Trampoline Park Injuries in Utah: Are Waivers Really Ironclad?

Trampoline parks have exploded in popularity across Utah. On any weekend you can find kids lining up, shoes off, ready to bounce into foam pits or chase friends across walls of trampolines stitched together like giant rubber tiles. For parents, these parks can feel like a lifesaver: a way to let children burn energy in a safe, supervised environment.

But what happens when things go wrong? Injuries at trampoline parks are far from rare. Emergency rooms see sprained ankles, broken bones, concussions, and sometimes catastrophic injuries from these facilities. And almost every parent who walks through the door has already signed a form—usually on a tablet at the front desk—saying the park isn’t responsible if their child gets hurt.

That waiver feels intimidating. It looks official, filled with legal jargon, and it seems to say: “If you get hurt, don’t come after us.” But is that the end of the story? Can a parent really sign away a child’s right to sue? And what if the park was clearly negligent?

Let’s unpack how waivers actually work under Utah law, and what parents should know when their child is injured at a trampoline park.

Why Trampoline Parks Are Injury Hotspots

To understand why waivers matter so much, you first need to know just how common trampoline park injuries are. Unlike a single backyard trampoline, commercial parks often have dozens of jumpers in motion at once. Kids collide in mid-air, crash into angled walls, or attempt flips they’ve never tried before.

Foam pits, which look like safe landing zones, may not be deep enough. Springs may be exposed, mats may wear thin, and supervision is often minimal. Many parks rely on a handful of teenagers in brightly colored shirts to oversee dozens of kids across multiple play zones.

National studies show a sharp rise in trampoline park injuries over the past decade. Utah, with its growing number of these facilities, is no exception. Against this backdrop, it’s no wonder that trampoline parks rely heavily on waivers to protect themselves.

The Waiver You Sign at the Front Desk

If you’ve been to one of these parks, you know the drill. Before anyone jumps, you’re asked to sign or click through a waiver. The language usually says you assume all risks of injury and release the company from liability, even if they were negligent.

For businesses, this isn’t just paperwork—it’s their shield against lawsuits. For parents, though, it’s often a rushed, half-read contract signed while kids tug at your arm to hurry up.

The big legal question is whether Utah courts will enforce those waivers when a child is injured.

What Utah Courts Say About Waivers

Utah law does allow adults to sign waivers that can limit their right to sue. If you, as an adult, go skiing or skydiving and sign a waiver, courts may hold you to it—at least when the injury stems from ordinary risks of the activity.

But when it comes to children, the rules change. In Utah, parents generally cannot waive a child’s right to bring a personal injury claim in advance. The law recognizes that a child’s legal rights belong to the child, not the parent, and those rights ca

n’t be signed away before an accident even happens.

That means if your child is hurt at a trampoline park, the fact that you signed a waiver doesn’t automatically end the case. Courts often look beyond the signature to ask: was the park negligent? Was the waiver overly broad or unclear? Did the injury stem from reckless or unsafe practices?

“Assumption of Risk” Isn’t the Same as a Waiver

Trampoline parks don’t just rely on waivers. They also argue that injuries are part of the territory—that by letting your child jump, you’ve accepted the inherent risks. This is the legal concept of “assumption of risk.”

The idea is simple: if you play basketball, you accept the risk of twisting an ankle. If you ski, you accept the risk of falling. But assumption of risk does not cover dangers created by a business’s negligence. You don’t assume the risk of a basketball court with broken glass on it, or a ski lift missing a safety bar.

In trampoline parks, that means parents don’t assume the risk of shallow foam pits, broken equipment, overcrowding, or inadequate supervision. If those kinds of hazards caused the injury, the park can still be held responsible—even if they wave around a waiver.

When Waivers Usually Don’t Hold Up

So when do courts in Utah refuse to enforce trampoline park waivers? Several common situations come up again and again:

• Injuries to minors. Parental waivers usually don’t bar a child’s right to sue.

• Gross negligence. If the park ignored obvious hazards, failed to train staff, or recklessly cut corners on safety, a waiver won’t protect them.

• Unclear or hidden terms. Courts require waiver language to be clear and conspicuous. If the waiver was buried in fine print or written vaguely, it may not hold up.

• Public policy. When a business caters primarily to children, Utah courts are especially cautious about letting them escape responsibility through paperwork.

These limitations mean waivers are often more bark than bite. They may discourage lawsuits, but they don’t end them.

A Parent’s Story: Signing First, Regretting Later

Imagine this: a Provo mom takes her eight-year-old to a trampoline park for a birthday party. She signs the waiver quickly on a kiosk, hardly skimming the words. Ten minutes later, her son attempts a flip into a foam pit. The pit looks deep, but in reality it hasn’t been restocked in weeks. He lands hard on the concrete base and suffers a spinal fracture.

The park insists the mom signed away her right to sue. But when she consults a lawyer, she learns that her son’s rights are intact. Because he’s a minor, the waiver doesn’t block his claim. And because the park’s failure to maintain the pit may qualify as gross negligence, the waiver wouldn’t protect the business anyway.

Stories like this remind us why courts scrutinize waivers so closely. They’re not meant to excuse companies from dangerous shortcuts.

What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids

Legal questions aside, parents still want to minimize risk. While you can’t guarantee safety, you can be vigilant:

• Look around before you sign. Does the park seem overcrowded? Are staff paying attention? Do foam pits look shallow?

• Ask about supervision and maintenance. Parks that invest in safety are usually happy to explain their protocols.

• Don’t feel pressured to stay if something seems unsafe. Walking out is always an option.

• If an injury occurs, document it. Take photos, get witness names, and insist on an incident report.

• Seek medical care immediately. Not only does this protect your child’s health, but it also establishes a record of the injury.

And most importantly: if the injury is serious, consult an attorney. Parks and insurers will rely on waivers and assumption of risk defenses. An attorney can evaluate whether those defenses actually apply and pursue the compensation your child deserves.

Should Fun Come With So Much Fine Print?

Stepping back, trampoline park waivers raise a bigger question: should businesses that cater primarily to children be able to shield themselves with contracts parents barely read? Critics argue these waivers encourage lax safety standards. If parks know parents have signed releases, what incentive do they have to invest in deeper foam pits, stricter supervision, or better training?

Some states have debated stricter regulations for trampoline parks, including mandatory safety inspections and limits on waivers. Utah has not yet passed such laws, but the policy conversation continues. Until then, it falls to parents and the courts to ensure children’s rights aren’t swallowed by fine print.

What All This Means for Utah Families

At the end of the day, trampoline parks can be both fun and dangerous. Waivers are part of the experience, but they’re not the last word. Utah law makes clear that children’s rights cannot be casually signed away, and businesses cannot hide gross negligence behind a piece of paper.

If your child is injured, don’t assume a waiver blocks your claim. The reality is far more nuanced. With strong evidence, careful documentation, and legal support, families can still hold trampoline parks accountable when they fail to provide a safe environment.

Closing Thoughts

Trampoline parks are marketed as places of joy, but for too many families they become places of fear and regret. Waivers may look intimidating, but in Utah they are far from ironclad—especially when children are involved.

At The Legal Beagle, we’ve seen how devastating these injuries can be, and we know how to cut through the waiver defense. If your child has been hurt at a trampoline park, don’t let the paperwork at the front desk deter you. Reach out, ask questions, and know that the law is on your side.