Safety on the Slopes: Precautions and Post-Accident Tips
Any Coloradoan can tell you that all winter long, skiing and snowboarding are more than activities – they’re way of life. Unfortunately, most of us understand the reality that quite a few accidents occur every year while people are enjoying themselves on the slopes.
Just recently, we touched on what you should do in the event that you get into an accident with another skier or snowboarder. This week, we’re going to go over some precautions you can take to prevent such an accident. Then, we’ll revisit a couple of the post-accident tips and add two more to the list.
Safety Precautions
If you can avoid an accident on the slopes, then you obviously don’t have to worry about what to do if someone gets hurt. Here are some quick safety precautions that you can take to avoid accident and injury:
Use Reliable Equipment
If your equipment is old or has been broken in any way, then the likelihood of an accident occurring on the slopes goes up. Make sure that every piece of your equipment is reliable, and replace anything that isn’t.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Being out on the slopes with family and friends is supposed to be an entertaining time, but it’s important that you don’t let your guard down. Being aware of your surroundings, as in obstacles and other people, will help you stay safe. This includes stopping for breaks on the side of the run and in a location where you are easily seen by skiers and riders above you.
Know Your Skill Level
When you get out on the slopes, you’ll find that there are multiple skill levels for both skiers and snowboarders. If you’re a beginner, you definitely don’t want to mix it up with expert skiers and vice versa, so stay with your skill level as much as possible to avoid collisions and other accidents.
Post-Accident Tips
If you are unlucky enough to suffer an accident on the slopes, then you need to know what to do in the aftermath. We created a comprehensive list of post-accident tips a few weeks ago, but it’s important to highlight a couple of the most important and add a couple more to the list:
Check Yourself for injuries
Whether you crash into a tree, collide with another person, or simply fall down, it’s important that you check yourself for any and all injuries. This is especially true if you hit your head, the effects of which may not present themselves right away.
Document Those Injuries
Even if the injury is small and seems to be inconsequential, it’s always best to document them. Having someone else document them, such as making a report with the ski patrol, is always a good idea. This way, if your sore foot turns out to be a fracture or your throbbing headache is actually a serious head injury, you will have an account of the timeframe to show your doctor.
Get Everyone’s Contact Info
Following an accident, you’ll need a way to get in touch with each person who was involved, plus any witnesses who saw what happened. If the other person or persons aren’t comfortable providing the info to you, then have them give it to the ski patrol, a representative of the resort or ski area, or a law enforcement officer so that it can be shared with your insurance company.
Reach Out to An Attorney
You’ll definitely want to contact medical providers right away to treat any injuries from your accident. Your next call after that one, however, should be to a qualified attorney who can help you get a proper settlement for your injuries.
If you’ve been involved in any type of personal injury accident, it’s important that you have an experienced attorney by your side. Reach out to Mintz Law Firm today for a free consultation and we’ll take care of your legal needs.