“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.” That is Kaitlin Hill, the mother of three-year-old Colton, describing to ABC News the moment her son’s fémur was shattered at a trampoline park. Her warning was shared 240,000 times because every parent who has ever stood in a line at a check-in kiosk in Fort Cavazos, Texas, feels that same silent dread. We signed the waiver. We gave them the credit card. We handed our child the wristband. We were told it was a place for family fun. We had no idea.
At the Manginello Law Firm, also known as Attorney911, we are the firm that changes the narrative from “freak accident” to corporate accountability. We represent families in Fort Cavazos and throughout Bell County who have seen their lives upended by a single bad landing on a Saturday afternoon. Whether your child was injured at the Xtreme Jump in Temple, the Urban Air in Killeen, or a backyard trampoline in a neighborhood near Clear Creek, we bring twenty-five years of catastrophic injury experience to your corner. We are not just personal injury lawyers; we are a specialized trampoline injury practice led by Ralph Manginello, an attorney admitted to federal court with a track record of taking on Fortune 500 giants like BP, Walmart, and Amazon. Our team includes Lupe Peña, a former insurance defense attorney who used to write the very waiver language Sky Zone, Urban Air, and Altitude rely on today. He knows where the holes are because he helped dig them.
What happened to your child at a Fort Cavazos trampoline park was not an accident. It was the predictable output of a business decision. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has been warning since 1999 that trampolines do not belong in a recreational environment. The trampoline park industry ignored that warning, scaled the product to industrial throughput, and wrote its own voluntary safety standards, known as ASTM F2970. When a park in Central Texas violates those standards—running at half the required attendant ratio to save on labor or failing to replace compacted foam—it is making a choice. We hold them to that choice.
The Reality of Trampoline Injuries in Fort Cavazos and Central Texas
Fort Cavazos is a community defined by young families, military service, and a high concentration of youth sports. On a hot Texas summer day when the temperature hits 100 degrees, the indoor air-conditioned courts of Urban Air or Xtreme Jump become the primary destination for thousands of kids. This density creates a “perfect storm” for the most common catastrophic mechanism: the double-bounce.
When a 200-pound adult lands on a trampoline bed at the same instant a 60-pound child is pushing off it, the energy transfer is not linear. Kinetic energy multiplies the child’s launch force by up to four times. The child isn’t jumping; the child is being launched as a projectile. The industry standard, ASTM F2970, requires parks to operationalize age and weight separation, yet parents in Fort Cavazos routinely witness teenagers and toddlers sharing the same interconnected courts. This is a direct breach of the duty of care.
Nationally, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) tracks approximately 300,000 trampoline-related emergency room visits annually. In a region like Bell County, served by major trauma facilities like the Level 1 McLane Children’s Medical Center in Temple, the share of these injuries is measured in the thousands. A 2024 study published in Pediatrics by Teague et al. found an injury rate of 1.14 per 1,000 jumper-hours. For high-risk attractions like foam pits, that rate jumps to 1.91. If a park in the Killeen-Temple metro hosts 1,000 visitors over a weekend, data suggests at least two significant injuries are occurring.
Why the Waiver Is Not a Wall in Texas
The first thing the insurance adjuster for a place like Urban Air or DEFY will tell you is that you signed a waiver. They want you to believe that the iPad screen you clicked through ended your case before it began. At the Manginello Law Firm, we know that the waiver is noise, not a wall.
Under Texas law, specifically the landmark ruling in Munoz v. II Jaz, Inc. (1993), a parent generally cannot sign away a minor child’s personal injury cause of action. While the Texas Supreme Court’s 2025 decision in Cerna v. Pearland Urban Air has made it easier for parks to compel arbitration via “delegation clauses,” the substantive right of the child to recover for the park’s negligence remains intact. Furthermore, Texas adheres to the “fair notice” doctrine established in Dresser Industries, Inc. v. Page Petroleum. A waiver must be “conspicuous” and must uses the express word “negligence” to even be considered enforceable. Kiosk waivers buried in twenty screens of digital text often fail this legal test.
Most importantly, no waiver in the United States protects a park against gross negligence or willful misconduct. If the park knew a mat was torn—like the slide at Cosmic Jump in Houston that led to an $11.485 million verdict—and failed to fix it, the waiver is void. If an attendant was on their phone while your child was being double-bounced, that is conscious indifference. Our firm is built to prove it.
The Mechanisms: How Trampolines Maim and Kill
We do not just look at the injury; we look at the physics. Our firm retains biomechanical engineers to reconstruct the milliseconds of impact. In Fort Cavazos, the injuries we see most often fall into four catastrophic categories:
1. The Foam Pit Cervical Injury
Foam pits look like soft landing zones. They are often anything but. Over time, the open-cell polyurethane cubes in a pit at a park in Killeen or Temple will compact. If the park skips the weekly “fluffing” or fails to replace degraded foam, the pit loses its deceleration capacity. A child entering the pit head-first can wedge between cubes, torquing the neck and striking the hard subfloor. This results in SCIWORA (Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality)—where the cord is damaged even if the bones appear normal on a CT scan. The high-profile case of Damion Collins against Urban Air in Overland Park resulted in a $15.6 million award for exactly this kind of paralysis.
2. The Salter-Harris Growth Plate Fracture
Children’s bones are biomechanically distinct. They are incompletely ossified and contain growth plates (physes) that are weaker than the surrounding ligaments. A “trampoline fracture” of the proximal tibial metaphysis can occur from a single high-energy rebound. A Salter-Harris Type II fracture in an eight-year-old is not just a broken leg. It is a potential decade of orthopedic monitoring, leg-length discrepancies, and future corrective surgeries. We build our life-care plans to account for the next seventy years of your child’s life, not just the initial ER bill.
3. Sky Rider and Harness Failures
The “trampoline park” label is now a misnomer; these facilities are family entertainment centers. Attractions like the Sky Rider zipline coaster or indoor climbing walls rely on mechanical harnesses. In the 2022 Lakhani case in Sugar Land, an attendant failed to attach the fall-protection line, leading to a thirty-foot fall. In 2019, at an Altitude park in Gastonia, twelve-year-old Matthew Lu was killed when his harness was not secured. These are not “inherent risks”; they are staffing and training failures.
4. Extended-Jumping Rhabdomyolysis
Central Texas heat is relentless. A child jumping continuously for ninety minutes in an indoor facility running at 85 degrees with inadequate hydration faces a medical emergency called rhabdomyolysis. Muscle tissue breaks down, releasing myoglobin into the bloodstream, which then clogs the renal tubules. This leads to acute kidney failure. We currently litigate a $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston regarding rhabdomyolysis. We know the creatine kinase (CK) curves, we know the nephrology experts, and we know how to hold institutional defendants accountable for heat illness.
The Deep-Pocket Map: Going Upstream for Recovery
The local LLC that operates the jump park in Fort Cavazos is often undercapitalized by design. They carry a $1 million primary policy that might pay for a few weeks of ICU care but nothing for a lifetime of tetraplegia. We go upstream.
The corporate architecture of these chains is a 5-layer stack: Operator LLC → Franchisee → Franchisor → Parent → Private Equity Sponsor. Behind Sky Zone, DEFY, and Rockin’ Jump is Sky Zone, Inc. (formerly CircusTrix), backed by Palladium Equity Partners. Behind Urban Air is Unleashed Brands, owned by Seidler Equity Partners. We look at the franchise agreement to find the “additional insured” clauses. We subpoena the franchisor’s audit records to see if they knew the Killeen or Temple location was violating safety protocols. We find the umbrella and excess layers that reach $25 million, $50 million, and beyond.
As Ralph Manginello often tells our clients, we have already fought the biggest corporate defense firms in the country during the BP refinery litigation. The private equity sponsors behind these kid-focused franchisors don’t intimidate us. We know their playbook because we’ve already beaten it.
The Evidence Clock: Why the Next 7 Days Are Critical
While the Texas statute of limitations usually gives you two years to file a lawsuit, the evidence clock is much faster.
- Surveillance Video: Most park DVR systems in Bell County are set to overwrite every 7 to 30 days. If we do not send a formal spoliation letter immediately, the footage of your child’s injury will be erased.
- Waiver Metadata: Kiosk databases can purge session data and version histories on a 72-hour rolling cycle. We need to capture the exact code of the waiver you “signed” to see if it was conspicuous under Texas law.
- Incident Reports: Parks often “finalize” (meaning revise) incident reports in the days following an injury. We track the employee metadata to see who edited the file after our spoliation letter arrived.
- Staff Turnover: Trampoline park attendants have an annual turnover rate of 130-150%. The teenager who saw what happened could be gone in three weeks. We canvass and secure statements while memories are fresh.
Our firm doesn’t wait. Our litigation-hold scaffold goes out within 24 hours of your retention. We treat every case as if it is headed for a Harris County jury, even if it stays in Bell County or moves to arbitration.
Injuries We Litigate: From “Broken Leg” to Life-Altering
When an eight-year-old breaks a leg at a trampoline park, the family often hears from a “friendly” adjuster within forty-eight hours. They’ll offer $3,000 in “Med-Pay” for the ER co-pay. They want you to sign a release before you realize that a Salter-Harris fracture at that age might mean a life of chronic pain and surgical intervention.
We litigate:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): The shearing of axonal fibers (Diffuse Axonal Injury) that a standard CT scan in the ER often misses.
- Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries: Including incomplete quadriplegia and C5-C7 fractures.
- Amputations: Resulting from crushed limbs or post-fracture compartment syndrome.
- Internal Organ Trauma: Specifically splenic ruptures that lead to OPSI (Overwhelming Post-Splenectomy Infection) risk for life.
- Infection Sequelae: MRSA and necrotizing fasciitis acquired in unsanitary foam pits—a vertical almost no other firm handles.
Our firm is based in Texas with offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, but we handle cases nationwide. To the families of Fort Cavazos, we are local enough to meet you at your home or hospital bedside, and powerful enough to face the corporate parents in Dallas or Grapevine.
Frequently Asked Questions for Fort Cavazos Families
Can I sue if I signed the paper waiver at the kiosk?
Yes. In Texas, a waiver is rarely a total bar to recovery, especially for a minor. Under Munoz v. II Jaz, parents generally cannot waive a child’s direct claim. Additionally, no waiver covers gross negligence. If the park failed to follow ASTM F2970 staffing ratios or ignored a known equipment defect, the voucher from the kiosk will not stop us from holding them accountable.
How much is my child’s trampoline park injury case worth?
Valuation depends on the life-care plan. A catastrophic injury settlement can range from $1.5 million for a TBI to more than $15 million for permanent paralysis, as seen in the Damion Collins case. Even a fracture with growth-plate involvement can anchor in the $500,000 to $2.5 million range when future care and earning capacity are properly quantified.
Who is responsible if an attendant wasn’t watching the court?
The liability rests with the entire 5-layer stack. The local operator LLC is responsible for negligent supervision. The franchisor (like Sky Zone Franchising LLC or Urban Air Franchise Holdings) is liable if they mandated training protocols that were inadequate or failed to audit the park’s compliance. We sue every entity that had the power to prevent the injury.
What should I do if the park’s insurance company calls me?
Do not give a recorded statement. Our associate attorney Lupe Peña used to represent recreational businesses; he knows that every “I think” or “maybe” you say will be twisted into a “comparative fault” argument. Tell them you are represented by the Manginello Law Firm and hang up. 1-888-ATTY-911 is the only number they need.
My child has dark urine and muscle pain two days after jumping. Is this normal?
No. This is a sign of exertional rhabdomyolysis. Take your child to the emergency room at McLane Children’s or Seton Medical Center Harker Heights immediately. Ask for a CK (creatine kinase) test. If it’s high, your child’s muscles are breaking down and poisoning their kidneys. This is a medical emergency we actively litigate.
How long do we have to file a claim in Texas?
The adult statute of limitations is two years. For a minor, the clock is tolled until they turn 18, but wait is the enemy of evidence. Surveillance video, staff statements, and equipment conditions disappear in weeks. We recommend filing or at least sending a preservation demand within the first seven days.
Hablamos Español: Justicia para Familias Hispanohablantes
En Fort Cavazos y las comunidades de Killeen y Temple, muchas familias hablan español como su idioma principal. El Bufete Manginello se enorgullece de servir directamente a la comunidad hispana. Nuestra abogada asociada, Lupe Peña, habla español nativo y maneja estos casos directamente—sin intérpretes y sin retrasos.
Bajo la doctrina de Delfingen US-Texas, L.P. v. Valenzuela, un tribunal de Texas puede negarse a aplicar un acuerdo de arbitraje o un waiver si el parque no proporcionó una traducción al español y el cliente no entendía el inglés. Si a usted le presionaron para firmar un iPad en segundos sin entender las consecuencias legales, usted no formó un contrato válido. Nosotros atacamos los waivers en su propio idioma. Llame al 1-888-ATTY-911 para una consulta gratuita. No hay honorarios a menos que ganemos.
Why the Manginello Law Firm?
When your family is facing a catastrophic outcome, you shouldn’t hire a generalist law firm that handles car wrecks. You need a firm that has memorized ASTM F2970, that knows the difference between a Salter-Harris Type II and Type IV fracture, and that can find the private equity money upstream.
We are battle-tested against Fortune 500 defendants. We bring the resources of a national practice with the focus of a family-driven firm. As our client Chad Harris said, “You are NOT just some client to them… You are FAMILY.” We represent the parent who stayed up all night in a trauma-bay chair. We represent the child whose summer was spent in a body cast. We represent the truth.
What happened to your child wasn’t your fault. It was the predictable output of a system that put margin ahead of safety. We are here to dismantle that system, one case at a time.
The Clock Is Running. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 Today.
Our spoliation letter is already drafted. It goes out within 24 hours of your retention. We advance every expense—the biomechanist, the pediatric specialist, the industry safety expert. You pay nothing unless we win. Your child’s recovery fund stays intact.
1-888-ATTY-911. Answered 24/7. Houston. Austin. Beaumont. Fort Cavazos. Bell County.
The case starts today.
The Architecture of Accountability: A Summary for Bell County Families
| Entity | Role in Your Case | Typical Policy Range |
|---|---|---|
| Operator LLC | Local park in Temple/Killeen | $1M – $5M Primary |
| Franchisee | Regional multi-unit owner | $5M – $25M Umbrella |
| Franchisor | Sky Zone / Urban Air / Altitude | $10M – $50M Excess |
| Corporate Parent | Sky Zone, Inc. / Unleashed Brands | up to $100M+ PE Tower |
| Manufacturer | The defective bed/frame/harness | $5M – $50M Product Liability |
Common Mechanism to Standards Violation Matrix
| Mechanism | Standard Violated | Forensic Target |
|---|---|---|
| Double Bounce | ASTM F2970 Age/Weight Separation | Jumper headcounts & Monitor positions |
| Foam Pit Paralysis | ASTM F2970 Depth & Compaction | Foam rotation logs & subfloor specs |
| Climbing Wall Fall | CWA Harness Protocols & ASTM F1292 | Auto-belay firmware & attendant certs |
| Glow Night Collision | N.6.1 Poor Visibility/Staffing | Lux-meter data & peak-hour logs |
| Heat Rhabdo | N.6.2 Hydration & HVAC Policies | BAS temp logs & session duration |
Verbatim Public Record Anchor – Urban Air Southlake
“Employees are specifically instructed by management to NOT call 911 … staff have never received any safety training and there is no safety plan … staff have been told by management to down-play injuries.”
This Tripadvisor review identifies a systemic industry pattern. If your child was hurt and the park management in Bell County tried to talk you out of calling 911, or if an attendant told you “don’t worry, it’s just a sprain,” they were following a script designed to protect their insurance premium, not your child. We preserve the original incident report and subpoena the metadata to show how they tried to hide the truth.
The $11.485 Million Harris County Verdict: A Texas Blueprint
In our home state, a Harris County jury returned the largest trampoline park verdict in U.S. history because they saw proof of gross negligence. The teen fell through a hole the park knew existed. They didn’t fix it. They didn’t warn. They relied on the waiver. Harris County jurors awarded $6 million in punitive damages specifically to punish the corporation. We use that blueprint in every Texas case. Whether your trial is in Belton or downtown Houston, the message to the insurance carrier is the same: Texan juries do not tolerate conscious indifference to children’s safety.
One Jumper, One Life.
You cannot undo the bounce. You can only decide what happens next. The park has lawyers. The franchisor has lawyers. The corporate parent has lawyers. The private equity sponsor has lawyers. So do we.
Call 1-888-ATTY-911.
Hablamos Español. Managed by Ralph Manginello and his twenty-five years of trial experience. Supported by the internal knowledge of a former defense insider. Driven by a commitment to the families of Fort Cavazos.
The spoliation letter goes out tomorrow. The case starts now.
1-888-288-9911.
