Summer fun in the sun? How to avoid needing a personal injury lawyer for your backyard

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School’s out! Sun’s up, fun’s up! Shoo those kids out to the backyard already.

My kid has already been cherry-picking. She can’t wait to take her first outdoor swim of the season, too. ( We have a kind neighbor in town.) If only I had a way to get her out in the yard every single sunny day!

Like myself, more parents are  trying to think of ways to get our children outdoors on a regular basis even when their friends are on vacation!

One idea that bounced through my mind was this: a trampoline would be a great investment in fun, sun, and solitary exercise!

Saying this on personal injury lawyer’s website, I must mention that trampoline injuries are certainly a safety issue.

https://greatoutdoorsfamily.com/2017/04/13/are-trampolines-dangerous/

The short answer in the article above is YES. Trampolines are dangerous. So is riding bikes. Gymnastics, swimming, baseball, soccer — you name it — kids get injured doing these activities on a regular basis.

However, letting your child’s mind and body veg in front of a screen all day is a equally dangerous.

In fact,  pediatricians in the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend no more than 2 hours of screen time daily.

Tragically, even our youngest children are becoming more and more sedentary!

According to an article on http://healthychildren.org by Kelsey Sisti, M.D., FAAP,  one in five kindergarteners are carrying excess weight.  To be fair, diet and exercise are not the only factors in childhood obesity, but they certainly do contribute.

We need to unplug our kids!

I’m preaching to myself here. It’s on my active radar to find ways to keep us moving. I write from home.  When I need to focus,  it’s easy to plug my child in to buy myself some white space.

Setting up an enticing backyard play area can be key to promoting a healthy lifestyle.

This could include a pool of any size, play equipment, soccer goals, and, yes, a trampoline!  Can you tell I’m a bit hooked on the idea?

Pools and trampolines are kid-magnets. Buy either one, and you could end up with a flock of neighborhood kids in your backyard!

What if your neighbor’s child breaks a bone on your trampoline?  Even worse, imagine a back or neck injury that lasts a lifetime.

You can be sure someone will have to pay those medical bills.

What about some common sense tips to protect you from being sued because of your backyard trampoline?

  • Research which trampoline models have good safety ratings and features. Again, the article and website linked above will provide you with some good research. Having a protective netting around the trampoline seems to be key to preventing the worst sorts of head and neck injuries.
  • Set up your trampoline in a gated and locked back yard, if at all possible.  Just like you don’t want your neighbor kids sneaking in to use a pool, the same applies to the trampoline.
  • Put “No trespassing” signs up on your fenced back yard.  This may offer you some legal protection. See your personal injury lawyer for details.
  • Establish safety rules for the trampoline. Write them down. Make your kids memorize and spout them back to you. (accompanied by the usual sighs and eyerolls, to be sure.)
  • Talk to any parents whose children might be invited to use the trampoline and give them your list of safety rules
  • Call both your homeowner’s insurance company and a personal injury lawyerhttp://steimel-law.com/personal-injury-premisesliability.html  Find out what you would be liable for in your state and county!
  • IF you allow friends or neighbors to use your trampoline, this is time for adult supervision. You need to make sure your safety rules are being followed.

The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC want to help you avoid being sued for a slip-and-fall accident on your property.  If you should need legal help, please call for a free initial consultation. (636)244-3737

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.