If you have suffered any injury at the gym, you may be wondering what to do next. While not every gym injury is the fault of the facility or personal trainer, they can be held accountable in certain situations. In these situations, lawyers from a law firm in the Tampa Bay area can help you seek compensation for your gym injuries.
This article will give you a step-by-step guide to dealing with a personal injury you may have suffered from the gym.
What You Should Do After Suffering an Injury From the Gym
1. Identify Your Injury
Some of the most common injuries that can occur in the gym are:
- Muscle strains and sprains
- Torn ligaments
- Neck Injuries
- Back injuries such as slipped discs or pulled muscles
- Fractures and breaks due to slips, trips, or falls
- Objects falling onto you
- Head injury
- In rare cases: heart failure, and death
2. What Do You Do After a Gym Accident?
- Seek medical attention. Ensure you visit a doctor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.
- Do not admit fault. Avoid speaking about the accident, and when you do, do not admit fault, as it may weaken your case.
- Have your records. You can do this by taking photos of the accident and the injuries sustained. To avoid leaving out important details, make a diary and keep all the receipts of your expenses.
- Secure your witnesses. Ensure you have and are in contact with the people who witnessed your accident.
3. When Can You Sue Your Gym for Injuries?
Navigating gym accidents can be challenging, as it isn’t always clear who is liable for the accident. The gym owner has a duty to provide a safe environment to all the gym members.
You can sue your gym in either of the following instances.
- Faulty gym equipment. Gyms should ensure all available equipment is fit for use. They should not be broken or poorly maintained. If you suffer an injury due to faulty equipment, you could be entitled to compensation
- Personal trainer negligence. Personal trainers have a duty to advise you on how to use equipment and the exercises within your range. If they fail to do so, you are entitled to compensation for their negligence
- Other gym patrons causing injury. Accidents like dropping weights on another person can happen. If your injury was caused by another gym member, you might be able to claim from the individual instead of the gym
4. Can You Claim If You Signed a Disclaimer or a Waiver?
It is common for new members to sign a waiver or disclaimer when enrolling in a new gym. The waiver does not exclude the gym from exercising its duty of care. Therefore, signing a waiver or a disclaimer does not mean you will be entirely excluded from pursuing compensation.
5. Start the Claim
Proving liability in a gym injury claim is not easy. You cannot possibly deal with this case without legal help. It would be beneficial if you contact an attorney with experience on such matters.
An attorney will go through the merits of your case to help you identify if it is legitimate. After that, they can go ahead and help you calculate the value of all your losses and file a claim.
Make Your Injury Claim Today
Most of us join the gym to keep fit and meet our personal health goals. Although It is your responsibility to know your physical limits and use gym equipment correctly, injuries may occur due to other people’s negligence. Find justice when you pursue civil action for your gym injury.
