Getting Injured Skiing

The National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) reports in 2008 there were 6.5 million skiers and 5.9 million snowboarders. Of course, some skiers also snowboard, but there are a lot of people out on the slopes these days. Despite the growing crowds on the slopes, skiing has grown increasingly safer over the years. Most recently, the introduction of shorter skis has been credited with lowering the number of ski-related injuries. More skiers are wearing helmets, which has also lowered the number of head injuries.

Ski Accidents and Injuries

The most common injury for skiers in recent years is knee injuries and ACL tears which seem to be directly related to the wear and tear on the knee that takes place during skiing. A twisting fall, which is a fairly common accident in skiing, is a common cause of the knee injury.

According to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) thirty skiers died while skiing during the 2008-2009 ski season. Of those thirty, nineteen were male and eleven were female. Eight of the skiers who died were wearing a helmet at the time of the fatal accident. Out-of-control skiers are most likely to be injured while skiing. A fatality that occurs to a skier who is wearing a helmet at the time of the accident often results from hitting a tree. If a person is going fast down a slope and hits a tree, the crush of the tree into a person’s chest is most often the cause of death and the helmet does not play a role. In day to day minor falls though, a helmet can save a person from serious injury.

Legal Help for Ski Accidents

While accidents happen and some are entirely due to the lack of experience or skill of the skier, sometimes accidents occur because of the negligence of another skier or snowboarder, or of the ski resort. Anyone who acts recklessly on the slopes resulting in an injury should be held accountable for his actions. If your injury is the result of someone else’s reckless behavior on the slopes, you must report the occurrence to ski patrol and get the name and address of the offender. Most ski/snowboard areas will revoke a person’s lift ticket after an incident of recklessness so it’s important to get contact information before the person leaves the area.

It is also possible that an injury could be due to poor maintenance of the slopes or the buildings/property which may be considered liability of the ski resort. If you are injured due to careless maintenance, i.e., ice on the sidewalks, unmarked hazards on the slopes, a faulty chairlift, etc, you should report the incident as soon as possible to an authority at the ski resort and contact and attorney to see what your possible recourse is. An experienced personal injury attorney can advise you on your options and on the likeliness of a monetary award for your injuries. It is important to weigh the time and effort you might put into a lawsuit with the possible likely outcomes.