A lawsuit filed by the family of a girl who claims she was injured using Cybex equipment was moved last Friday from a circuit court to a United States District Court in Tennessee.
The lawsuit, Reimold et al v. Cybex International Inc., was originally filed Sept. 2 in the Circuit Court for Knox County, Tennessee. The case was removed and placed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Knoxville Division. The plaintiffs are Catherine Reimold and her parents, Peter and Tricia Reimold.
Catherine Reimold says in the lawsuit that on Sept. 4, 2010, she lost control of the weight plate guide portion of a Cybex lateral pull-down machine. The result was injuries to Reimold’s second, third and fourth fingers on her right hand, which required surgery. Reimold was 17 at the time of the event, which occurred in Knox County, but the complaint does not specify an exact location.
The Reimolds say that Cybex, Medway, MA, was negligent in the manner in which the weight exercise station was designed and manufactured.
In addition to injuries to her hand, Reimold says she sustained medical expenses and pain and suffering—both past and future—loss of pleasures of and enjoyment of life, and impairment of any earning capacity, as well as other costs and damages. The Reimolds seek an award of up to $300,000.
Cybex said in a statement that it is aware of the lawsuit.
“We don’t feel the claim has any merit; and we will vigorously defend it,” the company said.
The attorneys for the Reimolds have not immediately responded to a request for comment.
Last spring, Cybex received a stay of enforcement on a $66 million judgment in the Barnhard v. Cybex International Inc. product liability lawsuit. The jury found Cybex 75 percent liable for the judgment.
Cybex reported double-digit sales growth for the fourth consecutive quarter Tuesday as it released its third quarter 2011 financials.