By Nuttall Brown & Coutts
AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated*Scott D. BrownFreecase review
What should I do right after a ski accident?
Get help from ski patrol and medical care first. Report what happened in simple, factual words and ask for the incident report number. Get names of witnesses and anyone involved, take photos if you can, and keep your pass, gear and any rental or lesson paperwork exactly as they are.
On the mountain
- Get help. Ask for ski patrol. Do not try to ski down with a possible head, neck, back or leg injury.
- Report it. Tell patrol what happened in simple, factual words. Ask for the incident report number. Patrol reports are written by the resort, and you may not get a copy without asking.
- Names. Get the names and phone numbers of witnesses and of anyone involved in a collision. A quick phone photo of someone's ID or pass, with their permission, can help.
- Photos. If you can, or if a friend can, photograph the spot, signs, closures, the snow surface, lift numbers and your gear.
The first days
- See a doctor. Some injuries, especially head injuries, do not show up right away. Tell the doctor exactly how it happened.
- Keep everything. Your pass or ticket, receipts, rental forms, lesson forms, and anything you signed or clicked.
- Keep your gear. Do not repair or adjust skis, bindings, a board or a helmet. If it was rental gear, ask the shop in writing to keep it as it is.
- Write it down. While you remember, write what happened, the time, the run, the weather and visibility, and who was there.
What to avoid
- Social media. Avoid posting about the injury or your activities. Posts can be taken out of context.
- Recorded statements. An insurer may ask for a recorded statement. You can politely say you want to talk with a lawyer first.
- Signing new forms. Do not sign a release or settlement from an insurer without advice.
- Guessing. Do not say an accident was your fault, or someone else's, before the facts are known.
The weeks after
- Follow medical advice. Go to follow-up visits and physical therapy. Gaps in care can be used against a claim.
- Track costs. Keep bills, receipts, mileage, and a record of missed work.
- Keep a journal. Short notes about pain, sleep, and what you cannot do can help show how the injury affects your life.
- Watch the deadlines. Utah's time limits can be short, sometimes a year or less, so call soon.
When to call a lawyer
Call sooner rather than later, especially if someone else was involved, rental gear may have failed, a lift was involved, or the injury is serious. Evidence can disappear and deadlines can pass. A first call is free, and a lawyer can review whether Utah law may allow a claim.
Many ski injuries come from inherent risks of the sport that Utah law does not allow as claims against the resort. Whether something else was involved depends on the facts. A lawyer can review them with you.
