A man who claims he was injured at a Bally Total Fitness club in the Houston area is suing the company and Brunswick Corp., the manufacturer of the equipment, on the grounds of negligence.
In a complaint filed in late March in Harris County (TX) District Court, Melvin Wiggins of Pearland, TX, south of Houston, claims he was injured at the Webster, TX, club in September 2010. Wiggins claims he was trying to perform an exercise on a weight bench while holding 45-pound dumbbells. The weight bench had no screws holding it together, Wiggins claims, causing him to fall to the floor. Wiggins underwent extensive medical care and continues to suffer from injuries, according to the complaint.
R. Keith Weber Jr., the attorney representing Wiggins, says Bally has filed an answer to the complaint and adds that Brunswick Corp. was granted a month’s extension for a response. Brunswick Corp., Lake Forest, IL, is the parent company of Life Fitness, Schiller Park, IL. (Life Fitness is not named in the complaint.)
A Bally spokesperson says the Chicago-based company does not comment on pending legal matters. A spokesperson for Life Fitness says the company does not comment on litigation.