Injuries at the Gym – Who Is Responsible?

If you are not careful, overzealous exercise regimes can cause injuries. You can overextend yourself or sprain a limb using gym equipment your body is not fit to tackle. These issues are common and your responsibility. However, if you are injured in a fitness center because of an owner’s negligence, you have every right to file for damages, according to the Illinois Premise Liability Act.

As per the law, the owners of a property that is used for commercial purposes must ensure all reasonable safety measures are in place to protect their clients. For gym owners, this means they have to make sure customers are not in danger when they are working out on the premises.

Some of the situations that can put you in unnecessary danger in a gym include the following:

• You do not get medical attention following an injury

  – If you are injured during a workout, an employee of the gym should immediately treat you with basic first aid equipment and in a competent manner. Failure to do so can put the owners of the gym in legal trouble – especially if your condition worsens because of their negligence.

• You are injured because of defective or damaged equipment – Gym owners or managers must make sure workout equipment is in perfect working condition with regular maintenance. If they don’t and the equipment ends up injuring someone, they can be held liable.
• You are injured because of another gym member’s negligence – If you are injured because of another gym member’s negligence (if someone dropped a kettle bell on your foot by accident), the individual responsible, as well as the gym, may be held liable. That’s because they failed to provide an environment that could prevent such accidents and failed to remove the individual who made their gym hazardous for other members.

However, if you get hurt at a gym because of your carelessness, the gym cannot be held liable for your injuries. A good example is if you used faulty gym equipment, which was obviously unfit for use and you got injured as a result. According to the law, those actions were out of their control.

When you are working out at a gym, the last thing you may expect is an accident. The gym owners and managers are responsible for ensuring equipment and tools on the premises are fit for use and do not cause injuries. If they do, you can sue them for damages and get compensation you deserve to pay for your medical bills and more. In fact, you can also file a claim if they do not refund you if you cancel your membership within three (3) days after getting it.

 This is where the Law Offices of Robert T. Edens can help you. Our attorneys are available to offer legal services in Chicago, Waukegan, Libertyville, Woodstock and Antioch, Illinois. We have helped numerous clients recover millions in damages and can represent you just as aggressively.