Maison Law represents snowboarders injured in Lake Tahoe. If you or a loved one has been injured while snowboarding, the Personal Injury Attorneys at Maison Law can help you understand your legal right to compensation. If your medical bills are piling up and you’re unsure of how to take legal action against someone for a snowboarding injury, contact Maison Law today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Snowboarding Injury?
Snowboarding is one of the most popular wintertime activities in Lake Tahoe, and for good reason. Lake Tahoe is home to the highest concentration of ski resorts in the United States, with popular slopes like Kirkwood Slope and Homewood Mountain. However, when someone is careless on the slopes, a day on the slopes can end with horrific injuries.
When snowboarding injuries require medical treatment or result in other financial losses, such as missed time at work, it is recommended to consult with a Personal Injury Attorney. At Maison Law, we protect injured snowboarders’ right to fair compensation after they’re life have been impacted by an injury. Our firm will take on your case and ensure you’re compensated for the following damages:
- Economic damages: The financial damages you incurred due to the accident.
- Medical bills
- Lost Wages
- Loss of future potential earnings
- Loss of property
- Cost of property repair or replacement
- Non-economic damages: These are subjective, non-compensatory damages.
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages: These are damages awarded to serve as punishment to the at-fault party.
- Reckless behavior
- Actions performed out of spite
The Intake Process with a Lake Tahoe Personal Injury Lawyer
When it comes to personal injury, the intake process consists of signing up and onboarding a new client. This process usually involves gathering basic data, contact information, and other details needed to open a case, start a claim, and begin legal work. It is recommended to work with one of our Personal Injury Attorneys at Maison Law. We conduct a thorough intake process to help you avoid legal pitfalls and entering into a lawsuit that may compromise your career or financial well-being.
Why Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer for a Snowboarding Accident?
When it comes to filing a personal injury claim for a snowboarding accident, our team of attorneys can help you understand your legal options, as well as protect your right to compensation. Most people feel that they’re avoiding a headache by not consulting with a lawyer. The truth is, dealing with a personal injury on your own will be far more frustrating than consulting with a lawyer about your legal options. With Maison Law on your side, we will:
- Identify All Liable Parties: personal injuries can involve multiple “at-fault” parties. Our accident attorneys will collect all liable parties and file a personal injury lawsuit against them, maximizing your chance at full, financial recovery.
- Follow Proper Legal Procedures: Our attorneys understand the complexities of suing liable parties and the specific legal rules that must be followed. Having your lawsuit properly filed and the details of your situation perfectly outlined for the insurance adjuster will let the defense know you are aware of your rights and are prepared to exercise them through an attorney.
- Prepare for Litigation: Our attorneys will expedite the litigation process if no acceptable offer is made. We will prepare you for trial, handle all legal proceedings, and represent you in court.
- Allow you to focus on Recovery: Putting our law firm on the case will allow you to recover, while we deal with the legal side of your case for you. Not only will this give you a better chance at compensation, but it will alleviate your stress and give you peace of mind while dealing with a very traumatic time in your life.
Do Liability Waivers Cover Assumption of Risk When Snowboarding?
Liability waivers are common in recreational activities like snowboarding. If you’ve ever snowboarded on a public or privately owned mountain, you’re knowingly agreeing to the “assumption of risk,” that comes along with snowboarding and are voluntarily participating in a physical activity where injuries can occur.
Even though an assumption of risk applies to most activities, companies will usually require you to sign a liability waiver to protect themselves from being sued. For example, if you were to purchase day passes to snowboard at a specific resort, they would most likely have you sign a liability waiver before you’re permitted to snowboard. A liability waiver generally covers:
- Assumed risks: the voluntary assumption of risk clause states participants understand and voluntarily assume the risk, both known and unknown, associated with gym activity.
- Inherent risks: includes a list of risk-associated activities snowboarders normally engage in.
- Liability waiver release: this clause releases the resort, or land-owner, and all its associates, from liability if a participant seeks damages
Can You Still Sue After Signing a Liability Waiver?
Filing a lawsuit against the responsible party can be complicated if you’ve signed a liability waiver. However, exceptions to liability waivers do exist if:
- A business or property owner violates California or federal law
- The terms of the contract are unethical, or morally wrong
- The person who had you sign the waiver used fraud, or misrepresentation to get you to sign the waiver
- You signed the waiver under duress
- You were injured due to gross negligence – when someone was injured intentionally, or an obvious danger was ignored and caused someone harm.
Proving any of these violations can be difficult, which is why it is recommended to consult with a Personal Injury Lawyer at Maison Law about legally overcoming an assumption of risk and liability waiver.
Limitations of the Assumption of Risk Doctrine in California
The Assumption of Risk Doctrine protects individuals, property owners, and business owners from being sued by those engaging in a dangerous activity, but there are limitations to how much protection is offered. For example, let’s say a person is injured while competing in a flag football league. Under the Assumption of Risk Doctrine, they cannot sue the flag football league for damages. However, certain aspects of the injury may overrule the doctrine and allow them to sue for damages.
What if an opponent intentionally sought to harm and injure this player? What if the field was not maintained or kept in good condition to prevent injuries? These are risks that a person cannot assume, which may allow them to sue the liable parties for damages even though they engaged in a dangerous activity.
Inherent Risks of Snowboarding
California’s Inherent Risk doctrine implements a legal presumption of risk that snowboarders are aware they’ll face when engaging in this activity. Inherent risks of snowboarding can include:
- Weather conditions
- Snow or ice conditions
- Collisions with stationary objects or other snowboarders
However, resorts, property owners, individuals, or manufacturers can be held liable if they fail to take proper precautions to protect others from harm. This can apply if a snowboarding accident was caused by the following:
- Unsafe or malfunctioning ski lifts
- Mistakes or carelessness by ski lift operators
- Defective ski equipment
- Lack of warning for known dangers
- Lack of markers denoting ski area boundary
- Poor slope maintenance
In these cases, the inherent risk doctrine may not apply. To understand your legal options, please do not hesitate to contact one of the attorneys at Maison Law to discuss the details of your case free of charge.
Contact Maison Law | Lake Tahoe Personal Injury Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been injured in a snowboarding accident in Lake Tahoe, our team of personal injury attorneys at Maison Law can help. Our firm will investigate the circumstances of your accident and gather evidence to reach a successful settlement for your case. Don’t wait until it’s too late take legal action. Contact Maison Law today for a free, no-risk case consultation and case evaluation. No upfront money is required and you don’t pay a dime until your case is won.
