In Colorado, ski area operators have certain legal responsibilities to protect the safety of skiers and snowboarders. While skiers and snowboarders assume a certain amount of risk by engaging in their chosen activities, they do not assume the risk that ski area operators will unnecessarily put them in harm’s way. When a ski area operator is negligent, and when this negligence leads to serious injuries, the operator deserves to be held legally accountable.
At Levine Law, we are passionate about helping skiers and snowboarders recover just compensation for ski area neglect. Our Denver ski resort negligence attorneys want our clients to get back to the slopes as quickly as possible; and, in order to help them do so, we fight vigorously to recover full and fair compensation from the ski areas that are to blame for their injuries and losses.
What is the Colorado Ski Safety Act?
Many ski area neglect cases involve violations of Colorado’s Ski Safety Act. The Ski Safety Act establishes various safety requirements for ski areas, and failure to comply with the Ski Safety Act is considered negligence per se. This means that the violation is proof of negligence itself and that it is not necessary to prove the elements involved in other types of negligence-based claims.
Some examples of violations of the Ski Safety Act include:
- Failure to install appropriate warning signs for ski lifts, ski trails and ski slopes;
- Failure to install lights on snow-grooming vehicles operating within the vicinity of ski slopes and trails; and,
- Failure to notify skiers and snowboarders that a slope or trail is under maintenance.
The statute of limitations under the Ski Safety Act is two years. This is the same statute of limitations that applies to most other types of personal injury claims in Colorado.
Ski Area Neglect vs. Inherent Dangers and Risks of Skiing
While the Ski Safety Act establishes important rights for skiers and snowboarders, it also states that “no skier may make any claim against or recover from any ski area operator for injury resulting from any of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing.” In ski area neglect cases, the ski areas’ defense lawyers routinely rely on this “inherent dangers” clause as a defense to liability. When is an injury the result of ski area neglect, and when is it the result of the inherent dangers of the activity? Answering this question requires a thorough investigation and careful analysis by an experienced ski accident or premises liability attorney.
If you were injured in a skiing accident that you believe may have been the result of ski area neglect, it is important that you seek legal representation as soon as possible. It may be necessary to investigate quickly before the ski area remedies the issue and critical evidence disappears. Our offices are open 24/7; and, if necessary, our legal team can take immediate action in order to protect your legal rights.
Contact the Denver Ski Resort Negligence Lawyer at Levine Law for a Free Consultation
For more information about filing a claim for ski area neglect, please contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. To speak with one of our experienced lawyers in confidence, call 303-333-8000 or get in touch online now.
