Child Hurt in a Bounce House? Here’s Who May Be Responsible in Texas.

Why Are Bounce Houses Dangerous? 

At first glance, bounce houses look safe. They are cushioned, enclosed, and designed for children. But kids are injured in and around bounce houses at a higher rate than expected. Here are some of the most common dangers:

• Faulty or Poorly Maintained Equipment: Tears in the vinyl, malfunctioning blowers, and broken zippers can all compromise the safety of a bounce house. Rental companies and bounce house owners have a duty to inspect and maintain their inflatables. When this doesn’t happen, children can be seriously hurt.
• Improper Setup: Securing bounce houses to the ground with heavy-duty stakes or sandbags is imperative to child safety. When not properly anchored, a bounce house can easily tip over or be lifted into the air by strong Texas winds. In May 2025, a bounce house at a Mesquite elementary school went flying with children still inside, as reported by NBC DFW.
• Lack of Supervision: A child can be hurt in just a few seconds, so a responsible adult should always monitor the children inside a bounce house and intervene quickly before any overcrowding or rough play results in an injured child.
• Overcrowding: Often, too many children are allowed to bounce at one time. When kids of different ages or sizes jump together, smaller children are at a greater risk of being thrown off balance or having a larger child fall on top of them.
• Weather: Safe operations of a bounce house should also consider weather conditions. On a windy day, a bounce house should be disassembled as quickly as possible to avoid injuries if it were to fly away, even without children inside. Rainy weather can make the vinyl slippery and hazardous for children.

What Injuries Can Children Suffer in or by a Bounce House?

A medical study published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery found the most common injuries from bounce houses, ranked in order of frequency, were:

• Bone fractures
• Muscle strains
• Severe bruising over the body

The study also found that children younger than 6 years old were 86% more likely to suffer a concussion from a bounce house compared to older children.

Our experienced team has also seen firsthand that children can experience catastrophic injuries such as neck and spinal injuries, which can lead to paralysis.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for My Child’s Bounce House Injuries in Texas?

When your child is hurt in an incident involving a bounce house, you may be wondering who is to blame. Our experienced legal team breaks down the common parties who can be legally responsible under Texas laws:

• Event Host: Whether it’s a neighbor's birthday party, school field day, or church-sponsored gathering, the person or organization hosting the event is responsible for providing a safe environment. If they fail to supervise the bounce house operations, such as allowing too many children inside all at once or ignoring weather conditions, they could share legal responsibility.
• Property Owner: If the event took place on private property such as a business, daycare center, or home, the property owner could be held accountable. In Texas, this is called premises liability. Any unsafe or hazardous condition on the property that the owner either knew about or should have known about that causes a child to get hurt, including a bounce house, falls under these laws.
• Rental Company: Bounce house rental companies are required to follow strict safety standards and best practices, as outlined by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, to ensure that children and bystanders are protected. However, if a child’s injury was caused by the faulty equipment, improper installation, or a failure to provide any training to the event host or property owner, they can be held liable for negligence.

What Should You Do If Your Child Is Injured in a Bounce House?

Getting hurt in a bounce house can be incredibly upsetting for the child, and equally traumatic for an onlooking parent. If this happens to your family, follow these four steps to help your child:

1. Seek Immediate Medical Attention: As we shared, injuries that children can sustain in bounce houses are serious. Some injuries like concussions may not develop immediate symptoms right away, so it is important to have your child evaluated by a pediatrician or local emergency room doctor right away.  Also, if your child suffered a hard fall in the bounce house, it is best to call emergency medical services so that they can be evaluated and properly cared for on-site in case of a neck or spinal injury.
2. Document as Much as Possible: While it can be overwhelming when tending to your child, try to gather as much evidence and documentation about their bounce house incident as possible. Use your smartphone to take pictures of the bounce house, your child’s injuries, and the surrounding areas. Also, get the contact information from anyone who may have witnessed your child’s injury and ask if they have any photos or videos that they can send you from the event.
3. Report the Incident: Be sure to report your child’s bounce house injury to the organization, school, or daycare center that hosted the event. In your written communication, you can request a copy of the incident report. If your child’s bounce house-related injury occurred at a daycare or childcare center, you can file a report with the state. Learn how to do that in this article.
4. Contact Our Child Injury Lawyers at The Button Law Firm: Our team of experienced and compassionate child injury lawyers are here to listen and help advocate for your family. Call us at 214-699-4409 or email us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com for a free case evaluation. We can help guide you on the potential pathways to get justice for you and your child after a serious injury or traumatic experience caused by a bounce house.

Premises liability cases are often complex, which is why having our experienced and knowledgeable team on your side is essential to protecting your family’s interests.

Also, serious injuries like brain and spinal injuries may require expensive, long-term treatments or specialized care for your child. Our legal team can help fight for your child to receive the compensation, or damages, and resources they need to live a full life.

Was Your Child Injured Playing in a Bounce House? Contact The Button Law Firm.

If your child was severely injured while playing in or because of a bounce house anywhere in Texas, contact our experienced Texas child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. With lawyers in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help your family move forward. Our lawyers at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.