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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to feel like this is a fob off?

37 replies

DreamingOfADifferentMe · 07/07/2017 08:19

A couple of weeks ago, DH was with two of our children at the swanky gym that we use where the kids also have swim lessons. While in the changing rooms, he and my youngest were electrocuted as she touched what she thought was a lego brick, but was actually a live electrical connector. The current went through her and earthed through DH as he'd been touching her, thank goodness. Both said it was really painful, she was left really shaken but thankfully seems OK though has had a series of bad dreams about it, and he had to be checked over as he had nerve damage in his hand which, a fortnight later, is now fine. However, the shock was so intense that had DH not been touching DD, she would have been badly injured or worse.

DH raised it at the time with the gym, and asked for the general manager to get involved. Since then, the GM has been in touch and has admitted the club was negligent, the connector shouldn't have been visible or able to be touched and they've since put in more security measures to ensure it can't happen again. This is great and we're really pleased they've done this.

It's now a difficult situation as they initially offered us a free month's membership as a 'token of our distress', which equates to about £190. DH was furious (this was only a couple of days later) that this was the value the GM was placing on our daughter's welfare and told the GM this much. Since then the GM has offered three months (so about £550) and would like to put the matter to bed. We can't help but feel that this still feels a fob off that just doesn't reflect how serious this was. We've said this to the GM and that we'd rather deal with this at head office level (we're not sure they've been informed), and he's come back, asking what kind of 'package' we're looking for.

Now, this makes me really uncomfortable - we're not looking for financial gain out of this, but at the same time, it feels like what they're offering really doesn't reflect what happened and quite frankly, is no skin off their nose - we'll still be coming into the club, still paying for swim lessons, still buying coffees and so on while we're there so they still benefit. Are we being unreasonable? Or worse, grabby? I hate the whole 'where's there's blame, there's a claim' culture, and am feeling really torn about what to do now.

OP posts:

londonrach · 07/07/2017 08:26

Sounds awful. Id say it needed reporting to health and safety. Why was it live.

Sunnysidegold · 07/07/2017 08:30

What is it that would satisfy you? A written apology?an explanation of how the incident happened and information on how they have taken steps so it doesn't happen again? It sounds like they are offering the freebies so you will not pursue a legal case and are asking you to "name your price". I know you said you are against blame and claim culture but as this was a serious incident and could have been much worse are you thinking you want them to be held accountable in the eyes of the law?

Original poster

DreamingOfADifferentMe · 07/07/2017 08:30

Apparently it shouldn't have been there - it should have been secured beneath the vanity counter. But it wasn't, and they couldn't explain why. We left it with the GM to deal with, whether he's informed Head Office and their legal and health and safety team, I just don't know. I'm surprised we're only dealing with him at a local level as this seems to be just the kind of thing that would be immediately escalated higher.

OP posts:

Original poster

DreamingOfADifferentMe · 07/07/2017 08:33

Sunnyside, I really don't know. At the moment, while we've been given chapter and verse from the GM about how it shouldn't have happened, the fact is that it did. And yes, I'm really pleased that they've taken measures to ensure it won't happen again, but to me, these measures should have been taken so it didn't happen at all, not after a child was electrocuted.

I'm not sure what I want, but yes, maybe a written apology. I'm not sure I want to pursue something legal, but certainly something more than we're being offered now.

OP posts:

mommy2ash · 07/07/2017 08:37

Ok you say you don't want financial gain but what they have offered isn't enough. You aren't able to give a clear idea of your expectations so how are they to satisfy them? If you don't want to deal with the gm contact head office. Have you asked for a written apology? I

Original poster

DreamingOfADifferentMe · 07/07/2017 08:43

Mommy2ash, I know. I can't work out what I would feel was right. Three months feels like an insult, but I don't know what wouldn't, if you know what I mean? And no, we've not asked for anything so far, but we've said to GM that we'd rather deal with Head Office and he's since come back with a 'what package are you looking for?' response.

OP posts:

Onemorewonthurt · 07/07/2017 08:46

I think YABU

DH was furious (this was only a couple of days later) that this was the value the GM was placing on our daughter's welfare and told the GM this much.

What price is your daughter worth then?

In this situation an apology, even their first offer of a free month and definetly the issue being rectified would more than suffice, for me it would anyway. I appreciate it would've been a horrible experience but the only thing that matters is you dd and dh are both ok.

I hate the whole 'where's there's blame, there's a claim' culture

It doesn't sound like your husband feels the same way

Notreallyarsed · 07/07/2017 08:49

Actually I don't think you're being unreasonable at all OP. I wouldn't want monetary offerings, I'd want to see an invoice for the completed works proving it had been made safe and a full inspection by a qualified electrician. Sod a months free gym membership, I'd want a guarantee it was safe!

HipsterHunter · 07/07/2017 08:50

How much is your daughter life worth? Presumably millions to you OP but you won't get hat out of the gym.

And, well, there wasn't actually any damage done to your daughter except a moment of pain.

You just sound grabby now.

TheFaerieQueene · 07/07/2017 08:53

How will money make his better?

TheFaerieQueene · 07/07/2017 08:53

This

Original poster

DreamingOfADifferentMe · 07/07/2017 09:05

Onemore, I totally get that she's priceless and of course we're not looking for millions. And I also get that you see it as grabby but I did say that we weren't looking for financial gain, and we're not. It just feels like it's not being taken particularly seriously.

Thanks all, you've helped in that I think a formal letter of apology from Head Office along with a summary of what they've done to ensure it doesn't happen again will be enough.

OP posts:

SquinkiesRule · 07/07/2017 09:06

I the situation has been fixed and their is no longer access to the electrical circuit, your Dh and Dd are fine, and you still go to this gym, you need to accept the appology and free gym time and move on.
If the danger is still there, contact whoever it needs to be to make them resolve it.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 07/07/2017 09:10

This ^

Your daughter could have died had she not been earthed by the larger form of her DF.

You certainly don't want to risk this happening again to anyone and confirmation that it won't is what you need.

If your DH feels so very stronggly, then he should go to the council's Safety Officer (or whatever they're called) and have the club prosecuted. Or go and make a sad face in your local newspaper, pointing at DH's injured (but now okay) hand.

No matter how much they give you (even if it's actual cash-in-hand) it won't negate the experience for her - however neither of them have had lasting injury, so although this was awful, I can't see what the fuss is about.

Get confirmation that it's now safe, accept the 3 free months and tell your DH to stop whining.

Worse things happen at sea.

Original poster

DreamingOfADifferentMe · 07/07/2017 09:12

Crikey, that's told me!

Thanks all, will indeed go and tell DH to stop whining.

OP posts:

HTK · 07/07/2017 09:13

I get it OP. You hadn't asked for anything, but once they approached YOU with the idea that money may help to make this go away, their offer seemed miserly. "We'll bung em a months free membership, that'll shut them up". At the very least, if they are going to offer money to you for harming your daughter, it needs to look like they are making a bit of an effort.

I think I'd want a telephone conversation with someone a lot higher up, apologising and telling you what internal procedures had happened to ensure this doesn't happen again. For instance, if you knew they had performed a visual check of all their changing rooms across the chain, that would probably make you feel better, whereas Gary the GM trying to bung you £190 probably doesn't.

I also think I would either decide to end the membership at that point, or accept the six months in the knowledge that they are sorry and have taken it seriously.

Onemorewonthurt · 07/07/2017 09:17

Yes you did say you are not looking for a financial gain however, after the one free month was offered if yourself or your dh had stated you do not want anything for free you would not have been offered three months for free and the situation would also not be in a 'what are you looking for if that isn't enough' place.

As for them not taking it seriously, within two weeks they've acknowledged they were at fault, remedied the situation to prevent future issues and offered your family a small gesture

Just enjoyed your membership now!

LaurieFairyCake · 07/07/2017 09:17

You're paying £190 a month for gym membership?

That's so much money I'd kind of expect it to be really well looked after and totally immaculate- is it the Harbour Club?

OstrichRunning · 07/07/2017 09:17

That's an awful thing to have happened. If it were me, I'd think I'd want to report it to whatever the appropriate authority is. I just think if it happened once, even if they've taken measures to address this particular problem, it suggests that they don't have an adequate health and safety policy, or it's not implemented properly.

I wouldn't be at all litigious but again, in this case, I think I'd seek some sort of legal advice. Like, maybe if you took a case part of what you look for would be a significant improvement / investment in their health and safety. And what your dd and dh have been through is just awful - almost traumatic, given it occurred in a place you'd feel completely safe in ... You need better redress than a couple of months' free gym pass.

chirpyburbycheapsheep · 07/07/2017 09:20

Is it something to do with your daughter's experience being 'witnessed' in a wider sense? Having the seriousness completely acknowledged, maybe even publicly? It was a horrible shock (I mean emotionally as well as physically) and I am sure the horror is in the what ifs...what if DH hadn't have been holding your DD's hand? When something that could have been life changing occurs often people need a wider recognition of it than perhaps after a smaller incident. Do you feel they are trying to hide and somehow deny the seriousness of your experience? Does this feel like another 'shock' all over again?

Sorry about poor sentence construction have a fuzzy brain this morning.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 07/07/2017 09:29

paying for swim lessons, still buying coffees and so on while we're there so they still benefit.

Categorically zero reason why you need to do this^^
Join another gym, which if you were genuinely concerned for your children's welfare you would. I agree they should compensate you, and think you should pursue it as far as you can. But you don't need to keep using the gym and buying coffees there. If my child had been hurt somewhere through negligence, I wouldn't take them back.

Jupitar · 07/07/2017 09:30

I got an electric shock from a hairdryer at my gym, I let reception know so that they could remove the hairdryer asap, they offered me and my friend a drink each and that was it.

I know it's hard as your daughter was involved too but there was no permanent injury, I'd accept the 3 months membership and move on.

thenewaveragebear1983 · 07/07/2017 09:30

(Major italics/bold fail in my post sorry!)

joojoobean99 · 07/07/2017 09:34

It's not about being grabby. It's about them learning a valuable lesson and ensuring it doesn't happen to anyone else. I would get as much out of them as possible as that's the only way it will hit them hard and make them realise how serious this incident was. A letter of apology will be nothing to them and will be forgotten about within a day. Whereas having to pay a settlement will raise serious questions with their superiors and force them to look at their safety measures so they won't have to pay anyone else a settlement in the future. It's sad that it works that way, but a financial hit will have more of an impact on how they respond than anything else.

Picklepickle123 · 07/07/2017 09:36

In larger companies, it is more than likely that head office are involved, it's just they have the GM as the point of contact with yourselves as it is a local issue that needs resolving. Essentially the GM deals with the complaint, because he should have done everything in his power to prevent the complaint from happening. I would highly doubt he is not in touch with the company's legal team whilst corresponding with you.

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