Your rights after a gym injury in Illinois
Going to the gym is about challenging your body to go further and harder than it has before. Therefore, this environment makes gym injuries quite common. Perhaps you lifted too heavy, injuring a muscle, or went too hard on the treadmill, which can potentially put too much stress on your cardiovascular system.
While such injuries that were caused by your own error of judgement will not likely lead to a successful claim being made, there are many ways to show it is possible that a gym was negligent. Gyms have the responsibility to keep guests safe on their premises, and this includes providing safe equipment and giving competent advice. The following are some things that you should consider before filing a legal claim with a gym.
What duties does the gym have toward me as a guest?
As a guest, your gym owes you a certain duty of care. This means that the entire gym floor should be kept safe at all times, free from tripping hazards and wet floors. They must also ensure that all equipment is in good working condition. If a guest uses a piece of equipment that is faulty and the management should have known that it was faulty, and if they become injured as a result, it is likely that the guest will be able to pursue a successful legal claim.
Can I sue a personal trainer if they gave me bad advice?
Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to sue your personal trainer if it can be proven that they caused you harm. In order to do this you will need to show that they had a duty of care they breached in some way, and that this breach of duty directly caused the injury you are suffering from. Therefore, if they breached their duty by strongly encouraging you to lift a heavy weight even if you had your own doubts, and you were injured as a result, you may be able to make a claim.
If you have been injured at an Illinois gym and you believe that negligence is to blame, it is a good idea to take action.