Hospital worker sues gym for $300K claiming she can’t work full-time after suffering a back injury when her buff personal trainer pushed her ‘too hard during a workout – ‘forcing’ her to do deadlifts and leg presses
- Wendy Milkins, 63, is suing her personal trainer over injuries suffered at the gym
- She filed a civil claim against Goodlife Gym and her trainer Brett Lloyd-Matthews
- Ms Milkins is suing them for $328,000 in damages and lost earnings from injury
- In court papers she claims she was off work for months and had two surgeries
A hospital ward clerk is suing a popular gym and her personal trainer over a serious injury she claims was caused when she was pushed too hard during a workout.
Wendy Rose Milkins, 63, claims she was left unable to work full-time after injuring her lower back while exercising at Goodlife Fitness Centre Robina, on the Gold Coast.
Ms Milkins filed a civil suit in the Brisbane District Court against Goodlife Operations and her personal trainer Brett Lloyd-Matthews in November.
She is claiming $328,323 in damages and lost wages.
In court papers filed as part of her claim, Ms Milkins alleges the incident happened in December 2016 when she was participating in a personal training session with Lloyd-Matthews – and that she has ‘been through hell’ in the three years since.
Personal trainer Brett Lloyd-Matthews (pictured) is being sued by a former client who claims she suffered a serious injury to her back when he pushed her too hard during an exercise
Wendy Rose Milkins (pictured), 63, is claiming $328,323 in damages in Brisbane District Court from Lloyd-Matthews and Goodlife Operations, the company in charge of the Goodlife Robina gym where her incident occurred
‘I still have nerve problems in my lower left limb down to my foot which was caused by the nerve in the back being squashed in the incident,’ Ms Milkins told Daily Mail Australia.
‘It was hell at the time. It was worse pain than having a baby and it was every day for about four months where I could hardly walk.
‘I was at the stage where I was ready to do anything to stop the pain. It was so severe that I wasn’t even sure if the painkillers were working.’
In a statement of claim, Ms Milkins says that after a brief warm-up she was instructed to perform a series of deadlifts, during which she felt a twinge in her lower back.
Despite raising her concerns over the injury, Ms Milkins claims she was told to move onto leg pushes, she alleges in the document.
Lloyd-Matthews then instructed her to move onto a squat machine during which she claims that despite her injury, on the last of her three sets the weight was increased.
During that exercise she felt another strain in her back and immediately stopped.
Moments later Ms Milkins claims her back gave way, leaving her struggling to walk.
Ms Milkins – who works as a ward clerk at a private hospital – suffered a lumbar spine injury, sciatica and back pain, and underwent two surgeries.
In court papers filed as part of her civil suit, Ms Milkins claims that she injured her back during a personal training session but that when she told Lloyd-Matthews he moved her to a different machine where she suffered further injury
Ms Milkins told Daily Mail Australia the incident at Goodlife Robina (pictured) left her going through ‘hell’. Goodlife Operations and Lloyd-Matthews are yet to respond to her claim.
Her injuries left her requiring five months off work, before she returned when able to do only restricted duties.
In her claim, Ms Milkins alleges that both the gym and Lloyd-Matthews failed in their duty to ensure safe work practices and guidelines.
She alleges that Lloyd-Matthews acted ‘recklessly and carelessly’ in that he did not properly ‘spot’ Ms Milkins when she was performing her exercises.
The claim also states that she was being instructed to perform exercises beyond her experience, fitness level and ability.
Goodlife Operations and Lloyd-Matthews are yet to respond to the claim.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Goodlife Operations, Brett Lloyd-Matthews and Ms Milkins for comment.