Premises LiabilityInflatable Slide Lawyer

Lawyer George Patterson handles inflatable slide and moon bounce injury cases in Maryland. Inflatable slides and other inflatable amusements often referred to as moon bounces are responsible for thousands of serious injuries every year. Many manufacturers require purchasers of larger inflatable amusements to promise that they will not permit the inflatable amusement to be operated without a trained supervisor present.

Many inflatable rides have inherent dangers and the operators of these inflatable rides require users to sign waivers acknowledging that they may suffer serious injuries using the rides. Such waivers will cover the risks inherent in those rides but may not absolve an owner of responsibility for all injuries. The Maryland Courts have declined to enforce waivers signed by parents on behalf of children. There are organizations such as SIOTO.Org that offer certificates of training for the safe operation of inflatable rides. Inflatable slide lawyer George Patterson went through the training to become certified by SIOTO for Basic Inflatable Safety Operations and Advanced Inflatable Safety Operations in 2010. The training covered everything from how to safely secure an inflatable ride to supervising users of such devices. Due to the training, lawyer George Patterson is often able to determine whether a viable injury claim is present for an inflatable slide injury.

The failure to properly secure inflatable rides and moon bounces have resulted in serious injuries. The inflatable structures are large and relatively light. This makes them vulnerable to tipping over or becoming airborne with a gust of wind. Inflatable slides also limit the number of people that may use an inflatable slide at the same time. A trained supervisor needs to make sure that multiple riders do not stay at the top of a slide. If too many people remain at the top of an inflatable slide it may lead to the slide tipping over. Many of these slides are over 15 feet tall at the top. Larger inflatable slides are supposed to have two operators supervising the use of the inflatable slides. Inflatable slide lawyer George Patterson can assess whether the supervision was adequate at the time an injury occurred. Manufacturers of inflatable slides and moon bounces attribute most serious injuries, in part, to a failure of supervision.

Most users of inflatable rides are unaware of the dangers associated with the rides. If the dangers associated with the use of these rides were obvious the manufacturers would not require the use of trained supervisors. For example, many users believe that it is safe to engage in somersaults or flips on moon bounces and inflatable slides. After all, the rider knows they will land on a cushion of air that seems soft and forgiving. Somersaults can result in paralysis and other serious injuries to the spine. The depth of the air cushion on inflatable slides and moon bounces are not uniform from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Some rides should only be used by riders below a certain weight and height due to limited cushioning. Heavier and taller riders are more likely to sustain injuries on inflatable amusements with inadequate cushioning for adults. Trained supervisors are required to notify all users of these rules and restrictions before they use the ride. It is critical that users of a moon bounce or inflatable slide know all of the safety rules in advance. A rider that decides to try a flip may not telegraph the move to permit a warning. Another common source of injuries is allowing people of significantly different sizes to use an inflatable device at the same time. This may result in smaller riders being crushed by larger riders. Adults may propel small users by jumping near children. This is a frequent cause of injury and one that a trained supervisor must prevent by limiting the number and size difference of riders using the ride at the same time.