BBC Proms violinist suing Meghan Markle’s ‘favourite’ gym for £100,000 saying she was left disabled by collapsing exercise machine is told injury was her own fault

An acclaimed violinist, who is suing Meghan Markle’s ‘favourite’ celebrity gym for £100,000 claiming she was left ‘disabled’ by a collapsing exercise machine, has been told the injury was her fault. 

Maya Meron, 44, says she suffered a fractured left elbow as well as abdominal injuries after a machine she was using allegedly collapsed at the Heartcore studio in Hampstead, north London.

The mother-of-three, who has appeared at BBC Proms, claims the injuries led to a hernia and also left her unable to play – derailing her international music career.

Heartcore, founded by trainer and designer Jessica Blum, 49, is a pilates based training program where gymgoers use a specialist in-house designed machine, known as the ‘Coreformer’. 

Several celebrities are reportedly fans of the brand’s seven London studios, including the Duchess of Sussex, who declared it was her ‘favourite workout’ in an editorial she penned for of Vogue in 2019.

Maya Meron, 44, (pictured) says she suffered a fractured left elbow as well as abdominal injuries after a machine she was using allegedly collapsed at a Heartcore Studio in North London

The acclaimed violinist arm following an operation on her elbow after the accident in 2019

Mrs Meron, who has played alongside the London Symphony Orchestra, is suing the company alleging the machine was either faulty or she was not properly instructed on how to safely use it.

She is also criticising the design of the ‘Coreformer’ machine, dubbing it an unsafe product.

But lawyers for Heartcore Ltd, in a defence filed at the High Court, are denying any blame and insist that Mrs Meron’s injuries were caused by her own actions. 

In claim documents, Mrs Meron’s barrister Robert Glancy KC describes how the musician was attending a 6pm class at Heartcore’s Hampstead studio on 11 March 2019 when the accident happened.

Her class involved the use of the Coreformer, a bed-like piece of equipment with moving parts, resistance springs and a front bar which can be locked in one of three positions to allow users to perform different manoeuvres whilst resting their hands and bodyweight on it.

Mrs Meron alleges she was told by an instructor to adjust the locking bar on the machine into a horizontal position in a way that she had never done before.

She claims that, although she followed his instructions, the bar collapsed to ground level while she was leaning on it to perform a yoga-inspired ‘downward-facing dog’ manoeuvre.

According to her barrister, the musician experiences pain in her left wrist when she plays and claims she has been left ‘disabled’ by the incident. 

Heartcore, founded by trainer and designer Jessica Blum, reportedly has several celebrity fans including Meghan Markle (pictured)

Mrs Meron says she was told to do the ‘downward facing dog’ position which placed extra force onto the adjusted bar when it collapsed (stock image of a reformer machine)

‘She notes decreased strength particularly in her little finger, which particularly affects her ability to play her musical instrument, he added.

‘The consequences of the ongoing symptoms to the claimant are greater than to another individual who is not so reliant on dextrous motion of their arms for their work.

‘Currently her ongoing symptoms do not permit her return to her work as a professional violinist.

‘The claimant suffered anxiety, stress, anger and frustration, and loss of congenial employment.’

But in the defence to the action, Peter Burns KC, for Heartcore Fitness Ltd, denies all liability and blames the violinist for the incident.

He says she should have known how to operate the machine properly.

‘The claimant was a member of the defendant’s fitness studio and had paid for and attended a total of 43 pilates classes prior to (the accident),’ he says.

‘The claimant well knew the procedure to move the bar between locked positions, including the need to listen for the click and vigorously shake the bar to ensure it was locked in position.’

The defence claims the instructor present knew all attendees present were familiar with the Coreformer, as such he did not need to provide instruction on the machine.

Two members of staff both also reportedly checked the machine used and found no problem with it post accident, he said.

The mother-of-three claims the incident derailed her international music career and left her with pain in her wrist (stock image of a reformer machine)

Lawyers for Heartcore Ltd, in a defence filed at the High Court, are denying any blame and insist that Mrs Meron’s injuries were caused by her own actions (stock image of Heartcore Studio in Hampstead)

‘The machine used was repeatedly used both before and after the accident in question without incident or malfunction of the bar.

‘It is averred that Coreformer machines, including the machine used, was such as persons generally are entitled to expect and that they were reasonably safe.

‘The claimant’s accident and injuries were caused or contributed to by her own negligence in that she failed to ensure that the bar was locked….failed to listen for the click or vigorously shake the bar after setting it in position.’

The case began in Central London County Court, but has now been transferred to the High Court.

The case is set to come to court for trial at a later date.