Learn How To Legally Protect Your Gym From A Lawsuit
If you own a small gym, you need to take the time to protect yourself from a potential lawsuit. If someone is injured in the gym, by accident or purposefully, they could sue you for their medical bills, as well as their pain and suffering. There are some people who will target a small business for a lawsuit because they assume that the business owner has not taken the time to properly protect him or herself. Use the following guide to learn how to protect your gym from a lawsuit.
Consent and Liability Form
Meet with an attorney (such as one from Edward J. Achrem & Associates, Ltd.) to have a consent and liability form created. The form will state that an individual who chooses to work out in your gym does so knowing that there are risks and dangers associated with working out in a gym. It will let the person know that they are accountable for any damages that they cause to the gym and that if they are hurt while working out they cannot sue you for the injuries they incur.
Organization and Consistency
It is important to make sure that everyone signs the forms before they work out. If someone does not sign the form, there will be no protection against a lawsuit. It is important to make sure that you keep a copy of every form that is signed and organize them so that you can easily find them when you need them. If you lose any of the forms or they become damaged, you will not be able to use them as proof that the person knew the risk they were taking if you are sued.
Proper Proof of Accounts
It is important to set up security cameras in the gym. You want to be sure that you can prove what really happened, if someone makes a claim that they were injured while they were working out. The camera footage should be time and date stamped to ensure that you are able to prove what today the events took place and at what time. Have the information saved on an online database so that it cannot be stolen or erased by anyone.
If you take the time to implement the tips provided above, you can rest assured that you do not have to worry about paying a huge settlement to someone because they were injured in your gym. The tips are not difficult to do and should be put into place before you even open the doors to your business. Proper protection and planning could make the difference between having a profitable business and having to claim bankruptcy to pay off a settlement that was levied against your business after someone was hurt.