As specialists in personal injury law, we can sometimes be party poopers! Dealing everyday with the injuries and accidents that happen, at even the happiest of events, means that we have to make a conscious effort not to be helicopter parents!  Our children see a bouncy castle at a party and are thrilled!   We see a bouncy castle and have to stop ourselves from wrapping our children up in cotton wool!

The reality is that injuries happen on bouncy castles.  Sometimes life-altering injuries. If the worst was to happen to your child, what should you do?

Expenses and compensation

An injured child can be traumatised.  Making sure that he or she is properly treated and well looked after can be expensive.  You might have to take unpaid leave or even give up your job to look after your child.  You may have already had to pay for significant medical expenses and face ongoing treatment and therapy costs.  You may even have to adapt your house and car to accommodate your child’s injury.

If your expenses have come about as a result of the injury your child sustained on a bouncy castle, then we may be able to help you claim those expenses from the person or organisation responsible.  There may also be other types of monetary claims that you could make.  We can help you decide exactly what to claim and who to claim it from.

Who is responsible?

There are a few general rules that can help you understand who the law considers responsible for your child’s injury.

If your child’s injury was caused by a problem in the way the bouncy castle was set up, then you may be able to take action against the supplier of the bouncy castle.  Injuries that are the supplier’s fault could be due to the supplier not:

• pumping up the bouncy castle to the correct pressure;
• providing proper safety mats around the bouncy castle;
• putting protective coverings on guy ropes or anchorages;
• providing safe electrical equipment; or
• taking into account high winds when setting up the castle.

If your child’s injury was caused by a problem in the way the bouncy castle was supervised during the party, then you may be able to take action against the hirers of the bouncy castle. Injuries that result in a lack of supervision can arise from:

• too many children using the bouncy castle at once;
• children of vastly different ages being allowed on the bouncy castle at the same time;
• children being allowed to use the bouncy castle wearing shoes or sharp jewellery; or
• supervisors not taking action if the weather becomes unsuitable for bouncy castle use.

The causes of bouncy castle injuries may not be immediately obvious.  For example, the supplier may not have properly tested, inspected or maintained the bouncy castle, making it unsafe. Even if you don’t understand exactly how your child’s injury was sustained, we may be able to uncover the facts for you.

What should I do next?

Having an injured child may be the darkest period in your life.  As expert personal injury solicitors and parents ourselves, helping injured children and their parents at this extremely difficult time is a very special priority for us.  It’s the reason we do what we do. And we love what we do.

This means that we provide free consultations and work on a no win, no fee basis.  You will always get an experienced, qualified solicitor working on your child’s claim.

We work with you every step of the way, taking as much time as we need to get the best outcome for your child.  We won’t rush you into making a decision and we won’t pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to do. We will give you honest, impartial advice, even if it is advice you may not want to hear.

Call us as soon as you can after your child has been injured. Our mission is to make sure your child is looked after now and in the future.