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Gyms and workout studios are some of the fastest growing businesses in the U.S., with new establishments seeming to pop up every month on metropolitan street corners across New Jersey. Whether it’s CrossFit, spinning/cycling, yoga, mixed martial fights, boxing, or your classic all-purpose gym, the potential for personal injury is there, especially when careless business owners and their employers are improperly staffed/trained and defective or improperly maintained equipment is employed.
If you have suffered an injury while at a gym or workout studio in New Jersey, you may face weeks and even months of high medical bills, lost income, and prolonged pain and suffering. If another party was negligent in causing your gym injury – whether it be the staff of the gym, another user of the gym, or even the manufacturer of the equipment used – it is possible that you could bring a personal injury lawsuit to recover your costs of medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Here are a few things to keep in mind in doing after you have been injured at a New Jersey gym.
Take Pictures of the Injury Scene
Whether you will be able to recover from another party for your New Jersey gym accident will in part depend on whether another party acted carelessly or a defective product was used. Proving this after the fact can be challenging, thus taking pictures at the scene (assuming you are able to) can be helpful to proving your case later. For example, take pictures of your injuries, any defective equipment, and/or dangerous conditions (e.g. a slippery floor).
Obtain Identifying Information From Others
If possible, obtain names and contact information from others who were involved in the accident or who may have witnessed what occurred. First off, this will make it easier to identify potentially liable parties. Furthermore, your attorney may need to obtain statements from eyewitnesses who can provide accounts of the injury, especially if the defendants attempt to pin blame on you later.
Do Not Sign a Waiver or Accept “Gifts”
You likely signed some sort of waiver as a condition of using the gym, but you should not sign any additional documentation without speaking to an attorney first, as doing so may limit or block your ability to recover for your injuries. And, while a previous waiver may indeed limit liability, do not take the gym owner’s word for it, as there are numerous situations in which a waiver will not prevent you from obtaining recovery. Furthermore, do not accept any “gifts” offered to you by gym staff or others (e.g. a gift certificate, a free month of membership, etc), as a defendant might argue the gift was a settlement of your claim.
Get Medical Attention and Contact an Attorney
Obviously, you should get medical attention if you have been injured. But, beyond the necessity of getting the care you need, failure to seek medical attention may make it difficult to bring a claim later as the defendant might argue you were not truly injured.
Finally, contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your injury, so that your attorney can begin the time-sensitive process of collecting the evidence necessary and pursuing your case to win the financial recovery you deserve.
Talk to an Experienced NJ Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you have suffered injury in a NJ gym accident, the experienced personal injury attorneys at Judd Shaw Injury Law™ are here to help. We have won millions in compensation for our clients, and we are here to stand by your side as your allies and champions in winning the recovery you deserve from all potential defendants. Our attorneys have built up a strong reputation for providing compassionate legal counsel to those who have suffered serious injury while aggressively and quickly taking all necessary legal action to recover for our clients to get their lives back to normal by winning compensation for all costs, losses, and pain and suffering. Contact us today to speak to a personal injury attorney about your potential personal injury claim today.
Content edited by personal injury attorney Judd Shaw. From the beginning, Judd established a set of Core Values laying out the pursuit for excellence in client service. He is a regular host of the Working The Wow podcast, with the belief that providing an exceptional client experience is just as important as delivering a quality service or product. You can find us in Red Bank and Tom‘s River, New Jersey.