HOUSTON – Dustin Brown is seeking more than $1 million in damages from Titan Fitness (Fitness Connection) after a personal trainer allegedly “pressed him far beyond his physical limits” two years ago.
The suit was filed May 26 in Harris County District Court, also naming UBF Texas and John Doe as defendants.
According to the lawsuit, on March 14, 2018, Brown, who was 23 at the time, purchased a membership to the Baytown gym, hoping to add body weight and muscle to his thin frame.
Brown, who contends a Fitness Connection sales rep upsold its personal trainers, relied on the representation that paying for one-on-one sessions would ensure he reaches his goals.
On April 16, 2018, Brown has his first workout session and it “became abundantly clear that the Trainer (John Doe) was entirely incapable of providing personalized training based on Plaintiff’s physical abilities.”
“Although it was well known that Plaintiff was a beginner, the Trainer pressed Plaintiff far beyond his physical limits,” the suit states. “Each time Plaintiff pled for help and complained that the weights he was being forced to lift were too heavy for him, the Trainer demanded that Plaintiff complete even more repetitions rather than lighten the weight or help him.”
Each time Brown paused, the trainer demanded he complete even more repetitions, the suit states.
And when Brown asked for a water break to rest, the trainer refused.
“Immediately thereafter, Plaintiff experienced loss of balance and excruciating pain in his legs and had difficulty walking,” the suit states. “Soon after leaving the Gym that day, Plaintiff started urinating blood and was eventually rushed to the hospital where he was diagnosed with Rhabdomyolysis.”
Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which skeletal muscle tissue dies, releasing substances into the blood that cause kidney failure.
Brown is accusing the defendants of gross negligence, entitling him to punitive damages.
He is also seeking damages for his alleged mental anguish, pain, impairment, medical expenses, lost wages and loss of enjoyment of life.
Houston attorney Obaid Shariff represents him.
Case No. 2020-31554