Recovering From a Wrist Injury at the Gym: Your Legal Options

Each day across the country, millions of people use gyms and fitness centers. Physical exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress, boost general wellness, and increase longevity. 

However, gyms and fitness centers also contain hazards and potential dangers. For instance, many exercise machines and weights present gym patrons with the possibility of an accident or injury. 

If you have sustained a wrist injury gym accident, you may wonder about your legal options. Most people are unsure what steps to take following an accident at the gym. 

Fortunately, the accomplished tort lawyers at Morgan and Morgan have plenty of experience with wrist injury gym cases. We know what it takes to effectively fight on our clients’ behalf.  

You should not have to handle the financial and personal losses from a wrist injury gym accident on your own. A skilled personal injury lawyer can help you recover financial compensation to cover the damages resulting from your accident.  

When you schedule a free consultation, the knowledgeable legal team at Morgan and Morgan will assess the facts of your case. We will help you determine the best course of action for you. 

To arrange your initial legal case evaluation, complete the contact form on our firm’s website today.

Ways to Prevent Wrist Injuries at the Gym

When working out at a gym, there are many ways that injuries can occur. Wrist injuries can result from either repetitive motions or impact traumas.

Some of the most common circumstances that result in severe wrist injuries include:

• Falling on the wrist joint
• Having the wrist crushed by a weight
• Improper weightlifting technique
• Lifting too much weight
• Repetitive motions during exercise
• Slip and fall accidents
• Tripping accidents 

Some wrist injuries are the unavoidable result of physical activity. But other wrist injury gym accidents happen because of someone’s negligence or carelessness. 

Those wrist injuries that are preventable can be avoided by using specific techniques. Some of the most effective ways to prevent gym wrist injuries are:

Proper Form and Technique

Many wrist overextension injuries happen because of improper technique or form when weightlifting. Minimizing stress on the wrist joint can be achieved by keeping your wrist as straight as possible.

For example, push-ups are one type of exercise that can contribute to wrist damage. When doing push-ups, place your knuckles, rather than the palms of your hands, on the ground. This will make wrist injuries less likely. 

When doing bicep curls, keep your wrist straight as you lift. The straighter you keep your wrist, the less probable an injury is. 

Use Proper Amounts of Weight

One common mistake many people make at the gym is lifting too much weight. When lifting or training, you should always use an amount of weight you can manage. 

Attempting to lift too much can result in a strain or overextension of the wrist muscles. If you have experienced a wrist injury from lifting too much weight, seek medical care immediately. 

Use a Wrist Brace

Wrist braces and athletic tape can help keep your wrist steady when you exercise. This approach can provide additional support when weightlifting to avoid wrist injuries. 

Bracing your wrist is very helpful when engaging in exercises that require the wrist to move. A brace can prevent the wrist joint from overextending when it moves.  

Ensure that the wrist braces do not cut off the circulation to your hands. If your hands feel tingly, you should loosen the tape or brace.

Appropriate Stretching

As with any muscle or joint you use to work out, stretching is a key component to ensure safety. Before engaging in exercises that require the wrists to bend, make sure to warm up by stretching. 

Gently manipulate the wrist muscles forward and backward before working out. Repeat these stretches after your exercises are complete to cool down the muscles in the wrist. 

Can I Pursue a Legal Claim Following a Wrist Injury Gym Accident?

When you have become injured at a gym, you will likely face many financial challenges and costs. Because of this, it is normal to wonder about your legal options for recovering compensation. 

After all, you should be able to hold accountable any parties who are responsible for your wrist injury. But in some cases, it can be difficult to hold gym owners or operators legally accountable for the damages and losses that you have experienced.

Understanding Liability Waivers

Most fitness studios and gyms require their members to sign a waiver of liability before they can use the facilities. Liability waivers are documents that indemnify the gym owner against possible legal actions.  

It is very common for intense physical activity to result in injuries. For that reason, gym owners want to be reasonably protected against foreseeable injuries. 

When people decide to engage in weight training or other exercises, they should assume certain risks.  

If you signed a liability waiver when you joined your gym, it might be difficult to successfully pursue a personal injury claim. To determine your legal options, you should consult with an accomplished personal injury attorney.  

Your ability to recover financial compensation will depend, in part, on the type of liability waiver that you signed. Some of the most typical types of liability waivers are:

Total Waivers of Liability

Waivers of total liability are intended to protect the gym from any legal claim against them. But these waivers are often very broadly worded. 

In some cases, waivers of total liability are determined to be invalid. If the court rules that the waiver you signed is overly broad, you may be able to pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the gym.

Waivers for Negligence

This type of document prevents injury victims from suing the gym for damages that result from negligence. Oftentimes, waivers for negligence can be enforced in court.  

However, the viability of a negligence waiver will depend on the specific circumstances of your claim. If you signed this type of document, an attorney can help you understand the best course of action following your injury.

Waiver of Intentional Actions

Waivers of liability for intentional actions are usually unenforceable. This is because they often contradict public policy. 

One of the compassionate attorneys from Morgan and Morgan will review the facts of your case and build a strong claim to recover compensation. We will leverage our legal expertise and significant resources to secure maximum financial recovery in your gym injury claim.

What Is “Vague and Ambiguous” Language?

Waivers that are enforceable should include clear and understandable language. If the document is composed of vague or ambiguous language, a judge may find it unenforceable. 

The accomplished attorneys at Morgan and Morgan have plenty of experience reviewing the language included in liability waivers. If the waiver you signed is unenforceable, our legal team will fight diligently for the compensation you need.

What Are The Recoverable Damages in Gym Injury Claims?

If you have a valid premises liability claim involving a gym injury, you can pursue many different types of financial compensation. The term for legal payments made to injury victims is “damages.” 

Most gym injury cases involve two types of compensatory payments. These categories are called “economic” and “non-economic” damages.

What Are Economic Damages?

Economic damages are payments to compensate for the monetary losses that victims experience. Some of the typical economic losses in the wake of gym injuries are:

• Medical bills and expenses
• Ongoing necessary medical care
• Foregone wages and income due to missing work
• Long-term inability to earn income
• Associated property damages

It is important to have a knowledgeable attorney review the invoices, bills, and receipts related to your gym injury. This will allow your representative to accurately calculate the economic damages you can pursue.

What Are Non-Economic Damages?

Not every devastating outcome from a gym wrist injury results in a monetary loss. Some of the most challenging consequences of a personal injury do not cost the victim a single dime. 

Still, those who have been injured because of gross negligence deserve compensation for these intangible harms. Non-economic damages compensate injury victims for their personal, emotional, and psychological suffering.

The most common examples of non-economic damages include compensatory payments to cover: 

• Physical pain and suffering from the wrist injury
• Mental anguish and distress
• Panic, anxiety, and depressive symptoms
• Long-term decreases in quality of life
• Temporary or permanent disability 

Insurance companies that cover gyms are incentivized to downplay the non-economic harms that victims experience. Because these damages are difficult to quantify, you should speak with one of the tort lawyers at the firm of Morgan and Morgan to accurately determine the non-economic damages in your case.
 

Will My Gym Injury Case Require a Lawsuit?

There is no single or universal answer to this question. While most tort cases do not result in a courtroom trial, some do. 

Whether your claim goes to court will depend on many different factors. When pursuing a claim, your attorney will negotiate with the opposing party on your behalf in hopes of reaching a settlement. 

A settlement is a payment to the injury victim intended to avoid the need for a trial. However, some insurance providers are tightfisted and will not negotiate cooperatively.  

If settlement negotiations fail, you may need to file a lawsuit and proceed to the courtroom. Fortunately, the firm of Morgan and Morgan boasts over 1,000 attorneys nationwide with trial experience.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Tort Attorney?

At Morgan and Morgan, we believe that all injury victims deserve the opportunity to pursue justice. For this reason, our firm relies on a contingency fee payment structure.

With this approach to attorneys’ fees, our lawyers are compensated with a portion of the recovery from each case. In other words, you will not pay anything unless our legal professionals successfully secure the compensation to which you are rightfully entitled.

This payment approach ensures that your attorney fights as diligently as possible on your behalf. If you do not get paid, we do not get paid.

Contact the Firm of Morgan and Morgan Today

You have legal options if you have been hurt due to a gym owner’s gross negligence or recklessness. Let the skilled team at Morgan and Morgan assess your case and fight to secure a recovery for you.

Our team boasts more than 35 years of experience fighting for the victims of injuries caused by negligence. We will not rest until we secure a positive outcome in your case. 

Schedule a no-cost and no-obligation consultation with our knowledgeable team by completing the contact form on our website. At Morgan and Morgan, our attorneys are on your side.