The Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains of Virginia are home to several ski resorts where Virginia residents and visitors can enjoy skiing, snowmobiling, and other wintertime activities. As much fun as these activities can be, it is important to understand that these activities do carry risks of accidents and injuries. Falls and collisions can cause serious trauma, including head injuries and fractured bones. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury at a ski resort, a Virginia personal injury attorney can evaluate your case to determine what legal options you may have.
Skiing Risks
According to statistics from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, approximately 70,000 skiers are injured each year. Many of these injuries are caused by factors such as inexperience, skiing off marked trails, and collisions with other skiers or objects. These injuries fall under the legal doctrine of “assumption of the risk” or inherent risk.
Virginia law defines inherent risks as follows:
“A winter sports participant shall be presumed to have known the inherent risks of the winter sport in which he participates, to have fully appreciated the nature and extent of such risks, and to have voluntarily exposed himself to such risks, even if a particular risk was not specifically presented or stated to the participant by the operator.”
However, there are injuries that ski resort visitors can suffer that do not fall under inherent risk. For example, if the resort failed to maintain the chairlift and this negligence led to a victim sustaining a serious injury, the resort can be held liable for the losses the victim suffers because of that injury. A seasoned Virginia accident attorney will be able to determine who the liable party is based on the circumstances of the incident.
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At Shapiro & Appleton, our legal team has successfully advocated for many victims who have suffered injuries while participating in wintertime activities, including:
- A $140,000 settlement secured for a child injured in a ski accident at Wintergreen on a ski slope when a reckless snowboarder careened down and across the ski run plowing into her.
- A $150,000 jury award for a woman who suffered a serious knee injury at the Wintergreen Resort when a snowboarder fell into her as they both waited for a chairlift.
Contact a Virginia Injury Attorney
If you or a family member has been injured in a skiing accident, contact a seasoned Virginia premises liability attorney to discuss what legal recourse you may have. Even if it is not entirely clear who is the at-fault party, a Va. injury attorney will be able to determine which party or parties are liable. At Shapiro & Appleton, our injury attorneys have successfully represented numerous accident victims and have the legal expertise to handle these complex cases with positive results. Call (833) 997-1774 for a free case evaluation.