Treadmill Injuries Can Lead to Lawsuits
With the New Year upon us, one of the top New Year's resolutions every year involves getting in shape. Whether training for a marathon or wanting to fit into a pair of dusty skinny jeans, people are hitting the trails and the treadmills in hope of getting in shape. Even talk show queen Oprah Winfrey hits the treadmill twice a day.
Still, you should be weary of the potential dangers inherent to treadmills. A slew of lawsuits have arisen from treadmill injuries.
Treadmill injuries can come in a variety of forms. Treadmill lawsuits don't have quite the same range. A woman in Iowa is suing the local sporting goods store after her daughter was injured using a treadmill.
The concerned mother claims that the sporting goods store was negligent in failing to properly supervise and instruct the aspiring runner when she reached a speed that she could not handle, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Ultimately alleging that the store created and maintained a dangerous condition, the suit cites both physical and emotional damage stemming from the treadmill injury. In addition to manufacturing and design defects, potential treadmill injuries can include choking, hand injuries and falls. Preventing injuries from exercise equipment is as much the job of the manufacturer or retailer (while in the store) as it is the actual user.
Simply put, individuals need to be aware of their own limits. Whether the latest treadmill lawsuit will pass legal muster depends on the level of duty the court believes the sporting goods store owed to the young user.
Related Resources:
- Woman Sues Scheels Over Treadmill Injury (Iowa City Citizen Press)
- Defective Products (FindLaw)
- Personal Injury (FindLaw)