On Behalf of O’Malley Tunstall PLLC | Aug 3, 2021 | Personal Injury

When it comes to entertaining children at birthday parties and other kids’ events, there are a few go-to activities that seem to pop up. Animal balloon makers, face painters, yard games, and bounce houses are common. Unfortunately, bounce houses pose a serious risk of injury to children and adults.

Bounce houses blown into the sky

This summer, there have been many instances where strong winds literally blew bounce houses off the ground and carried them through the air with people inside them. Children and adults have suffered serious injuries and often end up in the hospital.

Though many people believe that children’s toys and inflatable entertainment structures likely become safer as the years go on, that does not appear to be the case with bounce houses. In fact, over a 10-year period, more than 113,000 injuries due to inflatable-related accidents required treatment at emergency rooms. Unfortunately, bounce house injuries are continuing to increase on a yearly basis rather than decrease.

What makes bouncy houses so dangerous?

Some common reasons inflatables lead to injuries and deaths include:

• The bounce houses are not properly set up or secured to the ground.
• Poor weather conditions make the inflatable harder to control and less safe for use.
• Children are not properly supervised while playing in the structures.
• Too many children are inside the bounce house at once and bump into or land on top of each other.
• Lack of padding and clearance around the outside of the bounce house can lead to children landing on hard surfaces when exiting or falling out of the inflatable.

Who is responsible?

Injuries from bounce house activities can result in high medical bills or even permanent disabilities. If an inflatable rental company fails to set up or secure a bounce house or there is a lack of supervision, they should be held responsible. This can help make these toys safer for everyone.