Work Out Safely And Take Action When Injured
If you've found yourself in the ironic position of getting hurt while working out, you are not alone. It's easy to see how gyms can be dangerous places. There are complicated exercise machines, wet floors, heavy weights, and more to contend with. In some cases, taking more care with your own actions would have prevented an injury. In other cases, however, the gym contributed to the cause of your injury. Read on to learn more about gym safety and how to know whether or not you can sue the gym for getting hurt while working out.
Stay Safe and Be Courteous
1. Germs can run rampant in workout areas. Most gyms provide anti-bacterial gels and wipes for keeping the equipment free of germs that can cause everything from an upper respiratory tract infection to skin infections. Provide your own germ-buster if the gym is always out.
2. Work out areas can get crowded at certain times. If you want to take your time and run through your workout in peace, you might want to figure out when the gym is quieter. If there are people waiting to use the machines, it's common courtesy to allow them to "work in" and take a turn.
3. Get in the habit of re-racking your weights when you finish with them. Left lying around, they create a safety hazard that could cause you or someone else to trip and fall.
4. Be considerate about using your cell phone while on the workout floor. Some gyms have cell phone use rules, but even those that don't call for consideration for others.
When an Injury Occurs
Everyone that uses a gym probably signed a release when they joined. This release is meant to protect the gym from lawsuits; however, you should understand that it does not prevent lawsuits for every reason. In all likelihood, the release prevents patrons from suing the gym if they get injured due to their own careless actions. For example, if you fail to follow the rules and run barefoot in the wet areas, you might fall down and get hurt. You won't have much of a grounds for a lawsuit since you failed to use due care and disregarded the rules of the gym.
On the other hand, the gym cannot be released from any and all responsibility. They must work on a continuous basis to keep the gym free of any potential hazards that can be foreseen and avoided. For example, if the gym equipment has not been serviced and inspected for months and you get hurt when it malfunctions, you may have a course of action against the gym for negligence.
If a gym injury has you sidelined, speak to personal injury attorneys like the ones at Kilgore Smith LLC for more information.