Personal trainer at gym caused my injury - does the liability waiver block my lawsuit?

Three weeks ago I was doing a training session with a personal trainer at my gym (Equinox). He had me attempt a heavy deadlift that I told him felt like too much weight. He insisted I could do it and "spotted" me by standing behind me doing nothing useful.

I herniated a disc in my lower back. MRI confirmed L4-L5 herniation. I'm now looking at months of physical therapy, possibly surgery, and I can't work (I have a physical job).

When I joined the gym I signed a liability waiver. Does this mean I can't sue them? The trainer was clearly negligent - I TOLD him the weight was too heavy and he pushed me anyway. My medical bills are already over $8,000 and climbing.

Personal injury attorney here. Liability waivers do NOT protect against gross negligence in most states, including California. A trainer insisting you lift weight you said was too heavy, then failing to properly spot you, could potentially rise to that level.

Key points about gym liability waivers:

• They typically protect against ordinary negligence and inherent risks of exercise
• They generally DON'T protect against gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct
• Some states (like Louisiana, Virginia, Montana) don't enforce these waivers at all
• Even in states that enforce them, courts look at the specific language and circumstances

The waiver is not an automatic bar to your claim. You should consult with a personal injury attorney who handles gym injuries.

Certified personal trainer here (NASM, NSCA). What that trainer did violates basic professional standards. We're taught that the client's comfort level and stated limits should ALWAYS be respected.

Pushing someone to lift weight they've explicitly said is too heavy is dangerous and unprofessional. A proper deadlift spot also doesn't involve standing behind someone - there's a reason most trainers stand to the side.

Not legal advice, but from a professional standards perspective, that trainer was way out of line.

I had a similar situation at LA Fitness in 2023. Trainer had me do an exercise with incorrect form, tore my rotator cuff. The gym tried to hide behind their waiver.

My attorney got me a $45,000 settlement. Turns out the trainer wasn't even properly certified - he'd let his certification lapse. The gym's failure to verify certifications was a separate point of negligence.

Don't assume the waiver means you have no case. Get a free consultation with a PI attorney.

I'm in California. What's the difference between "ordinary negligence" and "gross negligence"? And how do I prove which one this was?

Also, I have health insurance covering most of the medical bills, but I'm losing income because I can't work. Can I recover lost wages too?

Ordinary negligence = failure to use reasonable care. Example: Trainer doesn't notice a weight plate is loose.

Gross negligence = conscious and voluntary disregard of the need for reasonable care, likely to cause foreseeable harm. Example: Trainer ignores explicit warnings that weight is too heavy, creating an obvious risk of injury.

The fact that you verbally told him the weight was too heavy and he dismissed your concerns is significant. An expert witness (like another certified trainer) could testify that ignoring a client's stated limits is a serious deviation from professional standards.

As for damages, yes - you can potentially recover:

• Medical expenses (past and future)
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity if your injury affects your long-term ability to work
• Pain and suffering
• Any out-of-pocket expenses related to the injury

Question for the attorneys: even if the waiver does apply, wouldn't the gym still be liable under respondeat superior for their employee's actions? Or does the waiver cover that too?

Good question. Respondeat superior (employer liability for employee actions) would make the gym vicariously liable for the trainer's negligence. The waiver would still be the threshold question though.

However, there could also be separate claims for the gym's OWN negligence:

• Negligent hiring (did they properly vet the trainer?)
• Negligent supervision (was there adequate oversight?)
• Negligent retention (any prior incidents with this trainer?)
• Failure to maintain proper safety protocols

These are separate from the trainer's direct negligence and might be evaluated differently under the waiver.

OP - DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Write down exactly what happened while it's fresh in your mind. If there were any witnesses at the gym, try to get their contact info. See if you can find out if the gym has security cameras that might have recorded the session.

Also, did you communicate with the gym after the injury? Keep copies of any emails, texts, or written correspondence. If they admitted fault or offered to pay anything, that could be useful.

Thanks @RebeccaDaniels_OC - I've been documenting everything. The gym manager called me the day after to "check in" and ask how I was doing. I recorded the call (California is two-party consent but I told him I was recording for my records). He said the trainer "should have listened to your concerns" - which feels like a partial admission?

There was another member nearby who saw what happened. I got his phone number before I left. He seemed sympathetic.

That recording could be valuable. "Should have listened to your concerns" is an acknowledgment that there was something wrong with the trainer's conduct. Smart move letting him know you were recording - keeps it admissible.

A witness who saw the interaction (you telling the trainer the weight was too heavy) is excellent. That's direct evidence supporting your version of events.

I strongly recommend you consult with a personal injury attorney soon. Many PI attorneys offer free consultations and work on contingency (no fee unless you win). Given what you've described - explicit warning ignored, injury resulting, partial admission by management, witness corroboration - you likely have a viable case despite the waiver.

Former Equinox trainer here (left in 2024). Just want to add - Equinox trainers are supposed to follow a specific assessment protocol before having clients attempt heavy lifts. There should have been several progressive sessions before going to weights heavy enough to cause this kind of injury.

If this was your first or second session, or if he skipped the assessment process, that's another potential violation of their internal policies. Your attorney might be able to subpoena their training protocols.

@JamesT_Fitness - This was my THIRD session with him. He did do some assessment in the first session but jumped to heavy compound lifts way faster than I expected. There was no real progressive buildup.

I'm meeting with a PI attorney on Monday. Based on this thread I feel much more confident that I have a case. Will update once I know more.

Great discussion. Summary for anyone finding this thread later:

• Gym liability waivers protect against ordinary negligence but typically NOT gross negligence
• Ignoring a client's explicit safety concerns may constitute gross negligence
• Gyms can be liable for their own negligence (hiring, supervision, policies) separately from trainer negligence
• Document everything: what happened, witnesses, communications with gym
• Most PI attorneys offer free consultations - get professional legal advice for your specific situation

UPDATE: Met with the attorney. She reviewed everything - my account, the witness statement, the recorded call with the manager, and the waiver I signed.

She's taking my case on contingency. She said the fact that I explicitly told the trainer the weight was too heavy, combined with the manager's admission that he "should have listened," creates a strong argument for gross negligence that the waiver doesn't cover.

She's also looking into whether the trainer was properly certified and whether Equinox followed their own protocols. She sent a preservation letter to prevent them from deleting any security footage or training records.

Still in physical therapy but feeling more optimistic. This thread gave me the confidence to pursue this instead of just accepting the injury as "my fault for signing a waiver." Thank you all!