Suit Says "Unreasonably Dangerous" Exercise Bike Tore Minor's Fingers Off

A mother has filed a personal injury suit against the manufacturers of an exercise bicycle after her unattended child lost his fingers when his hand got caught in the equipment.

On July 19, Josh and Diane Willeford, individually and as next friend of minor L.W., filed suit in Sherman, Texas against Romfab, a.k.a. Four Minute Workout, a.k.a. Fastexercise.

On December 7, 2009, Diane Willeford was at work at Fast Fitness, with her 5-year-old sons, identified as W.W. and L.W. due to their minor status, and her sister. The complaint said L.W. “wanted to ‘exercise,’ so Diane took him to one of the R.O.M. bicycles.

Diane watched as he rode the bicycle when her sister called her. She stepped approximately 10 feet from the bicycle when she heard her son screaming. The suit says that due to there being no protective guard on the bicycle, L.W. had his hand caught between the flywheel and chain, causing his fingers to be torn off.

L.W. received ambulance transport to the hospital, but in spite of efforts to reattach his fingers, two fingers remained amputated and another finger was severely damaged and required additional surgery.