Skiing Safety: What to Do After an Accident

Snow keeps falling in Colorado, so the ski season has been extended for several more weeks! As people rush to get in their last runs this season, the slopes may get very crowded with the local residents and visitors on vacation enjoying the snow.

Remember that there are “rules of the road” for skiers and snowboarders just like there are for driving a car or motorcycle and other sports. Some of these rules can be found on the back of your lift ticket: yield to others on the mountain when you enter a ski run, the downhill skier has the right of way, and ski/board in control; are just a few simple rules that will keep you and everyone else on the hill safe.

Most skier to skier collisions are preventable. Unfortunately, failure to follow these and other rules for skiing/boarding can cause serious injury and even death. A forty-three year old man from New Jersey has died as a result of a skier to skier collision in Breckenridge. Facts of the collision are still under investigation. We offer our deepest sympathies to the Sherwood family for their loss.

Please use caution when skiing or snowboarding, but if you are injured from the carelessness of another skier or boarder, there are a few things you should do.

• If you can, mark you location with an “X” with skis or poles so that others coming down the hill can see you and avoid an even worse situation.
• Contact the ski patrol so that you can get aide and get off the mountain safely.
• The ski patrol will also assist in getting the contact information for the other person and any witnesses and in taking a short report about what happened.
• As soon as possible, get any medical treatment that you need for your injuries.
• If you are with someone who is able to safely take pictures of the scene of the accident, have them do so. The scene of a ski accident can change dramatically from day to day due to the weather, normal maintenance, and skier traffic. These pictures will help document what happened and why it happened at the time of the injury.
• If you are injured, you should focus on your recovery and contact an attorney who can help you do what is necessary to preserve your claim.

The lawyers at Klein Frank, P.C. have helped many people who were injured on the Colorado mountains from the careless acts of another skier or snowboarder who did not follow the rules for this winter sport. Klein Frank hopes that everyone is able to enjoy the extended ski season this year and for years to come without incident. But no matter how safe you are, you can find yourself sitting in a hospital bed because someone else was not cautious.

If you or a loved one are injured skiing or snowboarding, contact Klein Frank, P.C. today at ! We can help you.