Slip and Fall Accidents in Gyms

Many Cape Cod and Plymouth residents visit gyms on a regular basis. Gyms provide people with tools that help them maintain and improve their physical health, but like many environments where people share equipment, they present a risk of harm. Specifically, it is not uncommon for people to encounter slippery substances on gym floors, lose their footing, and fall. Slip and fall accidents in gyms can often be prevented through proper maintenance, though, and gym owners that negligently fail to keep their premises in safe conditions should be held accountable. If you were hurt in a fall at a gym, it is prudent to speak to an attorney about what damages you may be owed. The assertive Cape Cod slip and fall accident lawyers of The Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, can gather the evidence needed to help you seek any compensation you may be owed. Together, our attorneys have over fifteen decades of experience helping people hurt in slip and fall accidents seek justice, and our knowledgeable representation has helped us recover several multi-million dollar settlements and damages awards for our clients.

Numerous scenarios can lead to slip and fall accidents in gyms. For example, people traveling from a pool or shower through another area may drip water onto the floor, creating a puddle. Additionally, people may sweat onto the ground, spill water or sports drinks, or drop cleaning products they are supposed to use when wiping down equipment. Regardless of the source, liquid on a gym floor is likely to make it slippery, and people encountering slick conditions often lose their balance and fall. Slip and fall accidents can cause soft tissue injuries, like muscle strain and sprain, and torn ligaments and tendons. It can also lead to broken bones and hematomas. Many people injured in slip and fall accidents in gyms require extensive medical care, including surgery and physical and occupational therapy.

People hurt in slip and fall accidents in gyms will often seek to recover damages from the gym owners in personal injury lawsuits. In most instances, plaintiffs in cases arising out of slip and fall accidents will set forth negligence claims. In Massachusetts, establishing negligence generally requires a plaintiff to demonstrate that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty, but the defendant’s actions or omissions constitute a breach of the duty. The plaintiff must also prove that the defendant’s breach directly caused the plaintiff to suffer quantifiable harm.

In the context of premises liability cases, the duty imposed on a property owner is to ensure that its property is reasonably safe to prevent people legally entering the property from suffering harm. Generally, the issue of whether a property owner breached this duty will hinge on notice. In other words, in cases involving falls caused by transient substances, such as liquid on the floor of a gym, the plaintiff usually must demonstrate that the defendant either knew or should have known about the condition that caused the fall or created the condition. If the plaintiff can prove that the hazard that led to the fall was prone to arise due to the defendant’s mode of operation, though, the plaintiff will not be required to establish the defendant’s notice. In such instances, the plaintiff must simply show it was reasonably foreseeable that the condition in question would arise due to how the defendant operates its business.

Gym owners have a duty to provide their customers with a safe place to work out, and if people subsequently suffer harm due to their failure to uphold their obligations, they should be held accountable. If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident in a gym, you should meet with an attorney to assess your options for seeking damages. The trusted lawyers of The Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, are well-versed in what it takes to achieve successful outcomes in slip and fall cases, and if you hire us, we will advocate zealously on your behalf. We have a record of favorable results and have obtained numerous settlements and verdicts exceeding one million dollars. We regularly represent people in slip and fall cases on Cape Cod, and we can meet for consultations in Hyannis and Plymouth. You can contact us via our online form or at (888) 262-6664 to set up a conference.