Whether you’ve been injured due to poor ski area maintenance or because of another skier’s negligence, we can fight to win you the financial compensation you deserve.
Why Hire a Lakewood Ski and Snowboard Accident Attorney?
Colorado’s skiing laws can make things very unclear for ski injury victims. It’s normal to be confused or unsure about whether you have any legal standing. So what can you do next?
Our Lakewood ski and snowboard accident attorneys can help you determine who was at fault for your accident and fight for you to be paid the compensation you deserve. Even if you signed a waiver, there might be scenarios where the waiver is void.
Equipped with impressive experience and specialist resources, we don’t give in to the bullying and delaying tactics of ski resorts and their insurers.
Contact Lakewood Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.
Lakewood Skiing Accident Facts and Statistics:
According to SafeSlopes Colorado:
- Skiing injuries are the leading cause of serious recreational injuries in Colorado.
- Ski areas have the highest number and rate of workplace injuries in Colorado.
- In 2018/19:
- 8,003 skiers made ER visits.
- 1,577 had ambulance transport (22% were neck or head injuries)
- 684 hospital admissions.
| Nature of Injury | % of Records |
| Fractures | 72.8 |
| Internal Organ Injury | 18.6 |
| Superficial and Contusion | 1.8 |
| Open Wound | 1.7 |
| Dislocation | 1.6 |
| Unspecified Injury | 0.8 |
| Blood Vessel | 0.6 |
What’s Colorado’s Law for Ski Accidents?
Colorado’s ski industry has an annual worth of around $4.8 billion and supports over 46,000 jobs. The industry’s importance to our state has created a legal landscape that provides Lakewood ski resorts with extensive liability protection.
The Ski Safety Act
Colorado’s Ski Safety Act (C.R.S. §§ 33-44-104) often allows ski resorts to avoid being sued. They are immune from any ‘injury resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing.’
The Ski Safety Act effectively places responsibility on skiers to stay safe. It states:
“Each skier expressly accepts and assumes the risk of and all legal responsibility for any injury to person or property resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing.”
What Are the ‘Inherent Dangers and Risks of Skiing’?
The Ski Safety Act includes the following as dangers that a ski resort is immune from being liable for:
- Changing weather conditions.
- Snow conditions as they exist or change.
- Surface or subsurface conditions – such as forest growth, bare spots, rocks and other natural terrains.
- Impact with lift towers, signs, posts, fences, hydrants or other man-made structures.
- Variations in steepness or terrain.
- Snowmaking or grooming operations – such as roads, jumps, catwalks and freestyle terrain.
- Collisions with other skiers.
- Failure of skiers to ski within their own abilities.
If you’ve been injured at a ski resort and are unsure of whether you can make a claim, it is always best to contact our Lakewood ski and snowboard accident attorneys for a free consultation.
Negligence of Ski Resorts
The Ski Safety Act doesn’t excuse ski resorts from their own negligence. Accidents caused by improper maintenance of ski lifts, equipment, mark trails and facilities may all be claimed against.
Falls from chair lifts, unsafe loading and defective equipment may make the ski area operator liable for your injuries.
Ski Lift Accidents
Liability for ski life cases usually falls on the ski resort. However, they frequently ask their guests to sign waivers. Depending on the circumstances, the waiver may be void as the resort must follow ski lift regulations.
Ski lift accidents usually involve falls from dangerous heights with extremely expensive medical bills. Most victims will then have to go through a long period of rehabilitation.
If you’ve been injured in a ski lift accident, then you deserve compensation for your suffering. Our Lakewood ski and snowboard accident attorneys can help fight on your behalf.
Malfunctioning Bindings
In the past, we have seen injuries resulting from malfunctioning bindings of the equipment. Loose bindings can force skiers and snowboarders to lose control and have a serious accident.
Our Lakewood ski and snowboard accident attorneys can work to determine whether the ski resort or manufacturer is liable for your injuries, before preparing a claim that can win you the compensation you deserve.
Collision With Other Skiers
Although you accept that skiing comes with an inherent risk, that doesn’t mean you’d accept someone to collide with you. Skiing is not hockey; it’s not a contact sport.
Colorado law holds skiers responsible for their behavior. Any reckless behavior or failure to maintain a lookout could leave them liable after a collision. The law also states that an uphill skier is presumed to be at fault in collisions.
In most cases, ski patrol will investigate an accident and complete a report that can be later used to support your claim. However, many ski patrols will refuse to release the report unless subpoenaed by an attorney.
In brief, all skiers in Colorado must:
- Ski within their ability and avoid dangerous or reckless behavior that could harm themselves and other skiers.
- If a collision occurs with another skier, the uphill skier is presumed to be at fault.
- After a collision, all skiers involved must stop, provide aid and exchange names, contact details and identification.
- Ski patrol must be notified of any injuries and skiers involved will be required to provide a witness statement.
If another skier has hit you, contact our Lakewood ski and snowboard accident attorneys. We can gather evidence to build a robust case linking the other person’s negligence to your injuries.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Ski or Snowboard Accident Claim or Lawsuit in Lakewood?
Colorado’s Statute of Limitations limits the time you have to file a personal injury claim to two years from the date of injury (§13-80-102 and §13-80-101).
Common Injuries Suffered in Ski and Snowboard Accidents in Lakewood:
- Asphyxiation
- Back, shoulder, and neck injury
- Brain Injury
- Blunt Trauma
- Chest injuries
- Crushing injury
- Eye injury
- Fractures and broken bones
- Head injury, including concussion
- Orthopedic Injuries
- Paralysis
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Whiplash
What Damages Could I Recover for a Ski or Snowboard Accident in Lakewood?
Our Lakewood ski and snowboard accident attorneys have helped victims recover damages such as:
Economic Damages
- Medical Expenses (past and future, since the date of the accident)
- Rehabilitation Costs
- Treatment Costs
- Lost Wages
- Loss of Future Earnings
- In-Home Care Expenses
- Childcare Costs
- Medical Equipment Costs
- Transportation Expenses
Non-Economic Damages
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life
- Loss of Consortium
- Depression
- PTSD
- Pain and Suffering
- Mental Anguish
- Scarring / Disfigurement
- Long-Term Disability
- Potential Punitive Damages
- Property Damage
- Wrongful Death
What if a Loved One Has Died in a Skiing Accident?
In the worst-case scenario where a loved one has died in a skiing or snowboarding accident, you can file a wrongful death claim.
These claims are designed to help the surviving families recover expenses such as medical bills, lost wages, funeral costs and compensation for their suffering.
In this scenario, you can contact Lakewood Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.
Popular Colorado Skiing Resorts
Lakewood Personal Injury Lawyers regularly help people at locations including, but not limited, to:
- Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
- Beaver Creek Ski Resort
- Breckenridge Ski Resort
- Copper Mountain Resort
- Echo Mountain Resort
- Eldora Mountain Resort
- Granby Ranch
- Keystone Ski Resort
- Loveland Ski Area
- Ski Cooper
- Vail Ski Resort
- Winter Park Resort
- And more
Contact a Ski and Snowboard Accident Attorney in Lakewood, CO
Free Consultations
If you or a loved one has been injured while skiing or snowboarding in Lakewood, contact our Lakewood ski and snowboard accident attorneys as soon as possible.
With a combination of a proven track record, impressive financial resources, esteemed legal reputation and a compassionate approach, we believe there is no better Denver personal injury lawyer team than us.
