A Planet Fitness worker in Haddon Township who says he was injured picking up a weightlifting machine was “immediately fired” after asking about worker’s compensation benefits, according to a lawsuit.
Bradley Merkel, 44, of Oaklyn, states in court papers he was tasked on Feb. 12, 2025, with lifting a Smith machine so a co-worker could vacuum underneath.
A Smith machine is an all-in-one weight-training device with a barbell fixed on vertical rails. The machine can weigh several hundred pounds…