Former heavyweight great Mike Tyson rushed to his four-year-old daughter's side after she was critically injured while riding a treadmill. Exodus Tyson, 4, is on life support.
The treadmill accident happened on Monday in Tyson's home. The boxer's 7-year-old son found Exodus next to the exercise machine. According to police, a cord hanging beneath the treadmill's console was around her neck. They think that she either put her head in the loop or that she slipped and the cord ended up on her, acting like a noose.
Treadmill Accidents
While treadmills are commonly used in home gyms and at workout centers and may seem harmless enough to adults that walk or run on the machine to burn calories, these fitness machines can pose a danger to kids. According to doctors at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, at least 12 children whose hands have gotten entangled in the machines sustained serious abrasions. 6 of these child victims had to undergo surgery to avoid permanent damage to their fingers. The majority of the treadmill accidents that the doctors studied took place close to the back of the machine where the belt wraps under the exercise machine.
Adults have also been known to sustain personal injuries from a treadmill. One woman filed a personal injury lawsuit when the treadmill she was riding went faster instead of slowing down and stopping. Josephina Quarta ended up on her back and her right foot became severed after her leg got caught in the machine. She also sustained permanent injuries on her body and to her nervous system. Quarta sued multiple parties for personal injury, including the recreation center where she was injured, the treadmill manufacturer, and the company in charge of servicing the treadmill.
In 2004, a man was awarded $9 million for his treadmill lawsuit. Christopher Berrier sustained serious spinal injuries when he was thrown from a treadmill while exercising at a health club. The personal injury lawsuit defendants included the gym and the treadmill maker.
If you or someone you love was seriously injured because a product was improperly designed or malfunctioned or the manufacturer failed to warn of a potential hazard, an Orange County, California products liability law firm can help you explore your legal options.
Mike Tyson's daughter on life support after choking accident, Los Angeles Times, May 26, 2009
Man gets $9M in treadmill lawsuit, NWI Times, April 27, 2004
Related Web Resources:
Products Liability Overview, Justia
Treadmill: Overview, Injury Board
Our Anaheim products liability lawyers are here for you to discuss your Orange County, California personal injury case.
