Faulty Fitness Equipment Claims

Fitness equipment is great for those who want to maintain their fitness or build strength, whether at home or in gyms. This can include rowing machines, treadmills, weight machines, free weights and other types of equipment.

While typically safe to use, gym equipment can lead to incidents and injuries if not properly installed, used, manufactured or maintained. These include lacerations, sprains, strains, back injuries and head injuries, some of which can have long-term consequences.

Manufacturers and gym owners owe you a legal duty of care to keep you safe from injuries and comply with the relevant legislation to protect your health and well-being. If you or a loved one were injured by faulty fitness equipment due to a breach of duty, you may be eligible to make a claim for compensation.

To find out if you have a valid faulty fitness equipment claim, call 0800 470 0474 today for a free consultation or enter your details to request a call back.

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Table of Contents

• Duty of care of gyms and fitness centres towards customers
• Am I eligible to make a faulty fitness equipment claim?
• What types of fitness equipment could cause injuries if faulty?
• Negligence that could lead to a faulty gym equipment claim
• Can I claim compensation if I was injured due to faulty equipment at home?
• What injuries could faulty gym equipment cause?
• Evidence needed to claim for an injury caused by faulty gym equipment
• What is the time limit to start a personal injury claim?
• How much compensation can I claim for injuries caused by faulty fitness equipment?
• How long will my compensation claim take?
• Will a personal injury solicitor offer me a No Win No Fee agreement?

Duty of care of gyms and fitness centres towards customers

Gym owners and occupiers have a legal duty towards all visitors and customers. They must take all reasonable measures to keep them safe from accidents on their premises, including injuries caused by defective equipment. These duties stem from the Occupiers Liability Act 1957 and include responsibilities to:

• Carry out regular and thorough inspections of all equipment to identify any potential defects or signs of wear and tear;
• Promptly address identified defects or issues with equipment to prevent incidents;
• If repairs cannot be carried out immediately, inform clients that the equipment is out of order;
• Install all equipment according to manufacturer guidelines to ensure safe use;
• Provide clear instructions and warnings regarding the use of equipment, including any potential risks;
• Hire qualified staff and supervision to assist customers with the correct and safe use of equipment;
• Maintain detailed records of equipment inspections, maintenance, and repairs.

By fulfilling these responsibilities, gyms and fitness centres can significantly reduce the risk of injuries caused by defective equipment. If you suffered an injury due to a breach of duty, you may be eligible to make a gym accident claim for compensation.

Am I eligible to make a faulty fitness equipment claim?

If you were injured by faulty equipment, you may be able to claim compensation for your pain, suffering and financial losses. The most straightforward way to find out if you could claim compensation is through a free consultation with an experienced legal adviser. They will ask you several questions about your circumstances to determine whether:

• Another party, such as a gym owner or a manufacturer, owed you a legal duty of care;
• They breached their duty of care towards you;
• You suffered injuries and other losses due to their negligence within the past three years.

A duty of care will be established based on legislation such as the one mentioned above. Once liability is confirmed, a lawyer who specialises in gym accidents will send the defendant a claim notification form to inform them of your intentions to claim for an injury. If they admit being at fault for your accident, you can start negotiating your compensation award. If they deny it, your solicitor will be ready to issue court proceedings and, if necessary, argue your claim before a judge (this is rarely the case, as more than 95% of all cases are settled out of court).

What types of fitness equipment could cause injuries if faulty?

If faulty or poorly maintained, almost any type of fitness equipment could cause injuries to users, including:

• Treadmills – cuts, abrasions, broken bones
• Rowing machines – back injuries, strains, shoulder injuries
• Stationary bikes – strains, knee injuries, back pain
• Elliptical trainers – sprains, strains, falls, foot injuries
• Free weights – broken bones, dislocations or back injuries
• Weight machines – head injuries, crush injuries or fractures
• Resistance bands – eye injuries, facial injuries or muscle strains

These and many other types of equipment could lead to injuries at gyms and at home. If it can be proven that the accident was due to someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible to claim compensation for your injuries.

Negligence that could lead to a faulty gym equipment claim

Various types of negligence could lead to injuries due to faulty equipment for which you could pursue a compensation claim, such as:

• Design flaws that may lead to structural weaknesses and may cause machines to break during use;
• Manufacturing defects, such as equipment components being improperly assembled, made from substandard materials or missing essential bolts or other parts;
• Failure to conduct thorough testing to identify potential hazards or defects that could cause injuries to users;
• A lack of necessary safety features, such as guards, shields or emergency stop buttons;
• Equipment lacking accurate labels or instructions for assembly and usage;
• Failure to adhere to established standards regarding the design, production or safety of fitness equipment;
• Failure to conduct regular inspections and maintenance of the equipment;
• Failure to train staff on how to identify, report or address defects or maintenance issues;
• Overlooking visible signs of wear and tear and a failure to remove or repair defective equipment;
• Failure to place clear signs to inform users of equipment that is out of order.

Can I claim compensation if I was injured due to faulty equipment at home?

Fitness equipment manufacturers have a duty of care under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 to ensure their products are safe for consumers to use. Breaching this duty would automatically make them liable for any resulting injuries. If you were injured at home due to faulty gym equipment, you are eligible to claim compensation for your pain and suffering without having to prove negligence. All you must show to secure compensation is that:

• You were injured while using the equipment for its intended purpose;
• Your injuries were due to a manufacturing defect for which the defendant is responsible.

Even if you were injured at the gym, the product manufacturer might still be the party responsible for damages. Your personal injury solicitor will be able to assess liability after carefully evaluating your case.

What injuries could faulty gym equipment cause?

Faulty gym equipment, such as treadmills, free weights and rowing machines, can cause various injuries to users. These range from minor scrapes and bruises to life-changing trauma and include:

• Cuts and lacerations can result from worn-out or faulty equipment with sharp edges or broken parts and can lead to infections and permanent scarring;
• Sprains and strains can be due to sudden stops of treadmills, defective resistance machines and other faulty equipment. They range from overstretching to complete tears of muscles, tendons and ligaments;
• Fractures and dislocations can be caused by improperly secured weights, collapsing machines and other incidents and can affect any part of the body;
• Head injuries can be due to falls or being hit by an object and range from mild concussions to severe brain trauma with permanent consequences;
• Back injuries can range from mild sprains to spinal cord trauma and can be due to faulty rowing machines, weight-lifting equipment or other hazards;
• Crush injuries can result from collapsing machines, unsecured weights or failure of safety features and can have devastating outcomes;
• Facial injuries can be caused by various accidents at the gym and can include lacerations, nose fractures, dental injuries and eye injuries;
• Nerve damage can be due to repetitive stress or acute trauma and can result in partial or complete loss of function in the affected body part.

Evidence needed to claim for an injury caused by faulty gym equipment

To make a successful faulty gym equipment claim, you will need evidence to clearly show what happened, who was at fault, and how you suffered. Your solicitor will help you gather as much of the following as possible to support your claim:

• Visual evidence. If possible, you should take a video or photographs of the faulty equipment as soon as possible. If available, your solicitor will also help you secure a copy of the CCTV footage that captured the incident.
• Medical records. These are essential to any compensation claim, as they will show the type and severity of the injuries you suffered and the treatments you received.
• Witness statements. If there were any witnesses to your accident, you should ask for their names and contact details. Your solicitor might ask them for a statement about what happened to help establish liability.
• Accident reports. If you were injured at a gym or fitness centre, you should immediately report it to the responsible party. Make sure they log it in the company’s accident report book and ask for a signed copy of the entry.
• Product information. If you purchased a faulty piece of equipment, the product packaging and documentation will help support a product liability claim.
• Expert testimony. Your solicitor may work with a third party to establish a manufacturing defect or negligence. They may also arrange a free medical exam with a specialist to assess your long-term care needs.
• Your notes. Keep a journal of what happened and how your injuries have affected your well-being, work and daily activities.
• Financial records. You will also need documents such as receipts and invoices to prove that you incurred out-of-pocket expenses due to your accident.

What is the time limit to start a personal injury claim?

Typically, you have three years to make a personal injury claim under the Limitation Act 1980, starting from:

• The date of your accident
• The date you became aware of your injuries and that they were due to faulty equipment

After three years, your case will be time-barred, and you will lose your compensation claim. For this reason, it is essential to seek legal advice as soon as possible, which will ensure your solicitor has enough time to gather the necessary evidence and start your claim.

A few exceptions to the claim limitation date might apply to your case:

• You can start a claim on behalf of a minor at any time before their 18th birthday, no matter when they were injured. Afterwards, they will have until their 21st birthday to seek compensation themselves.
• If the claimant has suffered a severe brain injury or suffers from another condition, such as schizophrenia, and cannot conduct legal proceedings, the time limit is suspended. Under these circumstances, a litigation friend could start a claim on their behalf at any time.

How much compensation can I claim for injuries caused by faulty fitness equipment?

The amount of compensation awarded for injuries caused by faulty gym equipment varies from case to case. Solicitors always try to secure the best settlement for the injured party by including two types of damages in their claim:

Special damages take into account any financial losses and expenses that have resulted from the incident, which could be:

• Medical expenses, such as private treatments and prescriptions
• Travel expenses to and from medical appointments
• Loss of earnings during recovery
• Loss of earning capacity if you suffered a long-term disability
• Modifications to your home or vehicle to accommodate a disability
• Costs of care and assistance with daily tasks

General damages are based on the extent of your injuries and could include the following:

• Psychical pain and suffering
• Emotional and psychological trauma
• Reduced quality of life
• The impact on your hobbies and social activities
• Scarring and disfigurement

General damages are based on the guidelines from the Judicial College and could be more than £400,000 for severe brain injuries that leave the injured person in a vegetative state. You can find more information by referring to our personal injury compensation calculator.

How long will my compensation claim take?

Each faulty fitness equipment claim is different. The time your case may take to resolve will depend on several factors, such as the extent of the injuries caused by faulty equipment, your recovery times, the availability of evidence and whether the other party admits liability. If everything is straightforward and you can negotiate your settlement, you may receive compensation within a few months.

On the other hand, if the circumstances of your accident are complex and it is not clear who was at fault, this could complicate things a lot. Even if the other party admits liability, you may not be able to agree on a compensation award and may need to go to court. In such cases, it may take years to resolve your claim. However, your solicitor may be able to secure interim payments on your behalf.

Will a personal injury solicitor offer me a No Win No Fee agreement?

If you have a valid claim for a gym injury from faulty equipment, your solicitor will offer you a 100% no win no fee service. They will not ask for any upfront payment and will only get a success fee if they secure compensation for your losses. This fee is capped at 25% of your settlement and will be agreed upon from the beginning. If your gym accident claim fails, you do not have to pay your solicitor a single penny for their services.

As part of the no win no fee agreement, you also have After the Event (ATE) insurance against litigation costs. These include court fees, copying documents, paralegals and the defendant’s expenses. As with your solicitor’s fees, you only pay the ATE premium if and after you win compensation.

To see if you can make a faulty gym equipment claim, do not hesitate to contact a legal adviser by calling 0800 470 0474 or entering your details into our online claim form.

Last edited on 18th Jul 2025

With over 15 years’ experience in the legal sector, Nicholas Tate (LLB Hons, LLM in Health Law) has extensive experience across all areas of personal injury and medical negligence claims.