“His feet hit the mat, and almost instantly his knees buckled down, and he just let out the worst scream that you could ever have heard from a child.” Those were the words of Kati Hill, a Texas mother whose three-year-old son Colton suffered a broken femur at a trampoline park. Her warning, shared a quarter of a million times on social media, ended with a realization that haunts every parent standing in a trauma bay in Westlake: “We had no idea.”
One bounce. One bad landing. One life altered forever. That is the reality behind the bright lights and neon colors of the trampoline parks serving Westlake. Whether your child was injured at the Urban Air in Southlake, a Sky Zone in Irving, or on a backyard Jumpking or Skywalker trampoline in a Westlake neighborhood, you are likely hearing the same thing from insurance adjusters and park managers: “You signed the waiver. There is nothing you can do.”
We are here to tell you that they are wrong. In Texas, and across the nation, a signed piece of paper is not a license for a corporation to maim your child. At Attorney911, led by managing partner Ralph Manginello with over 25 years of catastrophic injury experience, we have spent decades dismantling the defenses that Fortune 500 companies use to hide their negligence. We’ve fought BP after the Texas City refinery explosion, and we’ve litigated against giants like Walmart, Amazon, and FedEx. We aren’t intimidated by the parent companies behind these parks—entities like Sky Zone, Inc. (backed by Palladium Equity Partners) or Unleashed Brands (the parent of Urban Air, recently acquired by Seidler Equity Partners).
What happened to your family in Westlake wasn’t an accident. It was the predictable output of a system designed to maximize jumper throughput while minimizing safety costs. When a park ignores ASTM F2970—the safety standard the industry actually wrote for itself—they aren’t just being “sloppy.” They are making a business decision that puts your child’s spine and brain at risk to protect their profit margins.
The Trampoline Injury Crisis in North Texas
Trampoline injuries have reached epidemic proportions. Nationally, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) tracks approximately 300,000 trampoline-related ER visits every year. In a 2024 study published in Pediatrics by Teague et al., researchers found an overall injury rate of 1.14 per 1,000 jumper-hours at commercial parks. More alarmingly, the study documented a rate of 1.91 per 1,000 in foam pits and 2.11 per 1,000 in high-performance jumping zones.
In Westlake and the surrounding Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the numbers are just as staggering. An investigation identified nearly 500 injury reports at 21 area trampoline parks over a seven-year span. This regional density of accidents is why our firm has dedicated itself to this practice. We understand the specific medical and legal architecture required to win these cases.
We are currently litigating a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston involving rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure following extended physical exertion. This is the exact same pathophysiology we see in children in Westlake who spend two hours jumping in a heated indoor park, arrive home dehydrated, and find themselves in renal failure 48 hours later. We know the medicine, we know the experts, and we know how to hold institutional defendants accountable.
Why the “Waiver” Does Not End Your Case in Westlake
The most common myth used to discourage families in Westlake from seeking justice is the “kiosk waiver.” When you walked into that park, you likely signed an electronic document on an iPad. You were told it was a “sign-in sheet.”
Here is the truth: Texas courts frequently void these waivers. Our team includes attorney Lupe Peña, who used to sit on the other side of the table—defending insurance companies and recreation businesses. He knows the playbook they use because he helped write it. Now, he uses that knowledge to find the holes they tried to hide.
The Five-Vector Attack on Texas Waivers
- The Gross Negligence Carve-Out: In Texas, no waiver can release a defendant from “gross negligence.” Under the Moriel standard, if a park is subjectively aware of an extreme risk and shows conscious indifference, the waiver is dead. A Harris County jury proved this in the Cosmic Jump $11.485 million verdict, where a teen fell through a torn mat onto concrete. The waiver was signed, but the jury found gross negligence anyway.
- Parental Indemnity for Minors: Under the landmark Texas case Munoz v. II Jaz Inc., a parent cannot sign away a minor child’s personal cause of action. While the parent might waive their own right to sue for medical bills, the child’s right to seek damages for their own pain, suffering, and permanent impairment remains intact.
- The Dresser “Fair Notice” Doctrine: Under Dresser Industries v. Page Petroleum, a release must be “conspicuous” and meet the “express negligence” rule. If the word NEGLIGENCE isn’t in bold, large, contrasting font, the waiver may be unenforceable.
- Bilingual Formation Issues: For many Spanish-speaking families in the Westlake area, the park presents an English-only waiver. Under the Delfingen doctrine, if you couldn’t read the waiver and no translation was offered, there was no “meeting of the minds,” and the contract fails. Hablamos Español. Lupe Peña habla con usted directamente.
- Direct-Benefits Estoppel Counters: While the recent 2024 Beaumont v. Geter case showed some courts trying to push minors into arbitration, we know how to fight back by naming the non-signatory defendants—like the franchisor (Urban Air Franchise Holdings) or the manufacturer (UA Attractions, LLC)—to keep your case in a Westlake-area courtroom where it belongs.
If your child was injured in Westlake, don’t let a piece of paper stop you from calling us. The waiver is noise; the evidence is the signal. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free evaluation.
The Physics of a Catastrophe: How the Injury Happened
When we build a case for a Westlake family, we don’t just say “there was an accident.” We retain biomechanical engineers to reconstruct the physics of the bounce.
Double-Bounce Multipliers
The most common mechanism is the “double-bounce.” When a 200-pound adult lands on a trampoline mat at the same time a 60-pound Westlake child is pushing off, kinetic energy transfers through the bed. The child is launched with up to 4x the force they would have generated alone. The child isn’t jumping anymore; they are a projectile. This is a direct violation of ASTM F2970, which requires parks to separate jumpers by age and weight.
The High-Catastrophe Foe: Foam Pits
Foam pits look like soft clouds. They are actually traps. As documented in the AJR 2024 pictorial radiographic essay, “Pediatric Trampoline Injuries Head to Toe,” head-first landings into foam pits produce axial loading on the cervical spine. If the pit is compacted—meaning the foam blocks haven’t been rotated according to ASTM F2970 specifications—the jumper hits the hard floor beneath. This is the mechanism that caused the $15.6 million Damion Collins award and the $3 million Anthony Seitz settlement.
Verbatim Confessions
Even the industry admits these designs are dangerous. Altitude Trampoline Park’s Gastonia location publicly blamed “human error” for a lethal climbing wall fall involving Matthew Lu and then permanently removed the attraction. When a park removes an attraction after an injury in Westlake, they are providing feasibility evidence that we use to prove the original design was defective.
Medical Specificity: Beyond a “Broken Leg”
We represent Westlake families whose children are facing a lifetime of medical needs. A generalist firm might tell an adjuster your child has a “broken ankle.” We tell them your child has a Salter-Harris Type IV fracture of the distal tibia.
In children, the growth plate (physis) is the weakest point. A Salter-Harris injury today in a seven-year-old means the bone may not grow straight for the next decade. If that plate is destroyed, your child faces corrective osteotomies, limb-length discrepancies, and a lifetime of gait issues.
We also watch for SCIWORA (Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality). A child injured at a Westlake park may have a normal CT scan but show progressive neurological decline. Because their spine is more mobile than an adult’s, the cord can be stretched and damaged even if the bones “snap back” into place. If your child was told they have a “panic attack” after a backflip—like Elle Yona was on TikTok before her $27 million-viewed journey revealed a C4 incomplete quadriplegia from vertebral artery dissection—you need a second opinion and a specialist lawyer immediately.
The 48-Hour Evidence Preservation Protocol
The clock in your case doesn’t start with the statute of limitations. It starts with the DVR.
Most trampoline parks serving Westlake use surveillance systems that overwrite footage in as little as 7 to 30 days. Incident reports get “revised” on digital databases. The waiver kiosk version your family clicked through may be purged in 72 hours.
The moment you retain Attorney911, we send a formal spoliation letter via certified mail to the Westlake-area park, their corporate franchisor, and their insurance carrier. We demand the preservation of:
- Multi-angle surveillance footage (before it’s deleted).
- The actual trampoline bed, spring, or harness involved (before it’s repaired).
- Attendant shift logs and training records (to prove they were understaffed).
- The original, non-sanitized incident report.
Every day you wait is a day the evidence in your Westlake case fades. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 today.
Who is Liable? Piercing the 5-Layer Stack
The “Sky Zone” or “Urban Air” in Westlake isn’t just one company. It’s a carefully engineered stack of corporate shields:
- The Operator LLC: The local business (often undercapitalized).
- The Franchisee: The owner of multiple locations.
- The Franchisor: (e.g., Sky Zone Franchising LLC or UATP Management LLC).
- The Parent Conglomerate: (e.g., Sky Zone, Inc. or Unleashed Brands).
- The Private Equity Sponsor: (e.g., Palladium Equity Partners or Seidler Equity Partners).
Most firms only sue the first layer. We go upstream. We use the Collins v. Urban Air precedent—where the franchisor took 40% of a $15.6 million award—to prove that the corporate office in Bedford or Grapevine is responsible for the systemic failures that reached your family in Westlake.
Frequently Asked Questions for Westlake Families
Can I sue if I signed the waiver at the park near Westlake?
Yes. Texas law, particularly through the Dresser and Munoz decisions, provides multiple avenues to defeat a waiver. If the park violated safety standards or if you are suing for your child’s own direct injuries, the waiver is rarely a total bar. Our $11.485 million Houston anchor case proves that gross negligence can destroy a waiver’s power in a Texas courtroom.
How do I know if the Westlake park was negligent?
Negligence isn’t just a mistake; it’s a breach of a standard. We look for violations of ASTM F2970:
- Were there fewer than one monitor per 32 jumpers?
- Did the monitor-to-jumper ratio fail during a Westlake birthday party rush?
- Was an adult jumping on the same bed as a small child?
- Was the foam pit depth measured recently?
- Did the park’s surveillance “glitch” right at the moment of impact (the Mathew Knight $3.5M pattern)?
How much is a trampoline injury settlement worth in Texas?
Every case is unique, but the stakes are high. Recoveries for catastrophic pediatric spinal injuries can reach the $10M-$25M range because of the cost of lifetime care. Even a Salter-Harris fracture with growth arrest can anchor between $500,000 and $2 million based on national data. We use life-care planners and forensic economists to ensure your child’s recovery lasts as long as the injury does.
What should I do if the park manager tells me they won’t call 911?
This is a documented industry tactic seen at locations like the Urban Air in Southlake. If they refuse to call, you must call 911 yourself. Do not let the park’s management “down-play” the injury to save their insurance premiums. Your child’s medical stabilization is the only priority.
Why is Attorney911 the right choice for our family?
We treat you like family because we are families. Client Chad Harris said, “You are NOT just some client… You are FAMILY to them.” We offer the technical mastery of ASTM standards combined with the courtroom toughness that comes from fighting multi-billion dollar oil companies. We also have Lupe Peña, who can speak with you directly in Spanish, and we advance every cost of your litigation. You pay $0 unless we win.
The Time to Act is Now
If your child is in a body cast or a Westlake hospital bed right now, the weight of the future feels impossible. But you don’t have to carry it alone. The park has a risk-management team working to protect their margins. You need a team working to protect your child.
Call 1-888-ATTY-911. We offer free consultations, and our lines are answered 24/7 because we know trampoline injuries don’t just happen during business hours. We represent families across the Lone Star State and beyond—bringing the fight from Houston to Westlake and everywhere the industry operates.
1-888-ATTY-911. Hablamos Español. No fee unless we win.
State-Specific Legal Disclosure (Texas)
- Statute of Limitations: 2 years (Adults); tolled to age 20 for minors (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001).
- Comparative Negligence: Modified 51% bar (Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001).
- Waiver Enforceability: Enforced for ordinary negligence only if “fair notice” meets Dresser standards; VOID as to minor’s personal claim per Munoz.
Why Westlake Families Choose Our Firm
In high-income hubs like Westlake, future economic loss—including lost earning capacity for a child whose professional athletic or high-level career was cut short—can reach into the tens of millions. We know how to calculate these damages and how to find the insurance towers that cover them. We have offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, but we handle cases across the DFW metroplex and nationwide.
Long-Tail Search Intent & FAQ Library
What to do if my child broke their leg at Sky Zone in Westlake?
Immediately seek Level 1 pediatric trauma care (like Cook Children’s or Children’s Medical Center Dallas). Photograph the scene if possible and do not sign any “Med-Pay” offers. Call us to send a spoliation letter within 24 hours.
Is the foam pit at the trampoline park really safe?
According to Eager (2012) and the move of national chains to airbags, foam pits have a high catastrophe profile. If the foam is compacted or the pit is shallow, it can produce C1-C7 spinal fractures even in small children. The industry’s own migration away from pits is proof they are unsafe.
How much does a trampoline park lawyer cost?
We work on a contingency fee. That means we take 33.33% if we settle and 40% if we go to trial. We pay for all the experts upfront—the biomechanists, the surgeons, the economists. You only pay us back if we recover money for you.
What happens if the trampoline park’s surveillance video is missing?
This may be spoliation. In the Mathew Knight Georgia case, a jury awarded $3.5 million after video “glitched” on four cameras. In Texas, we use Rule 202 pre-suit petitions to force the production of DVR hard drives to see if the video was intentionally deleted.
Can I sue if the waiver was in English and we don’t read English?
Yes. The Delfingen doctrine in Texas allows us to challenge the formation of the contract if the park didn’t provide a Spanish translation or an opportunity to understand the document. Llame al 1-888-ATTY-911 si tiene preguntas en español.
Conclusion: The Kill-Shot Sequence
What happened to your family wasn’t an accident. The AAP has been warning against trampoline use since 1999. ASTM F2970 was written by the industry itself to set a safety floor. The park chose to walk beneath that floor for their own profit. They counted on you not knowing your rights. They counted on the surveillance video overwriting before you called a lawyer.
We were built for this fight. Ralph Manginello brings 25+ years of federal court and catastrophic injury experience. Lupe Peña knows their defense scripts because he used to write them. Our firm is currently litigating a $10M rhabdomyolysis case, using the same medical expertise your family needs for a trampoline crush injury.
The evidence is disappearing every minute you wait. By Day 10, the video is likely gone. By Day 30, the “revised” incident report will be the only one they show us.
Call 1-888-ATTY-911 now. Hablamos Español. No fee unless we win. Our spoliation letter goes out within 24 hours of your retention. The case starts today.
