What to Do If You’re Injured by Someone on the Slopes
The winter season presents us with a wonderful opportunity to get out into the wilderness and have fun with our friends. Across the globe, that’s exactly what millions of people will be doing – grabbing their skiing and snowboarding gear to hit the slopes – and we couldn’t be happier about it.
Skiing and snowboarding, however, come with their own set of risks. While it’s very likely that you’ll return home with no injuries at all, it’s important to know what you should do if you or someone with you gets hurt.
Obtain Contact Information, If Applicable
If you’re injured on the slopes in a one-person accident, as in you fall and hurt yourself or run into a tree, then you can skip this part. But if your accident involves another skier or snowboarder, then you need to obtain contact information from those involved (including name, phone number, and home address) and insurance information, if possible. Homeowners insurance can cover accidents on the slopes, but many times injured skiers and riders don’t get the information necessary to determine whether the person that caused the accident has any insurance to pay for their injuries.
Report the Accident Immediately
Even if your injuries aren’t incapacitating or life-threatening, you need to report any accident right away. This is also true if another party who is involved also says they weren’t really injured. You want to have the accident documented so that if anything comes up later, you are fully protected. And, of course, if the accident is truly bad, you obviously want to report that quickly as well. Reports should be made to the ski patrol.
Take Photographs of the Area
In order to protect yourself and provide a full picture of what happened to your attorney, you’ll need to snap some photos of the area. Luckily, most of us carry cell phones these days, so photos are easy to obtain. If you’re not feeling up to it, then get a friend or relative to do it for you. Just be sure to include anything that may help your case, especially objects that blocked your view or obstructed your path and the path of each person involved.
Collect Witness Accounts
If there are any witnesses to the accident, you need to collect their contact information and statements, if possible. If they are hesitant to provide you with their personal information or statement about what they witnessed, then ask if they would be willing to give their information and statement to the ski patrol, a representative of the ski area, or a law enforcement officer at the scene.
Reach out to a Qualified Attorney
In order to fully protect yourself, you will want to contact with a qualified attorney right away. A personal injury attorney will handle every aspect of your case, including collecting evidence that may be used in your case so that you can get a fair settlement for any injuries that you endured. This will allow you to more quickly get on with your life while your attorney tends to the details of your case.
Be Wary of Communicating With Others
Be wary of any calls that you receive from another person’s insurance company or attorney. You actually don’t know who is on the other end, and you don’t want to give any statements that may be used against you later. Before agreeing to speak with the other person’s insurance company or attorney, contact an attorney about representing you in your case.
Knowing what to do following an accident on the slopes will help you cope with the situation more effectively. If you or someone you love gets hurt due to any type of accident, reach out to the attorneys at Mintz Law Firm for a free case evaluation.