Trainer in legal trouble?

[efq]

At my place where I am studying and training to hopefully become a Paramedic, we have a lot of Physical Training involved in the course. The Physical Training is based around the same PT the army use, so it is intense and the trainers aren't nice at all. So yeah the discipline is through the roof and if you aren't in rank correctly or not standing straight, you are down for 50 press ups or holding whatever weight they see fit above your head for as long as they want you too.

Lets clear the basics up, this was a quite a few weeks ago and the trainer involved in this situation who goes by the name Chris, who's an ex Paratrooper and looks like the incredible hulk was taking our class on this Friday afternoon. He is the toughest, strictest and meanest trainer out of the lot, who doesn't smile and practically barges everyone in the corridor, basically everyone ***** a brick when they see him.

Anyway, our group was a 1 minute and 5 seconds late to Chris' physical training lesson and Chris wasn't having any of it. Although the reason of being late was valid, but that's not the point, we deal with punishments all the time, even if the excuse was we were stuck at gun point lmao.

He decided, we would be "punished". This punishment consisted of everyone getting into pairs. Partner 1 would hold up Partner 2's legs, Partner 1 would then have to take 2 steps on there hands, then go down for 3 press ups, then 2 more steps and down again, until they went across the WHOLE sports hall and back. This exercise is like the wheel barrow, but obviously with the press up's involved is a lot intense.

Heres the twist. I had told Chris that I had a curved spine and back problems and I strongly advise I don't do this and that I had a spine and head MRI the next week. He blow me off and told me he didn't care and said get on with it.

So I did it, but then since then my back problems have got a lot worst and I have had to take weeks off. I have also started to lose vision in my right eye, going deaf in my right ear and complete numbness down the right side of my body.

After I started losing my sight, hearing and numbness my doctors fast tracked my MRI so they could see if a Brain Tumour was obvious in the scans to explain the problems above. Whilst I was waiting for my MRI's, I was attending PT sessions weeks after but not participating because of the problems. He came over to me and said in his tough, intimidating voice "Why aren't you doing it?". As there were people around and I didn't want to blurt out "Oh just waiting to see if I have a brain tumour wbu?" I politely said to him "I am awaiting results for a serious problem back from my doctors." To which he replied "I don't really care, take part or go find yourself something to do in reception." and then walked away.

Personally, I found that damn right rude, disrespectful and unprofessional. The whole story and events that occurred where unprofessional to me.

Anyway, I told my doctor that even though I said you told me not to do that stuff and I didn't want to do it but he forced me, my doctors were outraged as were my parents.

We are looking to complain because at the moment I am popping well over 30 pills to deal with pain, movement and my senses and that isn't a life for an 18 year old.

But do you think that the trainer or place would be in trouble if we complained? Or that I shouldn't be in trouble and actually I'm entitled to something after the damage they've caused?

[:odey:]

I guess the case would be, that he wouldn't have physically forced you to do it, I guess? Would he?

You could have just stood your ground & walked out / left etc?

If that really wasn't the option, I'm still not sure you'd have a case, because it would be your word against his I guess?

[efq]

I guess the case would be, that he wouldn't have physically forced you to do it, I guess? Would he?

You could have just stood your ground & walked out / left etc?

If that really wasn't the option, I'm still not sure you'd have a case, because it would be your word against his I guess?

This trainer DOES force you. He's very egotistical. You don't walk out on these teachers, nobody would ever ever dare. He also caused a girl my age, who had back problems, to fracture her vertebrae in that some lesson, she didn't realise but then we had to go to this camp trip a few weeks later and made to do ridiculous things again which really has messed her up for good. She also has

Nobody had ever done this exercise before, and the wheelbarrow exercise size is a complex exercise in its-self, when doing a press ups with your feet elevated exercise both people need to know how to get the back straight, now add walking on your hands with the push ups. Nobody had done this before and we were all certain our tutor told us last week this exercise was banned anyway.

But me and another girl have been out for weeks since that lesson, which both our doctors said that we should have never been forced or pressured into doing that. Especially when the trainer knew about the back problems?

Since that lesson, her doctors is almost guaranteed she has scheuermann's disease, which would've been there before. Now he ignored her reasons as well and now practically has a fractured vertebrae, under the term Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis too.

I think that the one lesson, that he has done this, he has not done this since and no other trainer has, that 2 people are instantly out for weeks because of back problems? I think that must say something? Also the place of study isn't exactly great on the communication front and have been ignoring her, her parents, mine, my parents emails for weeks.

The class witnessed and heard me warning him and him blowing me off.
Also two friends of mine heard his rudely and disrespectfully blow off my brain tumour excuse. Also like I said, there is also a girl who has got serious injuries since that event.

[Kushja]

Absolutely you can take this to court, both the trainer and company/course providers would be in trouble. You were scared for your life, by his intimidating ways and tone of voice; the fact you informed him of your back problems etc is enough, no way under any circumstance should you feel pushed into doing something you feel could (and has) mess(ed) you up more.

Providing the college/course/company etc were also informed of your problems/injuries (doesn't matter if not) then you have enough to sue or claim compensation. I suggest you go to a solicitor (apply legal-aid if possible) and discuss this with them, how you felt pushed to do it after warning him of your injuries and that it'd only make them worse etc..

You have a good case, get on it.

[efq]

Absolutely you can take this to court, both the trainer and company/course providers would be in trouble. You were scared for your life, by his intimidating ways and tone of voice; the fact you informed him of your back problems etc is enough, no way under any circumstance should you feel pushed into doing something you feel could (and has) mess(ed) you up more.

Providing the college/course/company etc were also informed of your problems/injuries (doesn't matter if not) then you have enough to sue or claim compensation. I suggest you go to a solicitor (apply legal-aid if possible) and discuss this with them, how you felt pushed to do it after warning him of your injuries and that it'd only make them worse etc..

You have a good case, get on it.

That's what we thought but weren't sure. I have been put out of college and work for weeks because of it. I am limited in movement sometimes and on a cocktail of medication no 18 year old should have to be on.

[Inseriousity.]

That sounds very bad and I think you'd have a strong case here as he's failed in his duty of care although I would have probably went with the "oh just waiting to see if I have a brain tumour, wbu?' response just to see his face. That being said, he did say go to reception and find something else to do so that would probably be his defence.

[efq]

I've just got back from the doctors who's documenting everything. I have also been prescribed a sedative now as I can never sleep.

This is what I have to take daily because of it (despite already being on tons of meds for other reasons):
Tramadol
Amitriptyline
Cyclizine
Zopiclone
Naproxen
Dihydrocodeine
1000MG Paracetamol sometimes

Those are extreme tablets for an 18 year old.


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[scottish]

not reading all the replies but end of days its your fault

he isn't holding a gun at your head threatening to kill you if you don't do it

if you're told not to do it then you should of went to the reception like he said or simply refused, instead of going along with it.

you didn't warn him of whats exactly wrong and no doubt the place didn't tell him either (if they even know?), you said you were getting 'serious results' back from the doctor, i'm sure they've never heard an excuse like that in their life.

[Red]

I got so into reading this story that I missed my train stop... awkward!!
That man sounds like an absolute douche, still thinking he is in the armed forces. How unprofessional that they are ignoring your emails.Yes, I would definitely persue the matter further. The girl should too.

[mrwoooooooo]

He didn't force you to do it.

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