Comedian Milanka Brooks pursues legal action against SportsDirect.Com Fitness Ltd after her mother tragically died from heatstroke in a sauna.
Milanka Brooks, a television comedy actress known for her roles in popular series such as ‘Benidorm’, ‘The Windsors’, and ‘My Family’, is currently engaged in legal action against SportsDirect.Com Fitness Ltd, the owner of the Everlast gym chain. This lawsuit follows the tragic death of her mother, Mileva Brooks, who passed away from heatstroke after a sauna incident at the Everlast gym located in Cheltenham, England.
The incident occurred on August 26, 2022, when the 75-year-old former model, who had been a member of the gym for six months, collapsed in the sauna. Members of the gym alerted staff when they noticed she was unresponsive and experiencing breathing difficulties. Following her collapse, she was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to her condition three days later. A coroner’s inquest held in September 2023 confirmed the cause of death as heatstroke, with the assistant coroner for Gloucestershire, Roland Wooderson, noting that Mileva’s body temperature was measured at 39.2 degrees centigrade when paramedics arrived.
Milanka Brooks is suing the gym chain for damages that she estimates could exceed £50,000 but are capped at £100,000. The legal action is filed at London’s High Court, where she is proceeding as the administratrix of her mother’s estate under the Fatal Accidents Act of 1976. In her legal claims, she is seeking compensation for “personal injury and consequential losses” associated with her mother’s death.
In her online posts, Milanka has expressed the depth of her relationship with her mother, referring to her as “the light and inspiration of my life,” her “partner in crime,” and her “best friend in the world.” This personal tragedy has evidently had a profound impact on her, and she is now pursuing a case against a company that operates nearly 60 branches of Everlast gyms across the UK, following their acquisition of several locations from DW Sports Fitness in 2020.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the spotlight remains on her case against SportsDirect.Com Fitness Ltd, prompting discussions around health and safety in gym facilities, particularly where amenities such as saunas are concerned. The outcome of this lawsuit could have implications for the responsibilities of gym operators in ensuring the safety of their members while using such facilities.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative is recent, referencing an incident in 2022 and an inquest in 2023. However, the lawsuit outcomes or developments since then are not detailed, which slightly reduces the score.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
There are no direct quotes from external sources found in this passage. However, the personal descriptions of Milanka’s relationship with her mother appear original and haven’t been obviously sourced from prior publications.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Independent, which is generally considered a reliable publication. The context and details align with what one would expect from such a source.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The details of the incident and legal action seem plausible given the context. The narrative does not contain any obvious inconsistencies with known events or facts.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears to be a factual account of an incident and subsequent legal action, supported by details that align with what would be expected from a reliable source. There are no glaring inconsistencies or unverifiable claims, though some updates since the inquest would enhance freshness.
