The ski season is coming to an end in Europe and many people will have enjoyed holidays to ski resorts to take part in snow-based activities over the past few months. As with all sports, these come with a risk of injury.
In all personal injury claims, one of the most vital aspects is being able to prove that another party’s actions caused your accident or injury.
If you have been injured on the slopes, the exact circumstances of the accident will determine who (if anyone) you may be able to bring a claim against. This could include:
Another skier or snowboarder
Have they acted recklessly, dangerously or negligently on the slopes? The difficulty with this option is that the fellow skier/snowboarder is unlikely to be insured against such incidents and may not have the financial means to pay out a claim.
A tour operator
If the holiday was booked a part of a package and the activity is part of that package, could the tour operator be at fault? They may be if the accident occurred due to a lack of instruction or implementation of health and safety measures. The tour operator should ensure that the ski centre or instructors forming part of their package has complied with the relevant health and safety standards.
A ski or snowboarding tutor
Have they provided poor or negligent guidance or instruction? Pursuing them directly could be difficult but you may be able to sue the ski centre if it is based in the UK. If the accident took place outside of the UK, it can be more complicated to bring a claim unless the activity was part of a package holiday.
The ski centre
Have they failed in their health and safety obligations? As above, this will be more straightforward if the ski centre is based in the UK or booked as part of a package holiday.
For the reasons above, it is always worth thinking about booking a package holiday if you are considering taking part in snow-based activities involving an element of risk, as you will then be much better protected if an accident were to unfortunately occur.
If you have been injured on the slopes and require advice, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our personal injury specialists on 0161 696 6235 or complete our enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch as soon as possible.
By Sharon Edwards. paralegal
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