries happen when several people are jumping at the same time, which is often the case, and the age group that gets hit the hardest in terms of injuries is children under five. Industry analysts found that nearly 100,000 trampoline-related injuries occurred in 2009 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), and more than 3,100 of those cases required hospitalization. The most common injuries are fractures and dislocations, but sprains, strains, and contusions frequently occur as well, and head and neck injuries are noted in 10 percent to 17 percent of cases.
With statistics like these, its probable that many people who purchase trampolines may not be aware of the risk and liability that this equipment poses. In fact, some insurers require homeowners wanting a recreational trampoline to place it in an enclosed area and restrict access to the equipment. Others actually exclude coverage for trampolines.
Who doesnt enjoy bouncing up and down like a jellybean? However, to help limit the risk, trampoline owners should follow manufacturers recommendations such as:
The Andersons found out the hard way about excessive liability when the parents of the injured child sued them. The Andersons exhausted their homeowners policy and had to take out a loan to pay the remainder of the damages awarded in litigation. Had the Andersons purchased umbrella insurance in Florida, the policy would have picked up where their homeowners policy left off and covered the remaining amount owed. Talk to a professional insurance agent about this important coverage, and seek their advice about ways to reduce risks around the house.