When it comes to wanting to lead a healthier lifestyle, most people will change up their diet and, of course, join a gym of their choice. The fact that you are taking charge of your own health is a wonderful and empowering thing that is very commendable but in getting a gym membership, you have to remember that it also comes with the high risk for potential injuries… why else do you think they make you.
“Sign here and here, and initial here, here, and here… Thanks!”
The gym knows all the risks for injuries that can happen at a gym and that’s why they have you sign and initial all the different clauses in your membership contract; this protects them from anybody suing them in case they get injured while working out. The Observer goes into great detail as to why you need to thoroughly need to read your contract and what to actually look for in your gym membership contract.
From faulty gym equipment and weightlifting injuries to improperly stretching or bad advice from a trainer, the contract that you sign upon joining can make it extremely difficult to sue the gym where you received your injury.
It’s Complicated…
Regardless of how bad your gym injury may be, that doesn’t guarantee that you will have a winning case in the court of law when trying to sue that gym or workout facility. The determining factor that will really let you know if you have a case or not is proof. If you can prove that your injury is solely the fault of the gym, then you have a really good chance of winning your case. Some situations that can cause a gym injury include:
- Faulty equipment
- Floor hazards that don’t have proper signage (wet/broken/uneven floors)
- Improperly stored equipment
Because most gyms have iron-clad contracts that cover just about everything on possible injuries, it’s very important to choose the best personal injury lawyer who will fight for you, despite the complexities of your case.
All Contracts Don’t Cover Everything
You’ve heard of the term “loophole,” right? Well, experienced lawyers know about them too. If you are someone who’s suffered an injury from the gym, then you want to hire a lawyer who knows about loopholes and how to make them work for your case. Things like reckless behavior of a staff member at a gym or an actual gym member causing you harm, are things that some gyms forget to include in their contract. In addition to that, if your case gets presented in court and the judge looks at your contract and sees aspect to the clauses that are unfair or too broad where membership rights aren’t clearly stated, that judge can deem that contract as unfair.
Compensation for Gym Injuries
When you suffer an injury from the gym, it encompasses more than just physical injuries. Depending on the severity of your injury, it can result in serious personal damages.
- Economic Loss: This type of compensation covers you for the amount of pay you are owed from not being able to go to work. If you’ve been severely injured to where it affects your abilities to uphold your work responsibilities, that gym could have a major lawsuit on their hands.
- Pain and Suffering: This type of compensation results from a serious injury that involves any type of bodily disfigurement that causes you to lose function in a particular body part.
- Healthcare Expenses: Compensation for healthcare expenses are pretty self-explanatory. This covers you for any type of medical treatment you may receive during your recovery process. It will cover medical bills, prescriptions, and various other hospital fees ar rehabilitation services you need in order to properly recover.
What You Need to Know
When it comes to gym injuries and what to do about them, you first want to make sure you speak with a lawyer. And even in doing that ask your gym for a copy of your actual gym membership contract because let’s face it… whenever you first join a gym, the staff go over everything so fast that all you do is sign and initial, not even realizing what terms exactly you’re signing and agreeing with.
So if you do happen to get injured while working out, don’t let the gym’s “iron-clad” contract make you feel like you don’t have a chance at winning your case. First, get in touch with a trusted and results-driven law firm because it is them who is on your side and will fight to win your case.