Whether for competitive sport, recreation, or just the act of getting around in the snow, skiing is one of the most popular activities in Summit County, Colorado. However, most people don’t really realize just how popular it is.
For context, the state of Colorado currently has a population of over 5.812 million people. Meanwhile, the number of visits to Colorado’s 27 lift-served ski areas amounts to nearly 15 million each year.
That is just under three times more ski visits than there are people in the state!
Of course, skiing, like most activities, comes with some level of risk. Ski resorts rarely report statistics, but ski accident injury rates in Colorado potentially fall somewhere in the thousands, with around 11 or more each year resulting in fatalities.
This might seem like a small number, but when you’re one of those unlucky individuals, ski accidents are a big deal, no matter how small the statistic. Depending on the injury, you could get away with just a few stitches and a lighter wallet, or you might end up bedridden with broken bones and a massive hole in your savings account.
Skiing accidents don’t have to leave you broken. Work with a Summit County ski accident lawyer from Olson Personal Injury Lawyers today.
The Advantages of Working With a Summit County Ski Accident Attorney
While you aren’t legally required to work with a lawyer for a claim – and, indeed, not every claim needs the assistance of a lawyer – working with a Summit County attorney offers advantages you may not have when filing alone.
Specialized Expertise
Not everyone has the expertise needed to not just understand the legal system but get the desired outcomes from it. And yet, that is exactly what ski accident lawyers are trained to do.
Personal injury lawyers spend the better part of a decade refining their skills into a specific niche of law for one purpose: to ensure that the clients they represent get the maximum compensation possible for the harm they sustained.
They know the ins and outs of the insurance process and the tricks that insurers use to devalue claims in an effort to save a dime. This means you are never lost, and you’ll have a guide through the entire ordeal.
Your lawyer will make sure that you are treated fairly and compensated correctly.
Comprehensive Case Evaluation
When you decide to work with a ski accident lawyer from Olson Personal Injury Lawyers, you will get a zero-cost, zero-obligation, comprehensive evaluation of your case. Your attorney will review the details of your case, including the circumstances that led to the accident, the regulations of the facility that are relevant to the accident, liability factors, and, of course, the extent of the damages you have suffered.
This consultation session with your attorney will allow you, the client, to gain perspective into the situation you wouldn’t have if you had chosen to work alone.
It’s extremely common, for instance, for clients to come up with an early estimate of how much they need to recover before calling a lawyer. When they do make the call and schedule the evaluation, they often end up surprised when their legal representative suggests a figure up to twice or three times what they had estimated.
These evaluations are also important for laying down the groundwork for your case. Your lawyer will use what they learned from you to begin building strategies to face the insurance company.
Legal Representation and Advocacy
Your attorney represents your interests against the liable party, the insurance company, and their respective representatives. They negotiate with relevant parties for a fair agreement regarding your injuries.
Remember: people at the negotiation table are there to save themselves money. Oftentimes, they employ different strategies to work toward this goal.
When you work with a ski accident attorney, they will ensure that all damages – medical expenses, lost wages, and non-monetary losses – are accounted for. Not only that, but they will advocate for a fair value that satisfies both you and the insurer (after all, you don’t want to scare them off with unreasonably high demands, as you want them to actually pay money out).
Finally, the duty of an attorney to represent you applies even if you are not able to make it to meetings or file important documents on time. In fact, that duty applies even more in this case.
In cases where injuries are so severe that victims are bedridden and unable to go through the claims process themselves, a lawyer has the authority to act on their behalf while they trust that their goals and interests are taken care of. This means that you, as a client, will be able to focus on recovery and getting back on track with other important tasks, such as getting back to work or spending time with your family.
Tailored Legal Strategy
It’s a common phrase in the legal profession: every case is different. This is especially true in terms of personal injury law, where there are an infinite number of ways an injury can happen and just as many ways they can affect a victim.
An experienced ski accident attorney tailors strategies specifically designed to address your situation. The right approach to a settlement can mean everything, from setting a timeline to gathering evidence all the way to sitting down with other parties and, if necessary, escalating to litigation.
Peace of Mind
A skilled Summit County personal injury lawyer gives you peace of mind.
They maintain open channels of communication with you, updating you regarding relevant developments regarding your claim. They are also not afraid to be honest with you and inform you of any obstacles or hiccups you may encounter.
This kind of communication and honesty means that no matter how bleak things are, you have an agent working in your name whom you can trust.
Of course, your lawyer won’t deliver bad news and leave it there. They will take it upon themselves to look for solutions to these problems and find new options and paths you can take to help you get closer to the compensation you deserve.
What Should I Do After a Ski Accident?
Like the aftermath of all tragedies, that of a ski accident can be stressful, frightening, and confusing. Depending on the gravity of the situation, there may be damage to personal property as well as a risk of life-altering or even life-threatening injuries.
- Assess the situation: The most important thing to do is to keep calm; panic does not help. Having a plan of action in the event of an emergency can mean all the difference between life and death at the scene of an accident.
- First, check yourself for any obvious signs of injury; afterward, do the same for anyone else involved in the accident. No obvious sign does not necessarily mean there is nothing wrong, but it at least gives you enough information to determine the next course of action.
- Take note of important details such as the time of day, the location where the accident occurred, and more. This will give you valuable information on how to act, especially in the dangerous cold of snowy mountain slopes.
- Secure the scene: Once you have information, you need to be able to secure yourself, anyone else involved, and any personal property in order of importance. This step mitigates the accident from worsening for you, anyone else involved, and for any help that is to arrive.
- Make what attempt you can to warn others of the accident. Call for help; make yourself as visible as possible and as noticeable as possible by raising your hand or calling out, both to attract help and to prevent further collateral damage.
- Try to move away from danger if that is an option; you may attempt to move other injured parties as well. Do not attempt to do this, however, if you do not have the training to do so, especially if the other party is unconscious, as you risk worsening their condition.
- Seek medical attention: Take the appropriate steps to ensure your injuries are cared for. Look for a doctor as soon as possible to find out if your body has sustained any damage you have so far been unable to detect.
- While waiting for rescue to arrive, you may attempt to perform first-aid, especially in order to keep any victims (including yourself) warm. Hypothermia is an extremely dangerous condition that can take a life in under 30 minutes, while many mild and moderate injuries can take far longer to pose a grave threat.
- Once help does arrive, do not hesitate to get checked out, even if you do not feel your injuries are severe. Accept any offer by ski patrol personnel to assess your injuries and transport you to a medical facility.
- This is important not just for your health but also because when you make a personal injury claim, an insurer might argue your injuries were exacerbated by your refusal to get treatment and, therefore, cannot be compensated for the full amount.
- Call a Ski Accident Lawyer: When you’ve given yourself the time to rest and recover, call a legal professional in Summit County to get started with your personal injury claim.
- Observe the statute of limitations in Colorado for personal injury cases. You only have two years from the date of the injury or from the date of discovering an injury related to your ski accident before the statute expires, and you can no longer take legal action.
- If you’ve already contacted your insurance provider before contacting a lawyer, they may have already given you an initial offer. Do NOT accept this initial offer, as it will likely be lowballed and not cover all damages you are entitled to.
Of course, the best way to deal with an accident is not to get into one at all. To that end, here are some additional tips in order to reduce the risk of accident and injury on the slopes in Summit County:
- Wear a helmet: There is a reason helmets are a staple across many sports, modes of transportation, and recreational activities. Helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of fatal injury in alpine activities by up to 60%.
- Be aware of your surroundings: No activity is completely free of risk, which is why, especially for outdoor activities in potentially dangerous environments, you should always pay attention to where you are, what you are doing, and when. Awareness goes a long way to preventing accidents from happening in the first place, as long as proper safety measures are followed.
- Take ski lessons: Do not underestimate the difficulty of skiing, no matter how skilled you are. Do not attempt to test your limits without the “safety net” of proper equipment, training, and company you can fall back on in the event of an accident.
- Stay warm and hydrated: Dress appropriately for the conditions you plan to ski in and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. The better your condition in the moment the accident occurs, the longer you will likely be able to survive.
And above all, use context and common sense. Nothing beats good personal judgment to keep yourself safe.
Summit County Ski Accident Law Firm
When you need a path to recovery after a ski accident, whether minor or life-threatening, Olson Personal Injury Lawyers stands ready to help. We have spent more than a decade fighting for accident victims in Wyoming and Colorado, regularly recovering six and seven-figure sums in damages for our clients.
Lead attorney Sean Olson genuinely cares about the lives and futures of the clients we serve. As such, when you choose to work with us, Attorney Olson will personally meet with you to listen to your story and answer any questions you may have regarding your specific situation.
Attorney Olson and his team will work with you throughout the entire claims process, taking whatever steps are necessary to meet your goals. And, when it is all over, we won’t stop there with a simple goodbye.
We love to hear about how you’re doing after a case. After you’ve gotten your life back together with the amount you’ve recovered, we’ll keep our channels open so you can reach out to us with any good news or even any questions or concerns you may have down the road.
Call Olson Personal Injury Lawyers today at (970) 538-8115.