Tennessee Trampoline Park Injury Lawyer

Your child came home from a birthday party with a swollen ankle, or you landed wrong in a foam pit and now cannot turn your neck, and a form you signed at the front desk is still sitting in your email. Before anyone from the park or its insurer calls you back, you need to know what that form does and does not accomplish. Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette represents people hurt at trampoline parks, amusement venues, and other attractions across East Tennessee and throughout the state, and we handle these claims for local families and for visitors who were injured far from home.

A Tennessee trampoline park injury lawyer spends most of the early weeks of a case on questions that have little to do with the fall itself. Who maintained the equipment? How many people were allowed on the court at once? Were the floor monitors trained, and were they watching? Was the landing surface inspected after the last injury? A trampoline injury looks like a simple accident, but the claim usually turns on the park’s staffing, spacing, padding, and maintenance records, and on whether a signed waiver can actually shield the operator from responsibility.

Why Trampoline Park Claims Are Different From an Ordinary Fall

It is easy to lump a trampoline park injury in with a slip and fall, and that is a mistake. In a typical premises case, a hazard sits on the floor and someone steps on it. At a trampoline park, the activity itself is the hazard, and the operator’s job is to manage that hazard through design, supervision, and rules. That shifts the legal focus from “was there a spill” to “was the park run in a way that kept foreseeable harm to a minimum.”

The injuries tend to cluster in recognizable patterns. Collisions between jumpers of very different sizes, awkward landings off a wall or onto a hard edge, missed foam pit landings, and flips attempted without supervision account for many serious cases. The harm that follows is often orthopedic: fractured ankles and tibias, broken wrists and elbows from reaching out to break a fall, and in children, growth plate injuries that can affect a bone for years. More severe cases involve cervical spine trauma, concussions, and traumatic brain injuries. Those are the injuries where medical bills run into the tens of thousands and future care becomes the largest part of the claim.

Insurance companies know this terrain. They will point to the waiver, argue the jumper assumed the risk, or say another guest caused the collision. Answering those arguments takes evidence that disappears quickly: surveillance footage that is overwritten on a short cycle, incident reports, employee schedules, and the park’s own injury history.

Waivers, Minors, and Who Can Be Held Responsible

Nearly every trampoline park requires a signed release. That document does not end the conversation. Whether a release is enforceable depends on its wording, how it was presented, and what kind of conduct it claims to excuse. Operators generally cannot use a form to wipe out responsibility for their own carelessness in running the facility in every circumstance, and a release signed by a parent for a child raises its own questions that a court will weigh. We read the exact document you signed, because the language varies from park to park.

Responsibility can also extend beyond the park operator. Depending on the facts, claims may involve the company that owns the building, a franchisor, the maker of the trampoline beds, springs, or padding, a contractor who installed the equipment, or a staffing arrangement that left the floor under-monitored. Tennessee has abolished joint and several liability in most negligence cases and allows fault to be assigned to people who are not parties to the lawsuit, so identifying every responsible party early matters. If the defense can assign a larger share of fault to a nonparty, your recovery can shrink.

Fault on the injured person’s side also counts. Tennessee applies modified comparative fault: you can recover only if you are less than 50 percent at fault, and your award is reduced by your percentage. At 50 percent or more, the claim is barred. Parks routinely argue that a jumper ignored posted rules or attempted a trick beyond their ability, so how the rules were communicated and enforced becomes important evidence.

Why Choose Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette for a Trampoline Park Injury Case

Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette is a Tennessee personal injury firm whose attorneys bring more than 170 years of combined experience to serious injury and wrongful death cases, and the firm has recovered over $100 million for clients. We serve Sevier County, Knox County, Blount County, Anderson County, Campbell County, and communities across East Tennessee, and we represent clients from Johnson City to Memphis. We regularly handle amusement park, ride, and outdoor recreation injuries, which is the same body of law and the same investigative work that trampoline park cases demand.

Trial experience shapes how an insurer values a case, and this firm has plenty of it. Bruce D. Fox is a past president of that association. Partner Brad C. Burnette holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, serves on the association’s Board of Governors, and is a graduate of the Keenan Trial Institute. Partner John Willis also sits on the Board of Governors and has tried cases from the Tri-Cities to Chattanooga. Trial attorney Michael C. Beehan is fluent in Spanish and represents Spanish-speaking families in their own language.

Two of our partners spent the early part of their careers defending insurance companies, trucking companies, and businesses. That background matters in a trampoline case, because the defense playbook, from waiver arguments to comparative fault allocation, is something they have run from the other side. Our attorneys have also secured significant results for seriously injured clients, including $1.5 million for a roofer who suffered a traumatic brain injury in Knox County and $2.3 million for a Knox County motorcyclist who lost his leg. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any case. Consultations are free, there is no fee unless we recover compensation for you, and if your injuries make travel hard, we can meet you at home or in the hospital.

What to Do in the Days After a Trampoline Park Injury

Get medical care first, and tell the provider exactly how the injury happened. Spinal and head injuries from trampoline falls can present mildly at first and worsen over days, so a same-day evaluation protects both your health and your claim. Keep every record, discharge paper, imaging report, and receipt.

Report the injury to park management and ask for a copy of the incident report, but be careful about what you say beyond the facts. Do not sign anything the park hands you after the injury, and do not give a recorded statement to the park’s insurer before you have spoken with a lawyer. Adjusters are trained to gather statements that later support a comparative fault argument.

Preserve evidence yourself while it still exists. Photograph the injury as it develops, the area where you fell, any visible wear on padding or netting, and posted rules. Write down the names of anyone who saw it happen, including other parents and friends. Save the booking confirmation, the waiver you signed, and any texts or emails with the park. If you were hurt in Sevier County, near Pigeon Forge or Sevierville, or anywhere else in Tennessee, the same rule applies: the sooner a lawyer sends a preservation demand for video and maintenance records, the better the chance those records still exist.

The deadline is the part that catches families off guard. Most Tennessee personal injury lawsuits must be filed within one year of the injury, one of the shortest windows in the country. That period can extend to two years when the person who caused the injury faces criminal charges for the same conduct and is prosecuted within that first year, though that rarely applies to a trampoline park. When the injured person is under 18 at the time of the accident, the limitations period is paused until the minor turns 18, after which the one-year clock begins. Even so, evidence disappears long before a deadline does, so waiting is costly. Claims against a governmental entity, such as a city-run recreation facility, fall under the Governmental Tort Liability Act, which carries a 12-month filing requirement and its own damage limits.

Lawsuits arising in Knox County are typically filed in the Knox County Circuit Court, while cases from Blount, Anderson, or Sevier County go to the circuit court serving that county. Where the parties live in different states, a federal court in the Eastern District of Tennessee may be an option. We handle those filings so out-of-state visitors do not have to travel back for each step.

Injury Types and Situations We See in Trampoline Park Cases

• Fractures and Growth Plate Injuries: Ankle, leg, wrist, and elbow breaks are the most common outcome of bad landings and collisions, and in children a growth plate fracture can require years of follow-up to monitor bone development.
• Spinal Cord and Neck Injuries: Failed flips and landings on the head or neck can cause cervical injuries ranging from fractures to paralysis, which are among the most expensive injuries to treat and the ones where future care planning drives the claim’s value.
• Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries: Head-to-head collisions and falls onto platform edges or hard floors cause head trauma that may not show full effects for days or weeks.
• Foam Pit and Dodgeball Court Incidents: Landing zones that are under-filled, compacted, or covering a hard surface turn a planned landing into a serious impact, and dodgeball and slam-dunk areas add collision risk.
• Overcrowded Courts and Mixed-Size Jumpers: A heavy adult or teenager sharing a court with small children is a well-known danger, and the park’s capacity limits and floor monitoring are central to proving negligence.
• Defective or Poorly Maintained Equipment: Torn jump beds, exposed springs, worn pads, and loose netting point toward the operator’s inspection practices and sometimes toward a product manufacturer.
• Birthday Party and Group Event Injuries: Many claims begin at group events where supervision is divided between parents and staff, which raises questions about who was actually responsible for watching the court.
• Wrongful Death: When a fall causes a fatal spinal or head injury, the right to bring the claim passes to the surviving spouse, then to children or next of kin, or to a personal representative, and the one-year clock runs from the date of the injury, not the date of death.

How Damages Work in a Tennessee Trampoline Injury Claim

Recovery in these cases is built from economic losses and noneconomic losses. Economic damages cover medical treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, future care, and lost income, and Tennessee does not cap them. Noneconomic damages cover pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. Tennessee generally limits those to $750,000, rising to $1 million for defined catastrophic losses such as paraplegia or quadriplegia from a spinal cord injury. The jury is not told about the cap; the court applies it afterward. The limit is lifted in specific situations, including when the defendant intentionally caused the injury, was intoxicated, or destroyed evidence.

That last exception matters more than it may seem. If a park deleted surveillance footage after being put on notice of a claim, that conduct can change the case. It is one reason we send preservation demands quickly. Punitive damages are available only in narrow circumstances and are limited to the greater of two times compensatory damages or $500,000.

For a child, the medical picture often extends into adulthood, and a settlement that ignores future surgery or monitoring can leave a family exposed. A claim that includes a minor also typically requires court approval of the settlement, which is another reason to have counsel involved from the start.

Questions About Trampoline Park Injury Claims in Tennessee

Does the waiver I signed mean I cannot sue?

Not automatically. Courts look at the language of the release, how it was presented, and whether it purports to excuse the operator’s own carelessness. A release signed by a parent on behalf of a child is examined closely. We review the specific document before advising you.

How long do I have to file a lawsuit after a trampoline park injury?

Generally one year from the date of injury under Tennessee law. If the injured person was under 18 when hurt, the period is tolled until the 18th birthday, and then the one-year clock begins. Claims against government-run facilities have their own 12-month requirement.

What if my child was hurt, can we still bring a claim?

Yes. A parent or guardian can pursue the claim for a minor, and the child’s own lawsuit deadline is paused until adulthood. Parents also have a separate claim for medical expenses they paid. Settlements for minors usually need court approval.

Can I recover if I was partly to blame for the fall?

Yes, as long as you were less than 50 percent at fault. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Parks often argue that the jumper broke posted rules, so evidence about staffing, instruction, and enforcement is important.

Who can be sued besides the park itself?

Depending on the facts, the building owner, a franchisor, an equipment manufacturer or installer, or a management company may share responsibility. Tennessee allows fault to be assigned to nonparties, so identifying everyone involved early protects your recovery.

How much does it cost to hire your firm?

Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee, meaning we are paid only if we recover compensation for you, and the first consultation is free.

What evidence matters most in a trampoline park case?

Surveillance video, the incident report, the waiver, maintenance and inspection logs, employee training and scheduling records, prior injury reports, and photos of the equipment. Some of this is overwritten or discarded quickly, which is why a prompt preservation request is so valuable.

Will my health insurance cover treatment while the claim is pending?

You should use your health coverage to get care without delay. Your insurer may have a right to be repaid from a recovery, so we account for that when negotiating, to help make sure the settlement leaves you with meaningful compensation.

I live out of state and was hurt while visiting the Smokies. Can you still help?

Yes. We represent visitors injured in Sevier County and elsewhere in Tennessee. We handle the investigation, insurance negotiations, and court filings here and keep you updated by phone and email while you recover at home.

Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a broken bone that is healing well?

Often, yes. A fracture that heals can still involve surgery, hardware, time away from work, and later arthritis or growth problems in a child. Insurers tend to undervalue injuries early. A free consultation will tell you whether the claim justifies the effort, and you owe nothing unless we recover.

What if the park offered to pay my medical bills directly?

Be cautious. An early payment offer may come with a release that ends your right to further compensation, including for treatment you have not yet needed. Talk with a lawyer before signing anything.

Serving Trampoline Park Injury Clients From Sevier County to the Rest of Tennessee

The tourism corridor in Sevier County produces many of the attractions where these injuries occur, and our attorneys represent people hurt in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Seymour. From there, our work extends across the Knoxville area, including Farragut, Powell, Halls, Karns, and Bearden, and into Blount County communities such as Maryville, Alcoa, and Townsend. We also serve families in Anderson County, including Clinton, Oak Ridge, and Oliver Springs, and in Campbell County, including LaFollette and Jacksboro.

Beyond those areas, we have represented clients from Roane County, Claiborne County, Morgan County, Jefferson County, and Monroe County, and we take cases from Johnson City, Nashville, Memphis, and every community in between. Whether the injury happened at a family birthday party near home or on a weekend trip, we can review your case and explain your options wherever you live.

Talk With a Tennessee Trampoline Park Injury Attorney

If you or your child was hurt at a trampoline park, a Tennessee trampoline park injury attorney at Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette can review what happened, read the waiver, and tell you plainly whether you have a claim. With a one-year filing deadline and video that may already be on a deletion schedule, the best time to call is now. Reach out to our team to schedule your free consultation; we will come to you if you cannot come to us, and you pay no fee unless we recover compensation.