New York readers may be concerned to learn that another child has been involved in a frightening bounce house accident. The incident took place on May 12 in Adelanto, California.
According to the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, a 9-year-old boy was playing inside an inflatable bounce house in a residential neighborhood when strong winds lifted it into the air. The house traveled around a quarter-mile before landing on Highway 395, where it was struck by a car. Luckily, the boy fell out of the structure moments before the collision took place. He suffered minor injuries. The driver who hit the bounce house was unhurt.
Two boys were hurt in a similar accident in New York in 2014. In that incident, the bounce house flew 20 feet into the air. In 2017, five South Carolina children were hurt when the bounce house they were playing in took flight in a sudden gust of wind. According to experts, bounce house rental companies should provide the stakes necessary to properly secure the structures to the ground. The stakes should be a minimum of 18 inches long and hammered into the ground at a 45-degree angle. If a bounce house is erected on concrete, it should be weighted down with sandbags. As a precaution, bounce houses should be evacuated when wind gusts exceed 15 mph.
Property owners have a legal responsibility to keep their guests safe from harm. If a child is hurt in a bounce house accident, his or her parents have the right to pursue a premises liability claim in court. If the complaint is successful, the parents could receive financial compensation for related damages, including medical expenses and pain and suffering.
Source: NBC News, "Bounce house safety back in spotlight after boy blown onto California highway", Erik Ortiz, May 14, 2018