West Valley City Ski and Snowboard Accident Lawyer
Skiing and snowboarding are exhilarating experiences in the great outdoors, especially on Utah’s iconic mountain slopes. Unfortunately, the same open-air, high-speed experience that makes skiing thrilling also leaves skiers and snowboarders vulnerable to severe injuries in accidents.
If you or a close family member suffered serious injuries in a ski or snowboard accident, contact a West Valley City personal injury lawyer at Handy & Handy Attorneys at Law for experienced representation.
Call (385) 404-6398 to schedule a free consultation.
Why Select Handy & Handy as Your Ski and Snowboard Accident Law Firm In West Valley City?
The lawyers at Handy & Handy Attorneys at Law have dedicated their careers to advocating for injury victims, combining the compassion of a small-town law firm with the professional excellence of a large-city law office. With Handy & Handy on your side, you can expect the following:
- Our policy of putting our clients’ needs first ensures that your case has a personalized legal strategy to obtain the most favorable result possible
- A lead attorney with over a decade of experience navigating personal injury claims in Utah, including for ski and snowboard accident victims
- Access to crucial resources, such as renowned medical experts, to provide supporting evidence in your claim
We never charge upfront fees to injury victims. Instead, after a free consultation, we go to work for you on a contingency-fee basis so you pay nothing until after we’ve recovered compensation for you through a settlement or jury award.
Who Can Be Held Liable for West Valley City Ski and Snowboard Accident Damages?
Utah Code Section 78B-4-401 acknowledges the inherent risk of skiing and snowboarding, activities that send an unprotected individual careening down mountain slopes at speeds averaging 20-30 miles per hour. Because of the inherent risks, in most cases, the ski area’s property owner or a resort owner cannot be held liable for the injured victim’s damages after an accident, such as a bad fall. Only in cases of egregious negligence or wrongdoing on the part of the property owner would the Utah court consider hearing a liability claim against a ski resort owner. However, under Utah’s fault-based comparative negligence law, other entities can be liable for damages if they caused or contributed to the accident. Common liable parties in West Valley City skiing and snowboarding accidents include the following:
- Another skier who failed to take reasonable actions to prevent injury
- A negligent trail or slope maintenance contractor
- A negligent ski lift repair or maintenance company
- A ski equipment rental company that rented unsafe or poorly maintained equipment
- The manufacturer of defective ski equipment or a defective ski lift
An experienced ski accident lawyer in West Valley City makes your compensation our highest priority, beginning with identifying the liable party. For instance, if a careless or reckless skier collides with another skier and causes them serious injury, the negligent skier may be held liable for damages. Typically, the negligent party’s homeowner’s insurance covers personal liability.
What Types of Injuries are Common In West Valley City Ski and Snowboard Accidents?
Skiers must follow the Skier’s Code of Responsibility, which details the reasonable precautions they should practice when sharing the slopes and trails. These include maintaining control, following right-of-way rules, preventing runaway equipment, and following all safety signs and posted warnings. When skiers fail to practice these reasonable actions, or equipment failures, obstacles, and other preventable hazards cause an accident, the following injuries may occur:
- Bone fractures
- Knee injuries
- Ankle Injuries
- Wrist injuries
- Soft-tissue injuries like sprains, torn ligaments, or tendon damage, especially torn ACLs in the knee
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Contusions, lacerations, and abrasions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Facial and dental trauma
Falls, collisions with other skiers, collisions with obstacles, and ski lift accidents are the most common causes of injuries on the ski slopes and trails.
What Damages Can I Recover In a West Valley City Ski or Snowboard Accident Claim?
Skiing and snowboarding injuries are often serious, particularly because an injury in cold weather conditions leaves the injury victim more likely to experience shock and hypothermia while awaiting rescue. Common damages recovered in West Valley City ski and snowboard accident cases include the following:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses
- Future medical expenses related to the injury
- Out-of-pocket costs, such as for traveling to see specialists or for adaptive equipment
- Lost earnings
- Future income loss or diminished future earning ability
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Compensation for catastrophic injury damages, if any apply, such as permanent scarring, loss of limb, the loss of one of the senses, disability, chronic pain, organ loss, or loss of enjoyment of life/diminished quality of life
If a loved one died in a preventable ski or snowboard accident, a West Valley City wrongful death lawyer can help your family recover compensation and a voice for justice for your loved one.
How Does a Personal Injury Claim for a Skiing or Snowboarding Accident Work?
After a skiing or snowboarding accident, it’s helpful to snap photos of the accident scene, anything that caused or contributed to the accident, and any visible injuries. It’s always best to go directly to a hospital and ask for a detailed medical report. Then, call a ski or snowboard accident law firm in West Valley City for representation. Your lawyer does the following:
- Handles all communication with the defendant and the insurance company
- Investigates all aspects of the injury to determine the negligence that led to it and the liable party or parties
- Documents compelling evidence of liability
- Examines your medical record and consults with medical experts to determine the full financial impacts of the injury and the expected extent and duration of the pain
- Makes a carefully calculated list of your damages
- Sends their findings to the appropriate insurer in a demand package
- Negotiates for the highest possible settlement
Fortunately, most claims end in settlements, so you are unlikely to have to go to court. However, the trial-ready attorneys at Handy & Handy will take your case to a judge and jury if the insurance company fails to offer an acceptable settlement or undervalues, denies, or delays your claim.
Call or Contact Handy & Handy Attorneys at Law
You don’t have to add the distress of a complex legal process to the mix while you are working on your physical recovery. Instead, reach out to Handy & Handy and let an experienced lawyer navigate your financial recovery while you work on physical and emotional healing.