Serious injury during personal training session

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do Americans always have to sue someone for something? Your wife fell. It’s an unfortunate accident and no you shouldn’t be able to sue someone!!!

OP here. I didn't say anything about suing. Thinking about some kind of courtesy comp. IMO safety should be the first priority for older people, and DW is on Medicare.

So you don’t want to sue... you want something for free. You are it’s gross. Please go take care of your wife.

[Anonymous]

*you are just gross

[Anonymous]

OP it sucks, but it was an accident. They happen. She fell and she hit her wrist at a very bad angle (which could've happened anywhere). I'm sure a fraction of an inch difference and it could've been a different story.

[Anonymous]

She singed a non liability paper? If so, absolutely nothing. I would think this is something that could happen in any situation, honestly sounds like a freak accident.

[Anonymous]

Plus who ever gets injured off of a stepping exercise? Is she clumsy walking up and down the stairs? If she has health or balance issues why was she doing this in a first place?

[Anonymous]

Sometimes people fall. Accidents happen. It is sad. You will do better by focusing on helping her to recover rather than trying to find someone to blame.

[Anonymous]

Of course OP is a Boomer. The worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a bummer but gyms usually require you to sign a waiver form for exactly these kind of stuff. It suck, there's really little recourse here unless you prove professional negligence. Was there any camera footage around (security camera) that can show the trainer didn't try to help?

The wrist broke because she fell, not because the trainer didn’t help her after the fall. So what is the point of doing this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes people fall. Accidents happen. It is sad.

OP here. Apparently I'm the only one who sees a difference between stumbling incidental to an activity, and stumbling while taking steps on the instructions of a trainer. I've heard something about straddling the step block, and DW wasn't told to do that.

The trainer told DW that she was lucky to just have a broken wrist, because if she'd fallen a little differently she would have hit her head on a piece of protruding metal. Maybe accidents can't be avoided, but the facility can attempt to mitigate their effects, and this gym doesn't seem to even try.

I should add some context about wanting some kind of courtesy comp. DW has given this gym a whole lot of personal training business over the years. When she told the manager to suspend her monthly membership, which is a small part of her total relationship with the place, it would have been nice if the manager had said something like "Sure, and feel free to come in anytime and use a bike if you feel up to it". Customer relations with a loyal customer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes people fall. Accidents happen. It is sad.

OP here. Apparently I'm the only one who sees a difference between stumbling incidental to an activity, and stumbling while taking steps on the instructions of a trainer. I've heard something about straddling the step block, and DW wasn't told to do that.

The trainer told DW that she was lucky to just have a broken wrist, because if she'd fallen a little differently she would have hit her head on a piece of protruding metal. Maybe accidents can't be avoided, but the facility can attempt to mitigate their effects, and this gym doesn't seem to even try.

I should add some context about wanting some kind of courtesy comp. DW has given this gym a whole lot of personal training business over the years. When she told the manager to suspend her monthly membership, which is a small part of her total relationship with the place, it would have been nice if the manager had said something like "Sure, and feel free to come in anytime and use a bike if you feel up to it". Customer relations with a loyal customer.

Was the step known to be defective and the trainer told her to step on it anyway? That would show actual negligence.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why you want something for free?

If anything, they should just pause your training sessions (if you're paying monthly or something).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course OP is a Boomer. The worst.

+1. I'm sure you signed liability waivers.

Does she have osteoporosis or bone density issues? I think she needs to see a doctor about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DW stumbled during step-up exercise with a personal trainer at a local gym, and shattered her left wrist (3 hour surgery, can't drive for weeks, follow-up surgery in future, will have to walk our son down the aisle at his wedding with a messed-up hand). The trainer apparently watched her fall and didn't try to help. What, if anything, do you think the gym should do for us?

Is she walking down the aisle on her hands?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes people fall. Accidents happen. It is sad. You will do better by focusing on helping her to recover rather than trying to find someone to blame.

+1

OP the trainer and gym are not to blame. Your wife stumbled. It was her own "fault" - all of us stumble sometimes. It sucks, she will heal, but it's nobody else's fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. When she stumbled she looked for something to grab onto, and there was nothing there. I question the safety of the setup, with just a step, and nothing to grab and no effective spotter.

NP here. Sorry, but you are wrong. If you are doing training in a gym, you don't want anything there. In the majority of cases, if someone falls, falling onto a railing or support is likely to cause them more harm than help. Supports and railings are provided in the case of physical or occupational therapy for people who have physical issues.

If your wife was not physically able or was prone to stumbling or injury, she needed to make her personal trainer aware of that before she started training. If she did not, then the onus is on her. If she had no physical issues or instability, then it was an accident, and no one, including the trainer and the gym was responsible for her stumble and accident. And you are not owed to anything. The fact that you think that the gym owes you some sort of compensation suggests and overly entitled attitude. How would you feel if the gym canceled your membership and training without compensation for your wife endangering herself and others like someone trying to defraud a business by staging an accident? That's just as ridiculous an argument as your contention that your wife stumbling and falling entitles you to some form or compensation.