Skiing or Snowboarding Accident: 3 Things You Need to Know
Spring is just around the corner, but the snow is still falling in the high country! If you are a fan of winter sports, this is great news. Although you may be excited about the ability to keep skiing and snowboarding into the early weeks of the spring season, you shouldn’t get so caught up in the hype that you forget to stay alert and safe. Accidents happen on the slopes, and no matter how skilled you are, there’s always the chance that someone else could crash into you and cause you serious bodily injury. So, what should you do if the worst happens? Today’s post will cover the three steps you’ll need to take should you suffer an injury caused by another skier or snowboarder.
Step 1: Assess Your Injuries; Use Photographs
You’re sailing down the slopes, having a great time with your family or friends when – WHAM! – another skier or snowboarder smacks into you from out of nowhere. You fall down and are seeing spots, the wind having been knocked out of you. This can be a very disorienting experience, and the sudden nature of the impact could leave you confused and in shock. Sometimes people further injure themselves because they have been so startled by an unexpected accident that they failed to properly assess their injuries and attempt to ski or walk on a bad leg or foot, ignored a concussion, etc.
For this reason, it’s important to take some time to carefully assess the injury or injuries you have sustained during the accident. Be aware of any bleeding, bruising, or swelling and treat it right away. Make sure that you do not put weight on any limbs that appear to be weak or injured. Seek help from the ski patrol and visit a hospital as soon as possible in case of a medical emergency. If possible, take photographs to document your injuries and the other skier’s or rider’s path on the slope prior to the collision.
Step 2: Obtain the Other Party’s Information and Contact Information for Witnesses
In some cases, the at-fault party may stop to help you after a collision. If this is the case, take that opportunity to exchange information with the other individual. Obtaining the person’s name, home address (not just where they are staying while in town), phone number, and email address, is extremely important. In many instances, however, it’s not so easy to get the information from the other party. If the other person was taken away due to urgent medical needs, doesn’t want to cooperate by blaming YOU, or simply skied or snowboarded onward like nothing happened, you will need to get some help in obtaining his or her information. This may mean flagging down the ski patrol, speaking with the ski area or resort, or contacting the authorities. Knowing the other party’s name and contact information, especially a residence address, will help determine whether they have insurance coverage or assets to pay for the harm that person caused you.
Step 3: Hire an Attorney
The types of injuries suffered because of another’s reckless behavior while skiing or snowboarding can be very serious. As such, it’s important to seek compensation for your financial losses and for your suffering. Unfortunately, trying to seek justice on your own can be extremely taxing and difficult. Making the decision to hire a skilled attorney with experience in these types of personal injury cases will help you recover your losses with the least amount of stress possible.
Don’t let your skiing or snowboarding excursion turn into a waking nightmare by trying to fight your personal injury case alone. Reaching out to the legal experts at Mintz Law Firm will give you the peace of mind that experienced attorneys are working hard to help you achieve the most favorable outcome. Give us a call for a free case evaluation today.
