A Harris County resident has filed a lawsuit against a local yoga studio, alleging negligence that led to severe personal injuries. Barbara Brounes filed the complaint in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, on July 24, 2024, accusing Yoga Tres, LLC of causing significant harm during a yoga class.
According to the court documents, Brounes was participating in a yoga session on July 24, 2022, when an instructor employed by Yoga Tres allegedly forced her into a "bow pose" without warning or permission. The instructor reportedly grabbed Brounes' wrists and ankles and pulled her into a highly taut position for approximately 20 seconds. Brounes claims that this sudden and forceful action aggravated a pre-existing neck injury she had been treating since an automobile accident on April 7, 2019. "When Plaintiff realized how much pressure was being put on her spine," the document states, "she began squirming in hope that the instructor would release the pose, but the damage had been done."
Brounes asserts that the yoga instructor's actions were negligent and that Yoga Tres is vicariously liable under the doctrine of respondeat superior. Furthermore, she accuses Yoga Tres of failing to properly train its instructors regarding physical interactions with students. After her injury, Yoga Tres reportedly introduced chips indicating whether students welcomed or did not welcome being touched by instructors—a measure Brounes argues should have been in place at the time of her injury.
The plaintiff is seeking monetary relief exceeding $250,000 for past and future medical expenses, physical pain and mental anguish, physical impairment, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity. She also requests pre-judgment and post-judgment interest along with court costs.
Representing herself as a pro se plaintiff, Barbara Brounes is demanding judgment against Yoga Tres for damages within the jurisdictional limits of the court. The case has been assigned Case ID 2024-46760 and will be heard in Harris County's 55th Judicial District Court.