Fitness Center or Gym Injury
So you head out to the gym for a short jog on the treadmill and then maybe to lift some weights after the jog.
You head to your usual gym, maybe you’re heading to 24 hour fitness or Las Vegas Athletic club, this is your routine.
Maybe you’ve been doing it for many years or maybe you just made your way back to the gym after Covid?
Whatever the case you get to the gym and head off to the treadmill you get on the treadmill press start and set it to the desired pace maybe just a slow jog start like 5.5 without any incline.
You start to jog and all of sudden the treadmill starts to move much faster than the setting for no reason and you can’t seem to stop it or run as fast as the treadmill is going, so you fall off the treadmill onto the floor.
Now you may feel more embarrassed than anything else but you may also have some severe physical injuries that you may not know about right away.
This is just one example of accidents that happen at gyms or fitness centers everyday.
If you have been injured at any fitness, athletic club or gym in Nevada then you should call the Richard Harris Law Firm for a free case review.
We get these FAQ’s all the time –
- What happens if you get injured at the gym?
- Are gyms responsible for injuries?
- How to hire Vegas attorney for injury at the gym?
- What to do if you have an accident in the gym?
We have written a very detailed article below on what to do if you’ve been injured at the gym in Nevada.
What Should I do After an Injury at The Gym?
Most people don’t want to be a bother and may not think they need medical attention or are injured.
However regardless you should always seek medical attention immediately after the injury occurs.
You could have severe injuries that you may not be aware of or that may not be visible or seen right away.
Many gym injuries involve injury to the neck, back, spine and head and injury to these areas can be hard to diagnose at first.
You might not even feel injured or in serious pain.
You might even be tempted to walk it off but you should never do this since you’ll be taking a chance to have long term injuries to your head, back or neck.
Besides seeking medical attention you should get contact information for any witnesses that saw the accident at the gym.
You should also get the equipment information if your injury was on a piece of gym equipment like a treadmill.
Take photos and video of the accident scene and the equipment involved or any obstacle or conditions that may have contributed to the accident at the gym.
But before speaking to the gym or equipment manufacturers insurance company you need to speak to a lawyer.
Just like any other accident, a gym accident or injury is no different.
You may be entitled to damages for your accident if faulty equipment or negligence by a gym owner or trainer is the case.
Call The Richard Harris Law Firm today if you have been injured at any gym, athletic club, or fitness center in Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks, Boulder City or Primm.
If you got hurt at Planet Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, LVAC, or any other smaller gym like Golds or World Gym etc., then call us today for help.
Types of Gym Related Accidents
There are so many things that can go wrong at the gym here are a few of the examples of accident or related injuries that can happen at the gym:
- Trip and Fall accidents either outside or inside the gym area- Just like every other trip and fall these incidents can cause a variety of injuries including broken bones, sprains, severe bruising , neck , back or head injuries
- Faulty exercise equipment- this can cause trips and falls or other severe injuries. If a treadmill or elliptical becomes faulty you could fall off very fast. This can cause dislocated shoulders from trying to stay on the faulty equipment. You can pull muscles severely for the same reason. Being on a broken piece of equipment at the gym can be scary especially since you may not be aware of it at first.
- Faulty weight equipment- Have you ever sat on the leg press and looked and thought what if the metal bar didn’t hold or broke and the weight came crashing down on your legs what would happen? Well this has and does happen. This can cause severe spinal damage even paralysis and on very few occasions even death.
These are just a few of the accidents that can happen at any gym or athletic club.
If you have been injured at the gym, call The Richard Harris Law Firm today.
Responsibilities of Gym Owners
Like other businesses, gym owners and operators have a general responsibility for the safety of their clients and a normal responsibility of care.
The responsibilities of gym owners to their clients are :
- To keep the gym clean at all times- this includes clear and dry floors, sanitizing equipment, and clean restrooms or locker rooms.
- Repairing damaged equipment- closing equipment that needs repair , removing from the public area, or replacing old or outdated equipment.
- Keeping the amount of people at the gym at the same time to or below the fire code. Gyms get crowded especially after work hours or in big cities like Nevada, so it is the responsibility of the owner or operator to make sure that the gym isn’t too crowded.
If gym owners fail to maintain a safe environment for their clients they can be held accountable for negligence after an accident at the gym.
Damages you Can Recover From a Gym Accident
Just like any other accident or injury you may be able to recover damages after an accident at the gym.
If you have suffered an injury at the gym you may be entitled to the following damages:
- Lost Wages- lost wages are money that you would have or could earn if you weren’t injured. This includes future wages as well as current wages, This depends on how long your recovery will take
- Medical Bills- this includes all medical bills associated with the accident or injury from the gym. Future medical bills can be included as well. So if you have an injury that needs future medical treatment, the future medical cost can be included.
- Pain and suffering- this is based on the severity of the accident or injury
- Punitive damages- punitive damages are based on the negligence of the owner or operator. These damages are awarded to punish the negligent party.
Who is at Fault in a gym Accident
This is a tough question and a topic of continued discussion.
Immediately after an injury most people want to blame the first person or business that would seem to be the responsible party.
So for example most people would assume that the owner or operator would be the go to person or persons to blame but that is not always the case.
In the case of injuries or incidents at the gym the gym owner may not be the person at fault.
The gym equipment manufacturer may be at fault based on malfunctioning equipment.
The personal trainer is another person that could be responsible for your injuries, maybe they aren’t certified properly and over trained you.
It could also be your fault if you over exerted yourself after you haven’t worked out in a while.
That’s why having a personal injury team on your side is essential after an injury at the gym.
The Richard Harris Law Firm has a team of investigators who can determine who is at fault after a gym injury call today for a free consultation.
Why Call The Richard Harris Law Firm
The Richard Harris Law Firm is Nevada’s premier personal injury law firm.
We have been in Nevada for over 40 years.
The team at Richard Harris Law works for their clients by being available to our clients 24/7.
Once we accept your case we take no payments until we win a settlement for you.
We will only take the largest settlement aloud by law, we will work tirelessly until we reach that goal.
The Richard Harris Law Firm has recovered over a $ Billion for their clients over the years.
We offer free consultations and case reviews.
If you have been injured in an accident at a gym or health club in Las Vegas or any city in Nevada then give us a call today at The Richard Harris Law Firm.
