Legal Issues Articles

Operating Within Yo u r P r o f e s s i o n a l Bou ndaries "Jane Smith" is a 30-year-old female member at your health club. Although she is extremely thin, she exercises for hours at a time. Since becoming a club member, Jane has spent three hours a week with a staff personal trainer, participated in various classes six to seven days a week, used a treadmill for 45 minutes six days a week and li...

problem solver Protecting Members and Yourself; Taking Over Q: A: Thank you for the February 2001 Problem Solver column, "Dealing With Fellow Instructors' Eating or Exercise Disorders." Recently a colleague of mine encountered this situation with a member of her facility. With regard to getting involved, our staff is concerned about the legal implications, including possible claims of discrimin...

Over the past several issues, we have examined the risks involved in failing to prioritize legal responsibilities in your fitness career and discussed how to actively manage those risks in your daily operations. Now it is time to take the next step and learn about the different categories of legal damages you might have to pay should you be liable for another’s injuries. Although this material can be highly technical, a general understanding of it is indispensable to anyone training clients in today’s highly litigious society.

As a fitness manager, you recognize that certain acts result in legal liability. Injuries caused by worn flooring surfaces, equipment malfunctions and inappropriate program designs exemplify what acts have legal consequences. However, the critical issue is who may be legally responsible for injuries. If one of your personal fitness trainers designs an inappropriate program for a client and that client is injured, who is liable—you or the trainer?

No matter how long you have been in business or how many certificates you hold, chances are that someday you will be faced with a lawsuit. Liability insurance is a means of protecting yourself in that event. There are two types of liability insurance: general liability and professional liability. Both types are designed to protect you from financial losses due to negligence.