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Colorado Springs Ski Accident Lawyers

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Colorado Springs

(719) 309-3000

Address: 8610 Explorer Dr. Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO, 80920 

Colorado Springs, CO Ski Accident Lawyers

Skiing and snowboarding are risky sports. One wrong move on the slopes and a rider can suffer a serious injury. Riders must be careful to stay safe, but sometimes that isn’t enough. The real danger is other riders, particularly intoxicated and reckless ones, who injure others. 

Dr. Ramos and the legal team at Ramos Law understand your injuries and what they mean for your future. We have a reputation for obtaining favorable results for our clients because we know the personal injury law and medicine behind your injuries. Contact our Colorado Springs, CO ski accident lawyers today for a free case evaluation.

Common Ski Accident Injuries in Colorado Springs, CO

Skiing and snowboarding involve high speeds, slick slopes, and special equipment. You must also know how to ride and keep yourself and others safe on the slopes. However, if another rider doesn’t exercise the same level of caution, one slip-up can cause an accident that might injure other skiers or snowboarders. The most common types of ski and snowboarding injuries in Colorado Springs include:

  • Broken legs
  • Knee, ankle, or foot injuries
  • Wrist, hand, or thumb injuries
  • Shoulder dislocations or fractures
  • Spinal injuries
  • Head injuries

Ski resorts have safety requirements related to snowmobiles, grooming machines, chairlift operation, and installing boundary ropes and artificial features. Failure to abide by the legal conditions constitutes negligence, especially in cases where a severe or catastrophic injury occurs.

Resorts rely on liability waivers to protect themselves from lawsuits. Skiers who sign the waivers cannot sue the resorts in court. However, if you signed a season pass but didn’t read the fine print, you may not have waived all of your rights. 

Whatever the waiver says, no entity can indemnify itself entirely for its negligence. It’s worth talking to a Colorado Springs, CO ski accident lawyer at Ramos Law to see what we can do for you!

If you sustained an injury on the slopes through no fault of your own, you must move quickly to protect yourself. Investigating, preserving evidence, and acquiring information from the resort are vital. At Ramos Law, we can help you complete these tasks so you can focus on healing from your injuries.

Types of Colorado Springs Ski Resort Accidents 

Ski accidents are so common that the state of Colorado has laws to ensure everyone, from riders and ski resort owners to rental companies and equipment manufacturers, is responsible for their actions. Some of the most common types of ski accidents in Colorado Springs include:

Collisions

If a rider fails to look for downhill riders and crashes into another, causing injury or damages, they are responsible for the other rider’s injuries and damages.

Ski Resort Negligence

Ski resorts must maintain a safe and hazard-free environment for skiers to enjoy. However, if a ski resort is not maintained and has debris or other potentially hazardous objects, a skier could suffer injuries, for which the resort can be held liable.

Faulty Equipment

Ski equipment can be expensive. Most people rent equipment from rental companies or ski resorts, trusting that the equipment is safe and adequately maintained. However, rental companies and resorts sometimes are negligent and fail to maintain equipment, leading to equipment-related accidents on the slopes. 

Ski Lift & Machinery Accidents

Trained professionals should regularly inspect, maintain, and operate ski lifts and other machinery. However, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, they fail to maintain equipment, leading to malfunctions and injuries to those using the lifts or other malfunctioning machinery. If you were injured due to hazardous machinery at a ski slope or resort, the resort could be held responsible for your injuries and damages.

The Colorado Ski Safety Act

Colorado’s Ski Safety Act (§ 33-44-101) is designed to hold all skiers and snowboarders accountable for their actions. Further, it requires riders to recognize their ability level, ski within their appropriate terrain, and avoid reckless behavior that may harm themselves or others.

Many skiers injured on the slope assume they can’t pursue legal action against another rider or the resort for their injuries. While ski accident cases are complex, an experienced Colorado Springs, CO ski accident lawyer can help you recover damages for your injuries.

What to Do After a Skiing Collision With Another Rider

If you collide with another skier, don’t leave the scene before giving personal information to the ski patrol and each other and obtaining a copy of the ski patrol incident report. In many cases, riders could have insurance covering them for their fault. If the other person was at fault for the collision, contact Ramos Law, and we will handle the rest!

Learn more on our “Abide By Colorado Ski Laws” blog post.

Ski and Snowboarding Accident Statistics

Catastrophic injury or death is more common than you think, and it doesn’t only happen to beginners. According to the National Ski Area Association, the average person dying in a skiing collision accident in 2016 was an intermediate-advanced male skier between the ages of 21 and 30. In Colorado alone, an average of 11 deaths occur every year.

The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) reports that during the 2019-2020 season:

  • There were 42 reported fatal skiing/snowboarding incidents (higher than the 10-year industry average of 39 skier/snowboarder fatalities per season).
  • Skiers accounted for 33 fatalities compared to only 11 snowboarder fatalities.
  • Over 83% of all skier/snowboarder fatalities were males.
  • Approximately 66% of skiers/snowboarders involved in fatal collisions wore helmets.

The statistics behind ski accidents are not meant to scare you but to increase your awareness. Our Colorado Springs personal injury attorneys will stand by your side when it matters most. Contact us for the Ramos Law advantage.

 

Ski Accident Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. While the Colorado Ski Safety Act (SSA) provides a uniform baseline of law across the state, the specific resort matters for three critical reasons: 

  • Venue and Jurisdiction: Even if you live in Colorado Springs (El Paso County), a lawsuit is typically filed in the county where the accident occurred or where the resort is headquartered. For example, an accident at Monarch might be heard in Chaffee County, while one at Breckenridge or Copper Mountain would likely be in Summit County. Local jury pools in mountain “resort counties” may evaluate “inherent risks” differently than a jury in Colorado Springs.
  • Negligence vs. Waiver: Every resort has its own liability waiver. While a recent Colorado Supreme Court ruling (Miller v. Crested Butte) limited these waivers, they still offer varying levels of protection to resorts for non-statutory negligence. The specific language on your Keystone or Breckenridge pass can influence your legal strategy.
  • Evidence and Terrain Features: Liability often hinges on whether the resort failed its specific duties, such as properly marking a man-made hazard or maintaining a lift. Each resort has unique terrain and maintenance protocols; proving that a “hidden” hazard at Monarch was actually a result of resort negligence requires a site-specific investigation. 

A Colorado Springs ski accident attorney can evaluate how these local factors—and the specific resort’s history of litigation—impact your ability to recover damages

Not always. While ski accidents often happen in mountain counties like Summit, Eagle or Pitkin, certain claims may be filed where the responsible company does business or where the injured person lives. Venue rules can be surprisingly flexible and choosing the right location can affect timelines, convenience and even how a jury views the case.

Yes. Lift-related injuries are treated very differently from typical skiing collisions under Colorado law. Chairlifts and gondolas are heavily regulated and operators owe riders a high duty of care. If a mechanical issue, operator error or maintenance failure caused your injury, you may have a claim even if you signed a liability waiver.

This depends on where and how the injury occurred. Colorado’s Ski Safety Act limits resort liability in many situations but it does not give ski areas blanket immunity. Poor signage, improper boundary marking or misleading trail access points can create exceptions, especially when skiers are unintentionally funneled into dangerous terrain.

Yes. Ski-and-run collisions happen more often than people realize. Even if the other skier is never identified, you may still have options, such as claims involving resort incident reports, eyewitness statements or certain insurance coverages that apply to recreational accidents. Acting quickly can make a major difference in preserving evidence.

Contact Our Colorado Springs, CO Ski Accident Lawyers

We look forward to hearing from you and are always here to help. We can answer your questions and explain our process to help you decide if hiring our firm is the right choice.

Contact us or call (303) 733-6365 to speak to one of our Colorado Springs, CO ski accident lawyers today for a complimentary case evaluation.

Address: 8610 Explorer Dr. Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO, 80920 

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