Gym and Fitness Center Liability

Gyms and fitness centers are often places we visit to relieve stress, stay healthy, and improve our appearance. However, these places can be very dangerous if they are not maintained properly. A host of injuries can result from old equipment in disrepair, failures to warn patrons of hazards, or other dangers prevalent at a gym. The Miami premises liabilitys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon have experience helping victims throughout South Florida who have been hurt while visiting a gym or fitness center. If you are in this position, you can pursue proper compensation from those who were responsible for your injuries.

As gyms and fitness centers increase in popularity, so does the propensity for accidents. One study found that just in the past few years, there was a 35 percent increase in injuries sustained in gyms or fitness centers nationwide. These may range from broken bones caused by slip and falls to eye, neck, or other injuries sustained as a result of various hazards. Common risks associated with gym and fitness centers include:

• Faulty or malfunctioning equipment,
• High-intensity classes without proper instructions as to form and technique,
• Infections,
• Trip and fall accidents due to objects out of place, and
• Slippery surfaces near a pool or in a locker room.

When people sign up for gym memberships, they typically are required to sign a release or waiver as part of their contract that excuses the gym owner from liability. The language of the waiver, as well as the type of accident that caused the injury, has a strong impact on whether or not the gym or fitness owner remains liable. Some releases may be written so broadly that they are void. Even if a waiver is found to be enforceable, you may still be able to pursue a claim, depending on the kind of accident in which you were involved.

As with all business owners in Florida, gym and fitness center owners owe a duty to patrons to maintain reasonably safe conditions. This duty extends to making sure that routine inspections are performed and that any hazards are fixed within a reasonable time period. Gym members must also be warned of any dangerous conditions, such as broken equipment, slippery floors, or other foreseeable harms that may be present.

Victims who are injured at a gym can potentially receive compensation if they show that the harmful condition that caused the accident was known, or should have been known, to the gym’s owner, and the owner failed to take adequate action to address it. For instance, an individual injured by a piece of equipment that was left broken, without a warning on the machine, may be able to show liability. Damages available in a premises liability claim often include medical costs, lost income or earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

There are some inherent dangers to visiting a gym or fitness center. However, when an owner or operator fails to take basic precautions to help avoid an accident, they should be held liable for the harm that they cause. The Miami premises liability attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon assist injured individuals in making sure that gym owners maintain safe premises for their patrons and do not hide behind boilerplate waivers. If you have been hurt at a gym, call our slip and falls at 877.499.4878 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation about your case. We also assist accident victims in Miami, West Palm Beach, and other cities in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties.