Trampoline park liability falls on users, says injury lawyer

A Calgary-based lawyer says proving liability is challenging if someone is injured at a trampoline park.

Just last weekend, an Edmonton man broke his neck after jumping into a foam pit.

Personal injury lawyer Greg Rodin said he's received a few calls from people who've been injured at trampoline parks.

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"And in the cases that we've looked at we felt that liability, establishing liability being the first issue, was not possible," he said.

That's because trampoline parks make users sign a waiver that protects them in the case of an injury.

Up to individuals to stay safe

"It depends on the state of the maintenance of the equipment, it depends on the quality of the equipment, it depends on what the inherent risks are and whether they're mitigated in anyway," said Rodin.

That means it's up to individuals to keep themselves safe.

Don Voaklander, the director of the Injury Prevention Centre at the University of Alberta, saidthe best way to avoid a trampoline injury is to not jump on a trampoline.

"It is a very, very high risk activity that should be done... with the proper equipment under very, very controlled situations," he said.

Voaklander saidadults are at a higher risk than children because they're heavier and not as flexible.

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