Are Trampoline Parks Causing Injuries to Children?

Trampoline parks have become increasingly popular over the last several years. Unfortunately, so have injuries at these establishments. According to research published in the medical journal Pediatrics, trampoline park injuries have jumped from fewer than 600 in 2010 to more than 6,900 in 2014. Several recent news stories involving trampoline park injuries are attracting national media attention. A Florida mother’s photo of her 3-year-old son’s trampoline park injury has been shared on Facebook more than 275,000 times. The 3-year-old broke his leg after an outing at the local trampoline park. The boy required bed rest for more than two months and weeks of physical therapy. Trampolines can be dangerous for people of all ages. However, they are especially dangerous for young children.

According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, children under six should never jump on trampolines, whether at an indoor park or elsewhere. Children can suffer injuries after slamming into each other or landing on the metal springs. An improper landing on a trampoline may cause a spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or broken bones. Trampoline parks or trampoline manufacturers may sometimes be responsible for injuries. For example, children are more likely to be injured on a trampoline when not properly supervised. Injuries are also more likely to occur when trampolines are poorly maintained or contain defects.

Can I File a Lawsuit for Trampoline Park Injuries?

Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against trampoline parks in Texas and across the country. Last year in Houston, a teenager received an $11.5 million verdict due to a traumatic brain injury he suffered at Cosmic Jump, an indoor trampoline park. In another case, a Washington teenager sustained a spinal cord injury at a trampoline park. His family also filed a lawsuit.

Although trampoline parks may require you to sign a waiver, they may still be held accountable for injuries. In some cases, you can still receive damages from a personal injury lawsuit against these establishments even if you have signed a waiver. The parents of the injured teenager in Houston had signed a waiver, but that did not stop their son from receiving an $11.5 million jury verdict. Unfortunately, some people may assume that because they signed a waiver, they are ineligible to file a lawsuit. This could prove to be a costly mistake if you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury. If you or your child were injured at an indoor park, contact the Texas personal injury attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC. We can help you discover whether you should file a lawsuit.

What Are the Most Common Swimming Pool Dangers?

There are several types of summer activities we enjoy here in Texas, including taking family trips to swimming pools. However, swimming pools found in private homes, gyms, recreational centers, and parks may contain safety hazards. Many of these hazards are created by negligent business practices or defective products. As a result, you and your loved ones are placed in harm’s way. Common swimming pool dangers may include:

• Inattentive or untrained lifeguards: Some swimming pools contain lifeguards. Texas law actually requires lifeguards at certain swimming pools or during specific types of events. These individuals must remain attentive at all times to respond to emergencies. They should not be texting or engaging in other distracting activities. Lifeguards should also be trained to respond to specific emergencies, such as an accidental drowning. All lifeguards should possess CPR training.

• Defective equipment: Swimming pool equipment, such as drains or diving boards, can contain dangerous defects. For example, there are multiple instances where defective underwater lights electrocuted swimmers. Defective pool and spa drain covers may create suction powerful enough to drown swimmers. In other cases, diving boards may contain defects that pose a fall risk.

• Lack of signage: Public pools should contain several types of warning signs. For example, these pools should have signs that warn when lifeguards are not on duty. Other signs should alert parents that children should not use pools without being supervised. Pools should also contain “No Diving” signs. The latter example is crucial to remember, as diving accidents are a preventable cause of spinal cord injuries.

• Poor maintenance: Both public and private swimming pools require regular maintenance. For example, underwater lights can break down and pose a hazard to swimmers. In rare cases, untreated pool water may also cause catastrophic injuries or wrongful death. Naegleria fowleri (the brain-eating amoeba) can be found in untreated swimming pools during warm weather. After this parasite infects the brain, most people die from brain swelling caused by primary amoebic meningitis. Those who do survive may require a lengthy period of rehabilitation.

• Broken gates: Swimming pools should be surrounded by fences and accessible by opening gates. Pools with broken gates are accessible to young children. In such cases, accidental drownings may occur.

Can I File a Lawsuit After a Swimming Pool Accident?

If you were injured or lost a loved one during a swimming pool accident, an attorney can help in several ways. For example, you may have signed a waiver at the recreational center or gym where the incident occurred. Depending on the circumstances, a business or recreational center can still be held liable for an injury or death even if a waiver was signed. An experienced attorney can look at the circumstances of the accident and the waiver. Some laws set safety standards for swimming pool equipment. For example, pool drains must comply with the regulations outlined in the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act. An attorney will be well-versed in these laws and can determine whether the property owner complied with them.

Injured? Contact the Texas personal injury attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC. We are dedicated to making our community a safer place. Our attorneys can help you review potential legal options for recovering damages if you or your child suffered an injury at a swimming pool.

How Can I Make Sure a Child Car Seat Is Installed Correctly?

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in the U.S. for children between the ages of 3 and 14 years old. Statistics collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 663 children 12 years old and younger died in car accidents during 2015. In 2014, 121,350 children suffered injuries during car accidents. However, the CDC also claims that you may improve your child’s safety during a car crash by using safety seats correctly. According to a study cited by the CDC, states with strict child car seat laws have lower rates of children who suffer catastrophic injuries or death during car accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has published several recommendations that can improve the effectiveness of child car seats. These recommendations may include:

• Choosing the right seat: There are different types of seats available, each suited to your child’s age and size. Rear-facing car seats are made for newborns and small babies. On the other hand, forward-facing seats with harnesses are intended for children aged 2 to 5. Children should use booster seats until they can wear regular seatbelts. The NHTSA has published a chart to help you select the correct car seat.

• Installing the seat correctly: If you are not already familiar with child safety seats, then it is best to have a professional perform the installation. The NHTSA offers a web tool that lets you locate and select suitable locations to install your child’s safety seat. Type in your zip code, and it may display several results, such as fire stations and offices operated by the Texas Department of Transportation. You can also use these services to perform an inspection on your child’s car seat. Please call ahead to confirm that these locations still offer their services.

Can Child Car Seats Cause Injuries?

Your child could still suffer catastrophic injuries or wrongful death even if you select the right car seat and perform the installation correctly. In some cases, your child’s car seat may contain manufacturing or design defects. For example, Graco issued a recall for 25,000 “My Ride 65” car seats sold during the summer of 2014. Recalls of child car seats are not rare. You can use NHTSA’s website to check if your child’s car seat is under recall. The best way to do this is to register the car seat with your manufacturer and sign up for NHTSA recall notices. This will allow you to receive recall notices from both NHTSA and the seat’s manufacturer.

If your child was harmed while using a safety seat, it is essential to consult with a product liability attorney to discuss potential legal options. Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to secure damages from the manufacturer or other parties. This could help cover expenses such as medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and compensation for pain and suffering. Contact the Texas product liability attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC. We are dedicated to fighting against negligent business practices that harm innocent people. If a defective car seat harmed your child, then our attorneys can help determine whether you have legal options for damages.

What to Do If You Are Hit by a Car While Bicycling?

Bicyclers may think they are ok after being hit by a car, a recent article on active.com talks about a case involving a Seattle attorney, John Duggan, who was hit on his bicycle. He thought he was unharmed, and didn’t know who was at fault for the accident, so he and the driver parted ways. A half-mile down the road, Duggan started experiencing serious pain and had to go to the emergency room with wrist and shoulder injuries.

Steps You Should Take If Hit on Your Bicycle

• Contact the police: Doing so as soon as possible after an accident provides reliable documentation of the accident and its cause, which will be helpful for insurance claims or if a personal injury lawsuit needs to be filed. Insurance claims often do not reach fair settlements for accident victims, which is when a personal injury lawyer can be beneficial.

• Talk to witnesses: Any witnesses that saw the accident should be asked if they don’t mind including their recollection of the accident to the police. Witness reports can strengthen your case. Be sure to take down the witness names and contact information yourself; the police often fail to include this information in their reports.

• Get the driver’s insurance/contact information: In the story mentioned above, Duggan didn’t ask for the driver’s information because he thought he wasn’t injured and wasn’t sure if the accident was his fault. Even if you do not know, exchange contact information in preparation for experiencing future health or insurance issues.

• Get medical help: Make sure you get medical attention as soon as possible following an accident. Even if you seem alright, you may experience delayed symptoms.

Will My Car Insurance Cover a Bicycle Accident?

Many times, your car insurance will cover damages caused by being hit by a bicycle. It depends on your insurance policy, but if it includes Personal Injury Protection Coverage(PIP), you may be covered. PIP covers damages regardless of who’s at fault, and can include coverage for lost wages in the case of an injury. Another form of coverage that can help is Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage. With this coverage, your insurance company steps in to cover damages the other driver is liable for but does not have insurance to cover. Every insurance policy is different, and you can find out by calling our office for a free review. It can be beneficial to consult a personal injury attorney with years of experience reviewing insurance policies and determining who is at fault in accidents. Lufkin personal injury attorney Mike Love offers free policy reviews and is dedicated to challenging insurance companies so they don’t provide just the minimum coverage to accident victims.

What If a Truck Hit Me Because of Bad Weather?

In the event of inclement weather, many things can go wrong on the road. Visibility diminishes, roads become more slippery, and other drivers usually slow down. If proper precautions are not taken, it is much easier to get into an accident during these conditions. Certain factors will determine whether the truck driver was negligent during bad weather.

Dangerous Negligent Behavior During Bad Weather

• Speeding: During inclement weather, speeding is considered more negligent than it is on a clear day. Cars need to be at, or below, the speed limit in a severe storm. Speeding is one of the leading causes of accidents, but proving it can be hard. Lufkin truck accident attorneys pair with accident reconstruction specialists who use calculations to prove how fast a truck was going at the time of the accident.         

• Not using headlights: With darkened skies, it is assumed that drivers should use their headlights. Did the truck that hit you have its lights on?

• Improper tires: Truck tires that are not properly inflated or are too worn out can easily lead to accidents. Other issues with the truck can arise from a lack of inspections and failure to meet regulations for trucks and trucking practices.

The Trucking Industry May Try to Discredit Your Claim

Trucking companies are accustomed to dealing with the consequences of semi-truck crashes. Truckers often get overworked and may be asked by their employers to work illegal long hours, leading to trucker fatigue, which can be very dangerous for other drivers on the road. Other rules truckers need to follow include weight limits, properly securing cargo, and inspecting the truck for mechanical issues. Even if a trucking company or its insurance company is compliant with your accident claim, they will likely try to offer the smallest amount of coverage possible, which will not cover the extent of the damages to your vehicle and any resulting medical expenses.

How Can a Truck Accident Lawyer Help Me Fight Back?

• Accident reconstruction specialists: These technical experts use knowledge of physics and mechanics to recreate accident scenarios and determine the speeds drivers were traveling and other important details of an accident.

• Insider knowledge: Lufkin truck accident lawyer Mike Love used to own a trucking company before he became a lawyer. This gives him insider knowledge into how trucking companies can cut regulatory corners to make more profits, putting drivers on the road in jeopardy. Injured? Contact us today. We can help.