Gym Injury Compensation: What You Need to Know

What Happens If You’re Injured at the Gym?

Going to the gym is something that most people do, and they never think twice about it. They go for their hour workout a few times per week and they never think of the dangers that exist inside of a gym.

Unfortunately, there are situations in which people become injured from working out at the gym. In some of these situations, for example if they were to lift too much weight and suffer a muscle tear, then this is usually due to their own fault.

However, what happens if a gym accident you have is due to the negligence of the gym itself? It is these types of cases that people need to be on the lookout for.

If you are injured in a gym and this was not due to your own fault, then you have a court case for negligence and the injury that happened!

Understanding your Rights at the Gym

When you go to the gym, more than likely you do not realize that you are entering into the gym with a legal aspect that is called “assumption of risk”. More than likely if you signed a contract with the gym, in the fine print this is all written up so that everything is legal.

When you sign that you agree to these terms, it means that whatever activity you decide to do at the gym, whether this is running on a treadmill or lifting weight, you are assuming responsibility for any injuries that you may receive.

When people read this, they automatically assume that there is no way out of this. They assume that since they were injured, they are responsible for the medical costs, the lost wages and whatever else may stem from this injury. But, that is not always the case.

The Legal Duties of the Gym

Every gym has the legal duty to ensure that the premises are well maintained and that they are taking any actions necessary to protect those who utilize this gym for their workouts.

This means that they should be checking regularly for broken equipment, floor mats that could cause a slip and fall, and any other types of risk that could be present while out in the gym.

In addition, gym owners must protect their gym members from other members who could possibly cause injuries or who are being negligent or hazardous with the machines that are present.

Types of Gym Accidents

Just what type of gym accidents are being seen in gyms? There are a few different types of accidents that can occur. These accidents can lead to court cases. These include:

Fault equipment or machinery
Poor advice from a trainer that is employed with the gym
Flooring issues that led to slip and falls
Falling objects that caused injuries
Having no introduction session for new gym members

If these types of issues arise, then there is more than likely a case against a gym, even if the person signs that they were taking an ‘assumption of risk’.

How to Prevent Injuries

For those who do work out at the gym, they will want to do their best to prevent injuries from happening. Here are a few tips that you need to utilize every time you are at the gym:

Be sure to check the equipment for any signs of damage or missing parts that could lead to an accident.

Be careful where you are walking and pay attention to anything that could cause you to trip.

Obey the rules that the gym has set up, as they are meant to protect you.

Try to have a workout buddy to avoid being alone in the event that an accident does happen.

Never take a risk with a machine if you feel that something is off about this, contact the gym owner to ensure that this issue is taken care of.

Wear the proper footwear and gear while working out to avoid unnecessary injuries.

Warm up to avoid injuries.

Know what your limits are as some accidents are caused by a person simply doing too much.

Keep hydrated as this is going to keep you from getting lightheaded which can lead to a serious injury.

Always talk to a trainer or medical professional about the workout that you plan to do so that they can give you advice on what to do, what to avoid and the like.

If you take preventative measures to avoid accidents, and a gym injury still happens, then this becomes an issue that you need to take care of right away.

What to do When a Gym Injury Happens?

A gym injury, in many cases, is a personal injury accident. Thus, you need to treat this just as you would if you were to be hurt in the workplace or even in a car accident. Follow these steps to ensure that you are taking care of yourself both legally and physically:

Seek medical attention as soon as the accident happens. In most cases, the gym may even call the paramedics for you, depending upon what type of injury occurred and if there are gym personnel on hand when you workout.

Follow the doctor’s advice on what you should be doing, and do not deviate from this plan.

Write down or make a recording on your cell phone of what happened while the details are still fresh in your mind.

If you had a workout buddy with you, make sure that they note down what happened as well, as this information may be needed later.

Be sure that you never admit fault that you did something out of character or that you were to blame in any way. Many times, when a person does this, even if they had a case, their chances are gone.

Contact a personal injury lawyer to see if you have a case.

Compensation for Gym Injuries

In many cases, when it can be proven that a gym was at fault for an injury that a person received, they can receive compensation for several things, including:

The medical expenses that they have incurred due to this injury
Any lost wages that they may have incurred
The pain and suffering that this injury has caused them and their family

While it may be hard to determine if a gym injury was the fault of a gym owner, it is not impossible.

Compensation is possible, but those who are injured must act fast so that this case is not dismissed due to the statute of limitations.

Also note that compensation is going to vary from person to person, based on the degree as to which they were injured.

For those who have suffered a gym injury, we are here to help.

At Conte Jaswal, we have helped others in similar cases to get the compensation that they deserve for the gym injury they are dealing with. We can help you as well.

Once a gym injury occurs, do not hesitate to contact us so that we can start the ball rolling on your case, and get you the justice that you deserve.