Ski Area Vehicle Cases

Snowmobiles are routinely used throughout the day at any given ski area. It is not uncommon for ski are operators to also use snow cats to groom runs during the ski day. The speed of the snowmobiles and the size of the snow cats pose huge dangers to the unsuspecting skier or snowboarder. Collisions with ski are vehicles frequently result in severe injuries or death.

In 2004, Colorado amended the Ski Safety Act to eliminate the duty to notify skiers of grooming equipment on the trails unless they are actually grooming. Large pieces of grooming equipment are dangerous whether they are grooming or crossing a ski run and skiers should always be properly notified to watch for them. However, the change in law makes the event of a ski vehicle accident even more likely, just because equipment is “in transit” does not mean a skier could not run into it without proper warning. If a collision with a ski area vehicle occurs, there may be a claim for negligence against the ski area operator.

Case Reports of Ski Area Vehicle Accidents

• Grigg v. Wintergreen Partners, Inc.

  Jessica Grigg, age 17, was skiing down Eagle's Swoop, at Wintergreen ski resort in Nelson County, Virginia when she collided with a large, track snow groomer.The jury Ms. Grigg awarded $8.3 million, the largest verdict ever obtained in a ski case in the United States.

• Lee v. Aspen

  Jury awards snowboarder $100,000.00 for injuries she sustained when hit by Aspen Ski Company snowmobile.