There’s almost nothing better during the winter months than venturing out into the crisp air for a few hours on the ski slopes. Whether you love skiing or prefer snowboarding, winter sports are some of the best ways to spend the year’s coldest months. However, no matter your experience level, skiing and snowboarding come with the risk of a serious injury, and if you’ve been injured due to the fault of another, then you may be eligible to file a personal injury suit.
Discover the different facets of filing an injury suit after a skiing or snowboarding accident and learn how you can work with a personal injury attorney.
Injuries You Can Suffer On the Slopes
While fun, there are myriad ways that you can suffer an injury on the slopes this winter. Although it’s possible to suffer only minor consequences from winter sport accident, most skiing and snowboarding accidents result in very serious injuries such as broken bones and head trauma.
A few of the most commonly occurring skiing and snowboarding accidents that you should be aware of include collisions with other skiers, injuries caused by malfunctioning ski lifts and accidents caused by defective skiing or snowboarding equipment. No matter the type of accident you’ve suffered, you may be eligible for compensation if you can prove your injuries were the fault of another person.
What to Look for to Prove Fault
After suffering a traumatic skiing or snowboarding injury, the first thing that you need to do is examine how your accident may have been caused by another person. For example, if you collided with another skier, you can look to show that they were skiing erratically or irresponsibly and that this is what caused your collision. Also, you could show you were improperly trained and forced by your instructor to ski above your skill level.
If your injury was caused by defective skiing or snowboarding equipment, you will need to demonstrate that the product that caused your injury was inherently unsafe, whether by improper design or a manufacturing error. Product liability claims, however, can be much harder than your typical injury suit, so you should consider consulting with a personal injury attorney for professional advice.
Roadblocks to Your Case
An overlooked part of preparing for a personal injury suit is making yourself ready for potential defense. In personal injury cases involving skiing or snowboarding, the biggest obstacle to your claim is what’s known as the “assumption of risk” defense.
Certain activities like skiing, snowboarding or skydiving are dangerous by their very nature and anyone participating in these activities must necessarily be aware of the risk to their health. It’s likely that the defense in your case will try to prove that your injuries fall under the category of assumed risk and aren’t eligible for compensation.
To avoid this roadblock, you will need to be able to prove that your accident was not anticipatable in any way, even with the natural risk that comes with skiing and snowboarding.
Ask for Help from of a Personal Injury Attorney
Skiing and snowboarding accidents are some of the most serious you can be involved in, which can lead to a difficult recovery where you don’t have the financial support you need. If you’ve been hurt due to another, you need to fight for compensation with the help of a personal injury attorney from the Parrish DeVaughn Law Firm.
We have the personal injury experience needed to handle your case in the best way possible. Schedule a consultation with the Parrish DeVaughn legal team today.