Indoor trampoline parks are built for fun, and most visits end without a problem. When someone is hurt, the questions come fast. Was the court built and maintained properly? Was anyone watching? Does the waiver you signed matter? This guide explains what Illinois requires of these parks, what the latest injury data shows, who may be responsible, and the deadlines that apply.
Trampoline injuries in numbers
Who gets hurt: trampoline injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments, by age, 2024
Bars drawn to the same scale. Covers all trampolines, home and park. Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, NEISS.
What the injury data shows
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that hospital emergency departments treated about 118,179 trampoline-related injuries in 2024, based on its national injury surveillance system. Children ages 5 to 14 accounted for 71,613 of them, and children under 5 for another 26,156. That figure covers every kind of trampoline, including backyard ones, not only parks. (CPSC NEISS data highlights, 2024)
National figures for parks alone are older. A 2016 study in Pediatrics, using 2010 to 2014 data, estimated that emergency visits for trampoline park injuries rose from 581 to 6,932 over those years, while home trampoline injuries did not increase. Sprains and fractures were the most common injuries, and patients hurt at parks were older than those hurt at home (an average of 13.3 years compared with 9.5). (Pediatrics 2016;138(3):e20161236)
A more recent study, published in January 2024, gives a balanced picture. It tracked 18 parks in Australia and the Middle East that followed safety standards, using ticket sales to measure how much people actually jumped (data from 2017 to 2019). Injuries were uncommon relative to use, at 1.14 per 1,000 jumper hours, and rates fell over the study period. They were highest for high-performance jumping (2.11 per 1,000 jumper hours) and for foam pits and inflatable bags (1.91). That study covers parks outside the United States, so it cannot tell us the rate in Illinois. (Pediatrics 2024;153(1):e2023061659)
The sources agree on the main point: most visits are fine, but serious injuries do happen, and how a court is built, maintained and supervised matters.
What Illinois requires of trampoline parks
Since January 1, 2022, trampoline courts in Illinois are covered by the Amusement Ride and Attraction Safety Act. The Department of Labor does not allow them to operate unless they are inspected, permitted and insured. Dedicated gymnastics training facilities are not covered, although a gymnastics facility that hosts public events still is. (Illinois Department of Labor)
Park owners must also show that staff who run the equipment had criminal history and sex offender registry checks, received training, and work under a substance abuse policy with random drug testing.
The state rule for trampoline courts, most recently amended effective April 25, 2025, adds specifics. It requires courts to comply with ASTM 2970-20, the 2020 edition of the industry safety standard, and to have safety devices such as impact-absorbing materials, landing mats or nets installed to the manufacturer’s design. It requires rescue equipment and trained staff who can retrieve a participant from anywhere on the court. Court managers must be at least 21 with current first aid and CPR certificates, and the ratio of participants to attendants and assistants cannot exceed 32 to 1. (56 Ill. Adm. Code 6000.353; about ASTM F2970) Rules change, so a lawyer will check the version in force on the date of the injury.
These rules are enforced. In 2024 the Department of Labor settled with a park operator that kept its main court open after a stop order. (press release)
Who may be responsible after an injury
Every case turns on its facts, but several parties can be involved.
The park operator. Claims often involve too few or poorly trained attendants, overcrowded courts, worn pads or springs, missing safety devices, or rules that were not enforced. A failure to follow the state rules can be evidence of negligence. These are premises liability claims.
The company that designed or made the equipment. If the court or attraction was unsafe by design, or a part was made wrong, a product liability claim may apply. Our attorneys discussed how claims over indoor attractions can combine ordinary negligence with questions about the design itself in Episode 3 of Navigating Negligence.
A parent company that sets how locations are built. When one company designs the attractions and tells its locations how to construct them, the design can become part of the claim.
Does the waiver stop a claim?
Parks ask everyone to sign a waiver, so this is the first thing people ask. For a child, the rule in Illinois is favorable to families. In Meyer v. Naperville Manner, Inc., 634 N.E.2d 411 (Ill. App. Ct. 1994), a case about horseback riding lessons, the court held that without statutory or court approval a parent cannot waive a child’s injury claim in advance. (case summary) A waiver signed by an adult depends on its wording and the facts. Do not assume it ends your claim, and do not sign anything else without advice.
How long do you have to file?
Illinois generally gives two years from the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (735 ILCS 5/13-202). When the injured person is under 18, the law allows two years after the 18th birthday (735 ILCS 5/13-211). Do not wait for the deadline, because the evidence that matters, such as incident reports, maintenance records and staff recollections, is easiest to collect early.
After an injury, in order
- Get medical careTreat any head, neck or back pain as serious, even if the person can walk.
- Report it to staffAsk for a copy of the incident report and the manager’s name.
- Document everythingPhotograph the court, the equipment and the injury. Keep the wristband, receipt and any waiver copy.
- Ask the park to keep recordsRequest in writing that it preserve camera footage, incident reports and maintenance logs.
Frequently asked questions
Are trampoline parks regulated in Illinois?
Yes. Since January 1, 2022, they must be inspected, permitted and insured under the Amusement Ride and Attraction Safety Act.
Can a park use a waiver to avoid responsibility for my child’s injury?
Not automatically. Illinois courts have held that a parent cannot waive a child’s injury claim in advance without statutory or court approval.
What should I do right after an injury at a trampoline park?
Get medical care first, then report the injury, document the scene and ask the park to preserve its records.
Who can be held responsible?
Possibly the operator, the company that designed or made the equipment, or a parent company that sets how locations are built. A lawyer can sort out who applies to your facts.
Statistics and rules reviewed October 23, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Statutes, rules and court decisions change, and every case depends on its facts.
Hurt at a trampoline park or indoor attraction? Call (312) 346-4262 for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win.
Sources
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, NEISS Data Highlights, Calendar Year 2024
- Trampoline Park Injury Trends. Pediatrics. 2024;153(1):e2023061659.
- Kasmire KE, Rogers SC, Sturm JJ. Trampoline Park and Home Trampoline Injuries. Pediatrics. 2016;138(3):e20161236.
- Illinois Department of Labor, Trampoline Courts Subject to Inspection (Oct. 1, 2021)
- Illinois Department of Labor, settlement with trampoline park operator (Nov. 8, 2024)
- 56 Ill. Adm. Code 6000.353, Trampoline Courts
- 735 ILCS 5/13-202, Illinois General Assembly
