Grandmother suffers brain injury after treadmill accident

American culture pushes Maryland residents to be healthy and stay in shape. However, exercise equipment — whether used in one’s home or at a gym — does carry inherent risks. Around 460,000 exercise equipment-related injuries send individuals to emergency rooms each year, and many of these injuries are due to treadmills. Sadly, many result in individuals suffering brain injury.

Consumers are very much on their own when avoiding getting injured while exercising, as neither local nor state authorities inspect and assess how gyms place equipment. However, a suit that involved a treadmill that was recently filed by a grandmother against a large fitness chain may change that. In January 2011, the then-60-year-old woman was injured while using a treadmill at a 24 Hour Fitness.

The woman apparently fainted, fell backward, struck her head and, in the process, suffered several skull fractures. She spent the next four months in out-of-state hospitals, where she underwent several surgeries in order to clear blood clots, as well as relieve the pressure in her skull. It is thought that the woman suffered a brain injury as a result of the accident. She is now suing the chain for $3.8 million for damages related to lost wages and long-term care that will be needed in the future.

The complications of a brain injury are often known as “hidden disabilities,” as those who suffer TBI may not feel any direct effects after their recoveries, as these types of injuries can take months or years before the actual symptoms appear. Victims may appear to have made full recoveries, but may still experience chronic problems with their concentration and memory. As the injury is so prevalent and the prognosis so uncertain, many Maryland residents who believe they may have suffered head injuries, after receiving proper medical attention, may benefit from seeking the help of experienced personal injury attorneys to assess the viability of their claims.

Source: The Sacramento Bee, “Brain-injury lawsuit highlights treadmill risks“, Claudia Buck, Sept. 26, 2016