Santa Fe Ski Accident Lawyers

CALL (800) 863-5312 to speak with Santa Fe ski and snowboard accident attorneys

When you think of New Mexico, the desert might be the first landscape comes to mind. However, the Land of Enchantment also has world-class skiing and snowboarding to offer to tourists and locals alike. While these winter sports might evoke images of picturesque mountain landscapes and hot chocolate after a day on the slopes, it is important to remember that they are still fairly extreme activities and pose a real risk of injury. After being involved in a skiing accident or a snowboarding accident, having the right Santa Fe ski accident lawyers on your side could be the most important factor in securing fair compensation for your injuries.

If you or a loved one in Santa Fe has been injured in a skiing or snowboarding accident, contact Zinda Law Group at (800) 863-5312 and let us schedule a free case evaluation for you at your convenience.

Common ski and snowboard injuries

Whether you are an experienced skier or someone who is just trying out snowboarding for the first time, there is always some level of risk on the mountain. Some of the common injuries experienced by skiers and snowboarders include:

Wrist, Hand, and Thumb Injuries

Oftentimes, the first reaction for someone who is falling is to put their arms out to break the fall. While this natural reaction might stop you from landing as hard on your head or neck, it often comes at the cost of an injury to your wrist or hand; these injuries can range from minor sprains to broken wrists. One good way to avoid such injuries is to wear a wrist brace when skiing or snowboarding, and to try to keep your hands in a closed fist position.

Ankle Sprain

Both skiing and snowboarding involve wearing boots that are unlike any shoes that most people wear on a daily basis, clipping them into a set of bindings. If the boots aren’t properly fitted, or if the binding doesn’t work the way that it is supposed to during a fall, an ankle sprain can result. Even when all of the equipment is dialed in, an ankle sprain can still result from a hard fall or the impact from landing a jump.

Shoulder Injuries

Many different types of shoulder injuries can result from snowboarding or skiing, whether it be a dislocation, fracture, or a separation. Shoulder injuries occur most often when a skier or snowboarder falls awkwardly. Learning how to fall properly is not necessarily the most glamorous thing to practice, but it is one of the best ways to avoid these types of injuries.

What should i do after my accident?

In order to make sure your potential claim is preserved and to give yourself the best chance at obtaining maximum compensation for your injuries, it is vital to complete a few important steps.

Seek Medical Attention

Getting medical attention immediately, or as soon as possible after your accident is very important. Not only is this the best way to ensure that your injuries get the treatment that they need, but it can also assist in your legal claim. If an accident victim waits a long time to go to a doctor, an opposing attorney may try to argue that their injuries weren’t actually caused by the accident in question or that they became worse because of the length of time that elapsed.

Report the Accident to Ski Patrol

If they haven’t responded to the scene of your accident, find a member of the ski patrol and report the accident to them. Make sure that you file an official report even if you don’t think that you sustained any serious injuries at the scene. It is important that the accident be documented in case you decide that you want to file a claim later on or if it turns out that your injuries are actually worse than you initially thought.

Document the Accident

If it is possible, before you leave the scene, document everything as thoroughly as you possibly can. Reporting the accident is one component of this, but it is important to gather all the information you can on top of that. For instance, try to take a comprehensive set of pictures or video of the scene, noting in particular the hazards or conditions that caused the accident.

In addition, if there was anyone else involved in the accident or who may have witnessed it, get their contact information before they leave the scene. When it comes to a skiing accident, it is always better to have more information than you need than to have too little.

Find Santa Fe Ski Accident Lawyers Near You

Dealing with an injury from an accident is tough enough on its own. Throw in other parties and insurance companies who are out to pay you as little as they are obligated to, and it is easy to find yourself in a situation where you could end up getting far less in compensation than you are entitled to.

One way to take the burden off of your own shoulders is to speak with experienced ski and snowboard accident lawyers. An attorney who has experience in dealing with these kinds of claims in New Mexico will be able to properly value your claim to ensure you don’t accept a lowball settlement, and then persuasively argue on your behalf for maximum compensation.

Who is responsible for my injury?

Determining how to pursue compensation and from whom can be difficult in a skiing or snowboarding accident. The New Mexico Ski Safety Act, which is the New Mexico statute that governs the safe operation of ski resorts, begins with the general premise that skiing is an inherently risky activity, and those who participate accept that risk. This means that it is not possible to prove liability for every accident; there are a few parties, however, who may be potential sources of liability.

Other Skiers

Again, because skiers accept some amount of risk when they hit the slopes, it will not always be possible to hold someone liable for your injuries, even if they collide with you. However, snowboarders and skiers do owe it to each other to ski with reasonable care. If a collision is caused by someone’s failure to exercise that level of reasonable care that is expected of everyone, then they may be on the hook for any injuries that they cause.

Ski Resort

Many times, ski resorts will have participants sign a waiver in an attempt to insulate themselves from legal liability; these waivers do not allow a resort to act negligently, however. If an accident is caused by poor conditions that the resort did or should have known about but failed to address, then they could potentially be held liable. A resort may also be held liable if they fail to post sufficient signage marking trails or pointing out dangerous areas.

Equipment Manufacturers

Skiers and snowboarders put a lot of faith in their equipment to do what it is supposed to do. Racing down the mountain in a safe way is only possible if boots stay intact, bindings are sturdy, and the skis and boards themselves remain in one piece.

If equipment failure ends up causing an accident and it is proven that that piece of equipment was made negligently, then the manufacturers could be held liable for the injuries that they caused. Experienced Santa Fe ski accident attorneys near you can help you determine what parties may be liable for your accident.

Proving negligence in a skiing accident

Being successful in many different kinds of personal injury cases will most often boil down to being able to prove that the other party acted negligently. While this will look different based on the unique circumstances of your accident, proving negligence always comes down to the same basic elements.

First, you must be able to prove that the other party involved owed a duty to act in a certain way. This could be the responsibility of other skiers to exercise caution, or the responsibility of a ski resort to provide a safe ski area. Next, you must be able to prove that that responsibility was breached in some way.

After establishing duty and breach, you must prove the element of causation. That is, you must be able to show that the breach of the duty to act in a certain way is the thing that caused your injuries. Finally, you must be able to prove that you did, in fact, sustain compensable damages. Accident injury lawyers will be able to give you a better idea of how these can play out in your situation.

Call zinda law group today at (800) 863-5312 for a 100% free consultation with Santa Fe ski accident lawyers

Having to choose from one of the many ski accident attorneys in New Mexico is not what most people imagine they will be doing as they plan their ski trip. However, it could end up being one of the most important decisions you ever make.

Make a call to (800) 863-5312 and ask for your initial, free consultation without worry. Zinda Law Group attorneys have the expertise to skillfully argue your case, and we will see your case through without taking a dime upfront, only getting paid when you do—that’s our No Win, No Fee guarantee.

Meetings with attorneys are available by appointment only.