When Are Ski Resorts Immune From Liability from Ski Accidents?
As people who live in Utah know the mountains can provide a great escape and provide many different recreational opportunities. One of the main ones during this time of year is skiing or snowboarding at the various ski resorts in the area. There are many people who are on the slopes every day. This includes the locals which may ski for a day or the many tourists who may come for extended trips.
Skiing can be a very enjoyable activity for a variety of reasons. However, some of the reasons that make the sport is so enjoyable also can make it dangerous as well. People are travelling a high rates of speed with many potential hazards in their paths. These can include rocks, trees, ice and other people who are on the slopes. If people lose control they can run into these various objects. As people are skiing, they also have very little protection. So, if they hit something or are struck by another person on the slope, they can suffer very significant injuries.
Immunity from inherent dangers of skiing
As stated above there are many dangers people could encounter when skiing and it is understood by most skiers that these dangers exist. Due to that fact, ski resorts are not liable for ski accidents that occur due to the inherent dangers of skiing. These dangers include: changes in weather or snow conditions, striking natural objects such as trees or forest growth, injuries in terrain parks, collisions with other skiers, striking lift towers or signs and the skier deciding to ski a run that is above their capability level.
The immunity given to ski resorts for many of the common types of ski accidents is in part because they cannot control many of the reasons those accidents and injuries occur. However, there are still many aspects of the ski resort which they do control and can be found to be negligent in some instances. In these cases, the resort could be liable for the injuries suffered in the accident. Experienced attorneys understand these difficult cases and may be able to guide one through the process.