SKIING & SNOWBOARDING ACCIDENTS ATTORNEY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS

For many people, skiing and snowboarding on the snowy slopes of a mountain can make for an exhilarating vacation, but it can also end up with a trip to the hospital if things go wrong. Data from the National Ski Areas Association found that there were 41 catastrophic injuries on ski slopes in 2021. While there are a large number of factors that can influence these injuries—like unexpected ice patches, partially buried debris, or a missed jump—far too many are caused by the reckless or negligent actions of other skiers and snowboarders on the slopes.

If you were seriously injured in a ski or snowboard accident caused by someone else’s actions, it is in your best interest to seek legal representation. My firm, Jose Orihuela, Attorney at Law, has years of experience working with countless injured victims, fighting for them to secure the compensation they deserve.  I proudly serve clients in Houston, Webster, South Houston, Pasadena, and the surrounding areas of Clear Lake, Friendswood, League City, Alvin, Dickinson, Bacliff, Kemah, Seabrook, Santa Fe, and the rest of Texas.

Types of Accidents & Common Causes

Even skiers who take steps toward ski accident prevention can find themselves involved in an injury, especially if another party is careless. The most common types of skiing and snowboarding accidents include:

• Collisions with other skiers or snowboarders

• Falls or collisions with objects such as trees, fences, barriers, or signs

• Chair lift accidents

• Lack of warning signs

• Accidents due to inadequate instruction from a skiing or snowboarding instructor

• Accidents due to skiing or snowboarding equipment failure

Who is Liable?

While the vast majority of skiing and snowboarding accidents are between two or more people, there are also a number of different variations of potential liability. A detailed investigation by my firm into all known facts related to your accident could bring in several potentially liable parties, including:

• The travel company that organizes activities for you

• Inadequate warnings or regulations at the ski resort or snowboarding facility where you were injured

• The resort’s failure to warn skiers and snowboarders of unusually dangerous weather conditions

• Ski resort personnel might have failed to maintain ski runs properly

• Equipment like skis or boots may have been defective

• A ski gondola manufacturer or a ski boot maker might be at fault

• Defective ski and snowboard products or any type of defective rental equipment may have been involved in the accident

Most personal injury lawsuits after a skiing accident are based on negligence. When determining who is liable in a skiing accident, you will generally need to prove that the other party, such as the other skier, was at fault for the accident by proving the elements of negligence: duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages. Proving these elements could get complicated, especially when there are several different parties involved. 

Depending on your claim, you may also have to prove that the other party acted recklessly. This is defined as an action that takes place when a person knows that their action is unsafe and goes ahead and does it anyway. In a state using the recklessness standard, you can’t recover damages from another skier unless you can prove they acted recklessly.

Filing a Claim

Skiing and snowboarding injury lawsuits are complex, especially given the difficulty of proving the other skier’s fault in some accidents. First of all, there may be no witnesses and no police to file a report. It can be your statement against the other party’s. However, by hiring an experienced personal injury attorney, you’ll be in a much better position to successfully pursue any compensation you deserve.