San Diego Ski and Snowboard Accident Lawyers
Californians as a whole are active, outdoorsy people, and with a handful of ski resorts located just a short drive from San Diego, including Bear Mountain, Snow Valley Mountain and Mammoth Mountain, it’s no wonder skiing and snowboarding are two favorite pastimes of San Diego residents. Sadly though, while skiing and snowboarding can be fun and exhilarating when the proper safety precautions are taken, accidents do happen, and these types of accidents often involve collisions with other skiers, equipment failure, inadequate slope maintenance or improper ski lift operation, which means they could have easily been avoided. If you have suffered injuries in a ski or snowboard accident near San Diego, you may or may not be able to pursue financial compensation for your losses, depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident. Contact our San Diego personal injury lawyers at DAG Law Firm today to find out what monetary damages you may be entitled to.
Affordable San Diego Ski and Snowboard Accident Attorney
Our San Diego attorneys have experience handling personal injury claims involving ski and snowboard accidents that occurred because of the negligent or reckless actions of another person or party. With our help, you may be able to prove that the other person or party failed to exercise a reasonable level of care in preventing your accident from occurring, which is key to seeking monetary damages in this type of personal injury case. We are passionate about protecting the rights of ski and snowboard accident victims in San Diego and across southern California, and will work hard to help you pursue the maximum amount of compensation available for your claim.
Injuries Resulting from a Ski and Snowboard Accident
Skiing and snowboarding are extremely popular activities among residents of San Diego and other parts of southern California. However, there are great, unforeseen risks that go along with these activities, including but not limited to the possibility of chairlifts and gondolas malfunctioning, which could result in a fall from great heights, defective bindings causing a skier to lose control, and improperly marked or maintained slopes, which can create a significant danger for skiers and snowboarders traveling down the mountain at great speeds. Many skiers and snowboarders in San Diego have suffered catastrophic and life-changing injuries when safety was not valued as a top priority by the resort owner or another careless person or party. Some possible injuries resulting from a ski or snowboard accident may include:
- Concussion
- Broken bones
- Knee or leg injury
- Arm or shoulder injury
- Sprains
- Dislocation injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Head injury
- Whiplash
- Torn ligaments
- Neck injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Back injury
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death
Common Types of Ski and Snowboard Accidents
Each time skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes, they assume that, from the bindings on their skis to the maintenance of the ski lift, to the condition of the mountain, great care has been exercised in making the experience reasonably safe. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. There are many avoidable ski and snowboard accidents that occur because of the unanticipated actions of another person or party, and in these cases, the skier or snowboarder is the one who suffers the consequences. Some of the most common types of avoidable ski and snowboard accidents include:
- Collisions with out-of-control skiers or snowboarders
- Collisions with movable objects, like ditched boards or skis
- Accidents resulting from defective equipment, such as the failure of bindings to properly release
- Accidents caused by poorly lit or poorly located signs
- Ski lift accidents due to negligent design, operation or maintenance of the lift
- Accidents caused by ski area negligence, such as improper slope maintenance, failure to mark a known hazard, or inadequate avalanche control
- Accidents caused by obstructions on the slope
- Accidents caused by negligence of a ski instructor, such as failing to provide proper safety instructions or leading ski students into excessively challenging terrain
Determining Liability in a San Diego Ski and Snowboard Accident
Due to the inherently risky nature of a sport that involves speeding down a mountain on a snowboard or a pair of skis, many skiers and snowboarders mistakenly believe that they assume all risks on the slopes. It’s true, California law dictates that any individual who engages in the sport of skiing or snowboarding assumes and accepts the inherent risks associated with the sport, meaning those dangers and conditions that are an integral part of the sport, if these risks are reasonably obvious, foreseeable or necessary to the activities. However, if a ski or snowboard accident occurs because of the negligence or recklessness of another person or party, the injured person may be able to recover monetary damages for the resulting medical bills, lost wages, emotional trauma and other losses. For example, it is the duty of ski slope owners and operators to maintain a safe ski area and properly mark hazards on the slope, and if an accident occurs because of their failure to do so, that person or party may be held liable for the accident, even if the skier signed a waiver releasing them of responsibility.
Seeking Compensation for a San Diego Ski and Snowboard Accident
If you suffered serious injuries in a ski or snowboard accident near San Diego, California ski law may place certain limitations on your ability to recover financial compensation. However, if the accident was caused by the negligence or recklessness of another skier, a ski or snowboard manufacturer, a ski slope owner or operator, or another party, you may be able to hold that person or party liable for your injuries and financial losses. In the aftermath of a serious ski or snowboard accident, you may spend a great deal of time recovering from your injuries, unable to work or support your family, in which case recovering damages from the at-fault party is critical. With our personal injury attorneys on your side, you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries and taking care of your family, while we represent your case in court and help you recover the financial compensation you deserve.
Free Ski and Snowboard Accident Consultation in San Diego
The most tragic thing about California ski and snowboard accidents is that many of these accidents could have been prevented had safety been the top priority. In terms of the legal rights of the injured party, ski and snowboard accidents are unique in that those who participate in the sport accept the dangers or conditions that are considered an integral part of the sport. However, there are many types of ski and snowboard accidents that fall outside the realm of these “inherent risks,” and these are the accidents that tend to have the most devastating consequences. Our attorneys at DAG Law Firm understand the considerable burden a ski or snowboard accident puts on the injured individual and his loved ones, and we will work tirelessly to help you recover the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Contact DAG Law Firm today to speak to a qualified personal injury lawyer about the possibility of filing a ski or snowboard accident claim in San Diego.
