There’s no question that hitting the gym on a regular basis is a health-conscious decision, but unfortunately, there are risks even to staying fit. Slip and fall hazards can easily lead to serious injury if management ignores their basic duty of care and fail to keep members safe. Here’s what you need to know about how gym accidents happen, what kind of injuries you may sustain, and how to pursue compensation after a slip and fall gym injury has occured.

How Pennsylvania Gym Slip and Fall Accidents Occur

Slip and Fall Gym Injury PennsylvaniaBecause heavy workout equipment already has such an inherent risk of injury, especially in situations where people may be running at full speed or have slippery hands from sweat, gyms typically put a big focus on safety. That isn’t always the case, however, and negligent behavior on the part of the staff can lead to serious harm. Accidents in Pennsylvania gyms have been caused by:

  • Broken handrails or entirely missing handrails in stairs or locker rooms
  • Debris like electrical cords, towels, or other objects left in walking paths
  • Defective exercise equipment that isn’t removed or repaired in a timely manner
  • Floors that were recently waxed or otherwise treated with a cleaning chemical
  • Equipment such as weights left in walkways by staff or other gym members that can easily become a tripping hazard
  • Slippery exterior sidewalks or entranceways caused by inclement weather
  • Treadmill slip and fall accidents, whether the machine was stationary or in use
  • Water tracked in from other members during rain or snow days
  • Worn, uneven, or broken flooring

When the property owner is aware of these sorts of problems but doesn’t take appropriate steps to quickly correct them, gym-goers may be hurt in a fall and suffer:

  • Ankle, knee, or wrist injuries that may interfere with your ability to continue to work out or play sports
  • Bone fractures
  • Cuts and lacerations
  • Disfigurement
  • Soft tissue damage
  • Sprains and strains
  • Traumatic brain injury

What to Do After a Slip and Fall Injury at a Gym

Most people expect to experience better health after working out and aren’t prepared for a situation where they are unable to go to their job due to a fall at the gym. That problem can become very serious, very quickly, as you can’t just stop paying your regular bills because you were hurt.

You may also face extremely expensive medical costs on top of your normal monthly expenses. That’s why you need to protect your legal rights and your chance at financial recovery by taking these steps:

  • Inform the gym staff of the accident.
  • Gather contact details from other gym members or employees who witnessed the slip and fall.
  • Seek medical treatment immediately. These types of injuries have a high possibility of internal wounds that need to be discovered quickly, such as traumatic brain injuries, bone fractures, or soft tissue injuries. 
  • Work with an experienced slip and fall attorney to find the best possible source of compensation and overcome common pitfalls that interfere with your recovery.

One of those pitfalls may include the contract you signed when first joining the gym. That’s precisely why your priority, after seeing a doctor, should be to consult an experienced Pennsylvania slip and fall personal injury attorney. A lawyer can still potentially help, even if you signed a liability waiver with your initial gym membership.

Depending on the circumstances of your slip and fall, there could be a third party other than the gym liable for your damages, or you may be able to pursue compensation from the gym anyway if:

  • A property owner, trainer, or some other employee engaged in gross negligence that exhibited a reckless disregard for the safety of members. In certain cases, that behavior may supersede the liability waiver and allow a lawsuit to move forward.
  • The wording of the liability waiver is too vague to be enforceable or too ambiguous for the average person to fully understand.

Get the Legal Help You Need If You Were Hurt in a Slip and Fall Accident

If an injury from a gym slip and fall accident has impacted your quality of life or put you in a precarious financial situation, you need to consult an attorney as soon as possible. Contact the Heslin Law Firm today or call (215)-332-0300 to schedule a consultation and find out how we can help you get back on your feet after a fall.