2013-2014 In bound ski/board fatalities
Posted: February 12, 2014 Filed under: Avalanche, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Aspen, Blunt trauma, Crystal Mountain Resort, fatality, Heavenly Resort, Killington, Mount Charleston, Opp Alabama, Resort, Ski, Ski Apache, ski area, Ski Bluewood, Skier, Sledding, Snowboard, Snowboarder, Stratton Mountain Resort, Sugarloaf, Telluride, Whitefish Mountain Resort, Winter Park Leave a commentIt is depressing to start working on this every year. I hope it at some point in time can provide answers rather than news.
This list is not guaranteed to be accurate. The information is found from web searches and news dispatches. Those references are part of the chart. If you have a source for information on any fatality please leave a comment or contact me. Thank you.
If this information is incorrect or incomplete please let me know. This is up to date as of February 10, 2014. Thanks.
Skiing and Snowboarding are still safer than being in your kitchen or bathroom. This information is not to scare you away from skiing but to help you understand the risks.
Are non-skiing/boarding fatalities that occurred inbounds on the slopes
Fatality while sledding at the Resort is in Green
2013 – 2014 Ski Season Fatalities
|
# |
Date |
State |
Resort |
Where |
Trail Difficulty |
How |
Cause |
Ski/ Board |
Age |
Sex |
Home town |
Helmet |
Reference |
Ref # 2 |
|
1 |
12/11 | CO | Telluride | Pick’N Gad | Left the ski run, struck a tree and suffered fatal injuries | 60 | M | Norwood, CO | No | http://rec-law.us/190al75 | http://rec-law.us/1fchteM | |||
|
2 |
12/12 | VT | Killington | Great Northern Trail | Found | 21 | F | PA | No | http://rec-law.us/1csgWCg | ||||
|
3 |
12/16 | WA | Crystal Mountain Resort | Tinkerbell | Beginner | Lost control and veered off the trail | Blunt Force Trauma | F | Yes | http://rec-law.us/Jc4MX3 | ||||
| 4 | 1/1/14 | WV | skiing into a tree | M | Opp, AL | http://rec-law.us/1a6nAkQ | ||||||||
| 5 | 12/21 | CA | Heavenly Resort | colliding with a snowboarder and being knocked into a tree | 56 | F | NV | No | http://rec-law.us/JRiP4c | http://rec-law.us/1a7REMW | ||||
| 6 | 12/19 | CO | Winter Park | Butch’s Breezeway | Beginner | blunt force injury to the head | 19 | M | Yes | http://rec-law.us/1f3ekSy | ||||
| 7 | 1/11 | CO | Aspen | Bellisimo | Inter | hitting a tree | Ski | 56 | M | CO | Yes | http://rec-law.us/1hNbHoz | http://rec-law.us/JTr7sY | |
| 8 | 1/11 | MT | Whitefish Mountain Resort | Gray Wolf and Bighorn | Found in a tree well | Ski | 54 | M | CA | http://rec-law.us/1kx1deP | ||||
| 9 | 1/11 | VT | Stratton Mountain Resort | Lower Tamarac | Sledding | Sledding | 45 | M | NJ | No | http://rec-law.us/19x4mXb | http://rec-law.us/1aRlxS5 | ||
| 10 | 1/14 | NV | Mount Charleston | Terrain Park | Fall in terrain park | blunt-force trauma | Boarder | 20 | M | NV | No | http://rec-law.us/1dsDW8B | http://rec-law.us/1dyT1Hc | |
| 11 | 1/17 | VT | Killington | Mouse Trap Trail | striking a tree | Boarder | 23 | M | NY | http://rec-law.us/1dFfY9j | http://rec-law.us/1dKUf0v | |||
| 12 | 1/25 | NM | Ski Apache | Inter | struck a tree | Skier | 23 | F | TX | http://rec-law.us/1n3PCCM | http://rec-law.us/M5qA85 | |||
| 13 | 1/25 | WA | Ski Bluewood | Country Road run | Beginner | Found at top of trail | blunt force abdominal injury | Skier | 14 | M | WA | No | http://rec-law.us/1eaGBUM | http://rec-law.us/1b4oewr |
| 14 | 1/28 | UT | Deer Valley | Keno ski run | Inter | hit a tree | Skier | 65 | M | FL | Yes | http://rec-law.us/1eg70Ax | http://rec-law.us/1hRbIVm | |
| 15 | 2/1 | VT | Sugarbush Ski Resort | Lower Rim Run and Lower FIS trails | went off the trail and hit a trail sign | broken neck | Skier | 19 | F | Newport, RI | http://rec-law.us/1aeVJ3V | http://rec-law.us/1j4jIpF | ||
| 16 | 2/4 | ME | Sugarloaf resort | Hayburner | Expert | skiing off a trail into trees | Skier | 21 | M | Hoosick Falls, NY | No | http://rec-law.us/1fQtrMz | http://rec-law.us/1b1OkG0 | |
| 17 | 2/4 | CA | Heavenly Ski Resort | upper Nevada Woods | Expert | Closed area | blunt force trauma | Boarder | 18 | M | Kings Beach, CA | Yes | http://rec-law.us/1byr68d | http://rec-law.us/1b5exDA |
| 18 | 2/8 | CO | Keystone Resort | Porcupine and Bighorn | Intermediate | crashed into a tree | blunt-force trauma | Skier | 46 | M | Yes | http://rec-law.us/Nph8Oa | ||
| 19 | 1/31 | PA | Seven Springs Mountain Resort | hit a fence | closed-head injury and a cervical spine fracture | Skier | 52 | F | Westmoreland County, PA | http://rec-law.us/1lWLt5C | http://rec-law.us/1h4zhOc | |||
| 20 | 2/7 | CO | Beaver Creek | lower section of Beaver Creek | suffered trauma injuries | Skier | 64 | M | St. Louis, Mo | http://rec-law.us/1ns4Hvu |
Our condolences go to the families of the deceased. Our thoughts extend to the families and staff at the areas who have to deal with these tragedies.
If you are unable to view the entire table Email me at Jim@Rec-law.us and put Ski Area Fatality Chart in the subject line. I’ll reply with a PDF of the chart.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
If you like this let your friends know or post it on FB, Twitter or LinkedIn
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WordPress Tags: news,information,references,Thank,January,Thanks,kitchen,bathroom,Resort,Season,Fatalities,Date,State,Where,Trail,Cause,Board,Home,Helmet,Telluride,Pick,NGad,tree,Norwood,Killington,Great,Northern,Found,Crystal,Mountain,Tinkerbell,Beginner,Lost,Blunt,Force,Trauma,Winter,Park,Butch,Breezeway,injury,Aspen,Belisimo,Intermediate,Skier,Whitefish,Gray,Wolf,Bighorn,Stratton,Lower,Tamarac,Mount,Charlteston,Terrain,Fall,Boarder,Mouse,Trap,Apache,Struck,Bluewood,Country,Road,organs,abdomen,Deer,Valley,Keno,condolences,families,areas,tragedies,Leave,Twitter,LinkedIn,Recreation,Edit,RecreationLaw,Facebook,Page,Outdoor,Adventure,Travel,Blog,Mobile,Site,Outside,Moss,James,Attorney,Tourism,Risk,Management,Human,Rock,Ropes,Course,Challenge,Summer,Camp,Camps,Youth,Negligence,SkiLaw,OutdoorLaw,OutdoorRecreationLaw,AdventureTravelLaw,TravelLaw,JimMoss,JamesHMoss,AttorneyatLaw,AdventureTourism,RecLaw,RecLawBlog,RecreationLawBlog,RiskManagement,HumanPoweredRecreation,CyclingLaw,BicyclingLaw,FitnessLaw,RopesCourse,ChallengeCourse,SummerCamp,YouthCamps,Colorado,managers,accidents,Lawyer,Paddlesports,Recreational,Line,RecreationalLawyer,FitnessLawyer,RecLawyer,ChallengeCourseLawyer,RopesCourseLawyer,ZipLineLawyer,RockClimbingLawyer,AdventureTravelLawyer,OutsideLawyer,Snowboarder,Area,Charleston

2013-2014 In bound ski/board fatalities
Posted: January 29, 2014 Filed under: Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Aspen, Crystal Mountain Resort, fatality, Heavenly Resort, Killington, Mount Charleston, Resort, Ski Apache, ski area, Ski Bluewood, Ski Resort, Skier, skiing, Snowboarder, Sport, Stratton Mountain Resort, Telluride, Whitefish Mountain Resort, Winter Park, Winter sport Leave a commentIt is depressing to start working on this every year. I hope it at some point in time can provide answers rather than news.
This list is not guaranteed to be accurate. The information is found from web searches and news dispatches. Those references are part of the chart. If you have a source for information on any fatality please leave a comment or contact me. Thank you.
If this information is incorrect or incomplete please let me know. This is up to date as of January 13, 2014. Thanks.
Skiing and Snowboarding are still safer than being in your kitchen or bathroom. This information is not to scare you away from skiing but to help you understand the risks.
Are non-skiing/boarding fatalities that occurred inbounds on the slopes
Fatality while sledding at the Resort is in Green
2013 – 2014 Ski Season Fatalities
|
# |
Date |
State |
Resort |
Where |
Trail Difficulty |
How |
Cause |
Ski/ Board |
Age |
Sex |
Home town |
Helmet |
Reference |
|
|
|
1 |
12/11 |
CO |
Telluride |
Pick’N Gad |
|
Left the ski run, struck a tree and suffered fatal injuries |
|
|
60 |
M |
Norwood, CO |
No |
|
||
|
2 |
12/12 |
VT |
Killington |
Great Northern Trail |
|
Found |
|
|
21 |
F |
PA |
No |
|
|
|
|
3 |
12/16 |
WA |
Crystal Mountain Resort |
Tinkerbell |
Beginner |
Lost control and veered off the trail |
Blunt Force Trauma |
|
|
F |
|
Yes |
|
|
|
|
4 |
1/1/14 |
WV |
|
|
|
skiing into a tree |
|
|
|
M |
Opp, AL |
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
12/21 |
CA |
Heavenly Resort |
|
|
colliding with a snowboarder and being knocked into a tree |
|
|
56 |
F |
NV |
No |
|
||
|
6 |
12/19 |
CO |
Winter Park |
Butch’s Breezeway |
Beginner |
|
blunt force injury to the head |
|
19 |
M |
|
Yes |
|
|
|
|
7 |
1/11 |
CO |
Aspen |
Bellisimo |
Inter |
hitting a tree |
|
Ski |
56 |
M |
CO |
Yes |
|
||
|
8 |
1/11 |
MT |
Whitefish Mountain Resort |
Gray Wolf and Bigho |
|
Found in a tree well |
|
Ski |
54 |
M |
CA |
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
1/11 |
VT |
Stratton Mountain Resort |
Lower Tamarac |
|
Sledding |
|
Sledding |
45 |
M |
NJ |
No |
|
||
|
10 |
1/14 |
NV |
Mount Charleston |
|
Terrain Park |
Fall in terrain park |
blunt-force trauma |
Boarder |
20 |
M |
NV |
No |
|
||
|
11 |
1/17 |
VT |
Kilington |
Mouse Trap Trail |
|
striking a tree |
|
Boarder |
23 |
M |
NY |
|
|
||
|
12 |
1/25 |
NM |
Ski Apache |
|
Inter |
struck a tree |
|
Skier |
23 |
F |
TX |
|
|
||
|
13 |
1/25 |
WA |
Ski Bluewood |
Country Road run |
Beginner |
Found at top of trail |
|
Skier |
14 |
M |
WA |
No |
http://rec-law.us/1b4oewr |
|
Our condolences go to the families of the deceased. Our thoughts extend to the families and staff at the areas who have to deal with these tragedies.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
If you like this let your friends know or post it on FB, Twitter or LinkedIn
Copyright 2013 Recreation Law (720) Edit Law
Twitter: RecreationLaw
Facebook: Rec.Law.Now
Facebook Page: Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Travel Law
Mobile Site: http://m.recreation-law.com
#RecreationLaw, #@RecreationLaw, #Cycling.Law #Fitness.Law, #Ski.Law, #Outside.Law, #Recreation.Law, #Recreation-Law.com, #Outdoor Law, #Recreation Law, #Outdoor Recreation Law, #Adventure Travel Law, #law, #Travel Law, #Jim Moss, #James H. Moss, #Attorney at Law, #Tourism, #Adventure Tourism, #Rec-Law, #Rec-Law Blog, #Recreation Law, #Recreation Law Blog, #Risk Management, #Human Powered, #Human Powered Recreation,# Cycling Law, #Bicycling Law, #Fitness Law, #Recreation-Law.com, #Backpacking, #Hiking, #Mountaineering, #Ice Climbing, #Rock Climbing, #Ropes Course, #Challenge Course, #Summer Camp, #Camps, #Youth Camps, #Skiing, #Ski Areas, #Negligence, #Snowboarding, #RecreationLaw, #@RecreationLaw, #Cycling.Law #Fitness.Law, #SkiLaw, #Outside.Law, #Recreation.Law, #RecreationLaw.com, #OutdoorLaw, #RecreationLaw, #OutdoorRecreationLaw, #AdventureTravelLaw, #Law, #TravelLaw, #JimMoss, #JamesHMoss, #AttorneyatLaw, #Tourism, #AdventureTourism, #RecLaw, #RecLawBlog, #RecreationLawBlog, #RiskManagement, #HumanPowered, #HumanPoweredRecreation,# CyclingLaw, #BicyclingLaw, #FitnessLaw, #RecreationLaw.com, #Backpacking, #Hiking, #Mountaineering, #IceClimbing, #RockClimbing, #RopesCourse, #ChallengeCourse, #SummerCamp, #Camps, #YouthCamps, #Skiing, #Ski Areas, #Negligence, #Snowboarding, sport and recreation laws, ski law, cycling law, Colorado law, law for recreation and sport managers, bicycling and the law, cycling and the law, ski helmet law, skiers code, skiing accidents, Recreation Lawyer, Ski Lawyer, Paddlesports Lawyer, Cycling Lawyer, Recreational Lawyer, Fitness Lawyer, Rec Lawyer, Challenge Course Lawyer, Ropes Course Lawyer, Zip Line Lawyer, Rock Climbing Lawyer, Adventure Travel Lawyer, Outside Lawyer, Recreation Lawyer, Ski Lawyer, Paddlesports Lawyer, Cycling Lawyer, #RecreationalLawyer, #FitnessLawyer, #RecLawyer, #ChallengeCourseLawyer, #RopesCourseLawyer, #ZipLineLawyer, #RockClimbingLawyer, #AdventureTravelLawyer, #OutsideLawyer, Skier, Snowboarder, Ski Area, Fatality, Telluride, Killington, Crystal Mountain Resort, Heavenly Resort, Winter Park, Aspen, Whitefish Mountain Resort, Stratton Mountain Resort, Mount Charleston, Killington, Ski Apache, Ski Bluewood,
WordPress Tags: news,information,references,Thank,January,Thanks,kitchen,bathroom,Resort,Season,Fatalities,Date,State,Where,Trail,Cause,Board,Home,Helmet,Reference,Telluride,Pick,Left,tree,injuries,Norwood,Killington,Great,Northern,Found,Crystal,Mountain,Tinkerbell,Beginner,Lost,Blunt,Force,Trauma,Winter,Park,Butch,Breezeway,injury,Aspen,Bellisimo,Inter,Whitefish,Gray,Wolf,Bigho,Stratton,Lower,Tamarac,Mount,Charleston,Terrain,Fall,Boarder,Kilington,Mouse,Trap,Apache,Skier,Bluewood,Country,Road,condolences,families,areas,tragedies,Leave,Twitter,LinkedIn,Recreation,Edit,RecreationLaw,Facebook,Page,Outdoor,Adventure,Travel,Blog,Mobile,Site,Outside,Moss,James,Attorney,Tourism,Risk,Management,Human,Rock,Ropes,Course,Challenge,Summer,Camp,Camps,Youth,Negligence,SkiLaw,OutdoorLaw,OutdoorRecreationLaw,AdventureTravelLaw,TravelLaw,JimMoss,JamesHMoss,AttorneyatLaw,AdventureTourism,RecLaw,RecLawBlog,RecreationLawBlog,RiskManagement,HumanPoweredRecreation,CyclingLaw,BicyclingLaw,FitnessLaw,RopesCourse,ChallengeCourse,SummerCamp,YouthCamps,Colorado,managers,accidents,Lawyer,Paddlesports,Recreational,Line,RecreationalLawyer,FitnessLawyer,RecLawyer,ChallengeCourseLawyer,RopesCourseLawyer,ZipLineLawyer,RockClimbingLawyer,AdventureTravelLawyer,OutsideLawyer,Snowboarder,Area

New Mexico interpretation of the New Mexico Ski Safety Act for injuries a beginner received leaving a ski lesson
Posted: January 27, 2014 Filed under: Assumption of the Risk, New Mexico, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: American Home Assurance Corporation, Assumption of risk, George Philippi, Inc., James Booth, Lawrence Gottschau, New Mexico, New Mexico Ski Safety Act, Olive Bolander, Sipapu, Sipapu Recreation Development Corporation, ski area, ski lesson, Ski Resort, skiing, United States district court 1 CommentI’m not sure why everyone needs to test skier safety acts. Here, the plaintiff admitted he could not ski, left the ski lesson and skied down the hill injuring him. So he sues the ski area?
Philippi v. Sipapu, Inc., 961 F.2d 1492; 1992 U.S. App. LEXIS 6973
Plaintiff: George Philippi
Defendants: Sipapu, Inc., a New Mexico corporation; Sipapu Recreation Development Corporation, a New Mexico corporation; and their employees, Lawrence Gottschau, James Booth, and Olive Bolander; and American Home Assurance Corporation
Plaintiff Claims: negligence and violation of the New Mexico Ski Safety Act
Defendant Defenses: New Mexico Ski Safety Act and statutory assumption of the risk
Holding: for the defendants
This is a pretty simply case. The plaintiff is a body builder. He took a ski lesson from the defendants and was not good at skiing. He was unable to master turning or other maneuvers and fell repeatedly during the lesson. The plaintiff told his instructors to stop the lesson because he was frustrated and tired. Allegedly following the instructor’s suggestions he skied down the hill into a funnel where he fell and was injured his right leg and knee.
The plaintiff sued in Federal District Court, and his claims were dismissed based on a motion for summary judgment. He appealed to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. New Mexico is part of the Tenth Circuit, one of the appellate courts in the federal system based in Colorado. Consequently, this court is familiar with skiing.
Summary of the case
The plaintiff argued two issues on his appeal. First, the lower court misconstrued and misapplied the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk as set forth in the New Mexico Ski Safety Act. His second argument was the act incorporates comparative negligence principles, and thus the act cannot act as a complete bar to his recovery.
The court looked at the first claim and held the New Mexico Ski Safety Act imposes no duty on part of the ski area to protect the plaintiff, a novice skier, from the “inherent perils and obstacles posed by the terrain of a narrow, steep and ungroomed ski slope.”
The New Mexico Ski Safety Act states that a skier “accepts as a matter of law the dangers inherent in that sport insofar as they are obvious and necessary.” The skier assumes the risk of skiing and the legal responsibility of any injury to person or property from skiing. The act then lists the risks the skier assumes, as most acts do.
§ 24-15-10. Duties of the skiers
B. A person who takes part in the sport of skiing accepts as a matter of law the dangers inherent in that sport, insofar as they are obvious and necessary. Each skier expressly assumes the risk of and legal responsibility for any injury to person or property, which results from participation in the sport of skiing, in the skiing area, including any injury caused by the following: variations in terrain; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots; rocks, trees or other forms of forest growth or debris; lift towers and components thereof, pole lines and snow-making equipment which are plainly visible or are plainly marked in accordance with the provisions of Section 24-15-7 NMSA 1978; except for any injuries to persons or property resulting from any breach of duty imposed upon ski area operators under the provisions of Sections 24-15-7 and 24-15-8 NMSA 1978. Therefore, each skier shall have the sole individual responsibility for knowing the range of his own ability to negotiate any slope or trail, and it shall be the duty of each skier to ski within the limits of the skier’s own ability, to maintain reasonable control of speed and course at all times while skiing, to heed all posted warnings, to ski only on a skiing area designated by the ski area operator and to refrain from acting in a manner, which may cause or contribute to the injury of anyone.
The plaintiff argued the risks he encountered were not obvious to him because he was a novice skier.
Philippi’s complaint alleges that the defendants were aware of Philippi’s difficulties in mastering even the simplest skiing maneuvers, the defendants knew of “particular hazards or dangers,” and they knew or should have known that Philippi was likely to injure himself if “allowed to continue” down the slope.
The plaintiff argued the ski area had a duty to warn him of obstacles in the lower portion of the slope. The plaintiff argued the obstacles were not plainly visible to him as a novice skier and created hazards to him and the skiing public. The Act imposes an affirmative duty on ski areas to warn or “correct particular hazards or dangers known to the operator where feasible to do so.”
However, the court found that allegations alone are not enough to proceed with his argument. “The party resisting [summary judgment] may not rest on the bare allegations or denials of his pleadings. Rather he must produce some evidence showing a genuine issue for trial.”
However, allegations alone are not enough to sustain an argument and a motion for summary judgment. The plaintiff must have more. Here the court said he needed to identify particular hazards or dangers which the defendant knew about and failed to warn the plaintiff about.
The second issue was the statute incorporated the comparative negligence statute of New Mexico and therefore, could not act as a complete bar to the plaintiff. If you remember comparative negligence, it states that the defense of assumption of the risk is gone. Instead of a plaintiff assuming the risk and his claims being barred, the jury determines how much of the plaintiff’s acts caused his injuries and assigns a percentage of fault to the plaintiff and the defendant. If the defendant’s degree of fault is greater than the plaintiff’s that percentage of fault is applied to the total damages, and the plaintiff takes that percentage of the money as a judgment.
By arguing comparative negligence applies here; the plaintiff is arguing that his case must, by law be heard by a jury to apply the percentage of fault. However, the court found that the statute did not require the use of comparative negligence because the statute protected the ski area from liability. The plaintiff could still assume the risk of his injuries and thus be barred from suing.
So Now What?
The plaintiff argued that the ski area “ski instructor’s manual” failed to point out the need to warn students of dangers and alert them to safety issues. It is interesting to use a ski area manual to try an argument from the lack of a point to train in the ski area manuals.
This argument in the case is what caught my attention. In many cases, we write manuals to help instruct employees to work and keep our guests safe. Here, that information in the manual might have changed the outcome of this case.
If the point had been in the manual, then would the ski area been liable if they had not pointed out the “hazards” on the slope to the plaintiff?
However, you need to think about that issue. How big would a manual need to be to instruct your employees to point out the hazards of the sport or the slope? What about the hazards of any outdoor recreation program or business. Would you have to identify every root crossing a trail or all the branches that may hang low for your taller guests?
The New Mexico Ski Safety Act is well-written and specifically lists the risk a skier assumes. It does not require a balancing test, only one answer. Did the injury the plaintiff receives occur because of the risks the plaintiff assumed stated in the act? In this case, he did. Nor did the statute require the ski area to do any more than identify or correct those risks that could not be seen by a skier of average ability and skill.
For more on comparative negligence see You have to be prepared way before trial, and you have to win at trial, because judges are given wide discretion in controlling your chances on appeal and Sometimes you want too much, sometimes you are greedy: WI plaintiff’s lawyers are killing their income source.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
If you like this let your friends know or post it on FaceBook, Twitter or LinkedIn
Copyright 2013 Recreation Law (720) Edit Law
Email: Rec-law@recreation-law.com
Google+: +Recreation
Twitter: RecreationLaw
Facebook: Rec.Law.Now
Facebook Page: Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Travel Law
Blog: www.recreation-law.com
Mobile Site: http://m.recreation-law.com
By Recreation Law Rec-law@recreation-law.com James H. Moss #Authorrank
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Plaintiff tries to hold ski area liable for exceeding the state ski statute, however the court sees the flaws in the argument.
Posted: January 20, 2014 Filed under: Assumption of the Risk, New Hampshire, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Defendant, Eileen Gwyn, Estate of Howard Gwyn, increased risk of harm, Loon Mountain Corporation, Loon Mountain Ski Area, Margaret Do, Negligence, New Hampshire, ski area, Ski Resort, Ski Safety Act, skiing, Summary judgment, voluntarily assumed duty negligently performed 1 CommentThe New Hampshire Ski Area Safety Act only requires a ski area to post as a sign to close a run. The plaintiff tried to claim that a rope closing the run created greater liability rather more protection for skiers and boarders. A voluntarily assumed duty negligently performed is something always created in many outdoor recreation programs or businesses. However, it is not the change that is the legal issue. It is whether or not you increase the risk of harm to your guests that is controlling.
Gwyn v. Loon Mountain Corporation, 350 F.3d 212; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 23995
Plaintiff: Eileen Gwyn, on her own behalf, and as Executrix of the Estate of Howard Gwyn, and Margaret Do
Defendant: Loon Mountain Corporation, d/b/a Loon Mountain Ski Area
Plaintiff Claims: violation of the New Hampshire Skiers, Ski Area and Passenger Tramway Safety Act
Defendant Defenses: New Hampshire Skiers, Ski Area and Passenger Tramway Safety Act
Holding: for the defendant’s ski area
In this case, two people died and one person was injured on an icy ski slope. The first victim standing above the closed trail slipped and slid under the rope 900 feet to his death. The next two victims took off their skis and tried to hike down to the first victim. Both eventually fell sliding down the slope.
The survivors and the estates sued claiming violation of the New Hampshire Skiers, Ski Area and Passenger Tramway Safety Act and common law negligence claims. The lower court dismissed all but two of the claims on the defendant’s motion to dismiss. Those two claims were eventually dismissed after discovery had occurred, and the defendant filed a motion for summary judgment.
The plaintiff’s appealed the dismissal.
Summary of the case
The trail the plaintiffs fell down had been closed because it was icy. The New Hampshire Skiers, Ski Area and Passenger Tramway Safety Act required that a notice be placed on signs at the base of the lift, on trail-boards, and a sign posted at designated access points.
The plaintiff argued that the trail had to be closed not only at the main access point to the trail but all possible access points to the closed trail from another trail. The court looked at a trail map of the area and realized that the signage alone to mark a trail closed would be enormous.
The second argument was the most disturbing. The statute did not require that a rope be used to close a trail. Only a sign was needed to close a trail. By placing the rope across the trail the rope “could lure a skier closer to the icy entrance than one would go otherwise.” The plaintiff then argued that by a duty, voluntarily assumed but negligently performed was not protected by the ski statute.
There are situations where a voluntary act increases the risk of harm to someone creating negligence.
…but the common law rule sometimes permits a claim for negligent performance of a voluntary act where the negligence “increases the risk” of harm, or harm is caused by the victim’s “reliance upon the undertaking” to provide help or care.
The district court rejected this argument.
[The] complaint is devoid of allegations suggesting that defendant’s failure to exercise reasonable care to perform the identified undertakings created the icy area where the falls took place, exacerbated an already dangerous situation, caused Howard Gwyn and Do to enter an area they would not have entered absent the undertakings, or caused Howard Gwyn and Do to suffer worse injuries than they would have suffered absent the undertakings.
Because the first person to fall slipped on an ice patch, which was an inherent risk assumed by the skier under the statute, the plaintiff could not argue the risk was increased. The risk was there, and the rope did not change or increase the risk.
The only duty Loon voluntarily undertook–placing a rope across the trail–put the plaintiffs in no worse a position than they would have been without the rope. One can think of circumstances where a badly placed rope would cause or contribute to an accident but this simply is not such a case.
The next two plaintiffs obviously assumed the risk and by taking off their skis, probably increased the risks themselves.
The remaining claims of the plaintiff were dealt with quickly. The first was the New Hampshire Skiers, Ski Area and Passenger Tramway Safety Act violated the New Hampshire Constitution. However, the New Hampshire Supreme Court had already ruled it did not. The final two were procedural in nature. Whether the question on appeal had been certified and whether the plaintiff’s request to amend their complaint had been improperly denied.
So Now What?
Cases like this scare outdoor recreation programs into not doing the next thing to make a program better because of fear of creating more problems. Do not allow the threat of a lawsuit to make your program better or safer.
Do make your changes or upgrades such that the changes do not place your guests in a place of increased risk or such that you have placed your guests in a position where they may be confused.
Any risk can be assumed by your guests, clients, or skiers. You need to make sure that any changes in your program, operation or business result in a change in the information and education your clients receive about the risk.
Here the risk had not changed to the plaintiff so that the change, the actions above those required by the statute, did not increase the risk to the plaintiffs. The icy spot was there whether or not the rope was placed closing the trail or where the rope was placed.
Do the right thing and continue with an education of your guests to make sure they know what you are doing and why and what those risks are.
| Jim Moss is an attorney specializing in the legal issues of the outdoor recreation community. He represents guides, guide services, outfitters both as businesses and individuals and the products they use for their business. He has defended Mt. Everest guide services, summer camps, climbing rope manufacturers; avalanche beacon manufactures and many more manufacturers and outdoor industries. Contact Jim at Jim@Rec-Law.us |
Jim is the author or co-author of six books about the legal issues in the outdoor recreation world; the latest is Outdoor Recreation Insurance, Risk Management and Law.
To see Jim’s complete bio go here and to see his CV you can find it here. To find out the purpose of this website go here.
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By Recreation Law Rec-law@recreation-law.com James H. Moss
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Gwyn v. Loon Mountain Corporation, 350 F.3d 212; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 23995
Posted: January 20, 2014 Filed under: Assumption of the Risk, Legal Case, New Hampshire, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Eileen Gwyn, Estate of Howard Gwyn, increased risk of harm, Loon Mountain, Loon Mountain Corporation, Loon Mountain Ski Area, Margaret Do, New Hampshire, ski area, Ski Safety Act, voluntarily assumed duty negligently performed Leave a commentTo Read an Analysis of this decision see: Plaintiff tries to hold ski area liable for exceeding the state ski statute, however, the court sees the flaws in the argument.
Gwyn v. Loon Mountain Corporation, 350 F.3d 212; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 23995
Eileen Gwyn, on her own behalf, and as Executrix of the Estate of Howard Gwyn, and Margaret Do, Plaintiffs, Appellants, v. Loon Mountain Corporation, d/b/a Loon Mountain Ski Area, Defendant, Appellee.
No. 03-1047
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
350 F.3d 212; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 23995
November 25, 2003, Decided
SUBSEQUENT HISTORY: As Amended December 2, 3003.
PRIOR HISTORY: [**1] APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. Hon. Paul J. Barbadoro, U.S. District Judge.
Gwyn v. Loon Mt. Corp., 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9092 (D.N.H., 2002)
Gwyn v. Loon Mt. Corp., 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24625 (D.N.H., 2002)
DISPOSITION: Affirmed.
COUNSEL: Kevin M. Leach with whom Nixon, Raiche, Manning, Casinghino & Leach, P.C. was on brief for appellants.
Thomas Quarles, Jr. with whom Margaret O’Brien, Matthew R. Johnson and Devine, Millimet & Branch, P.A. were on brief for appellee.
JUDGES: Before Boudin, Chief Judge, Siler, * Senior Circuit Judge, and Lynch, Circuit Judge.
* Of the Sixth Circuit, sitting by designation.
OPINION BY: BOUDIN
OPINION
[*214] BOUDIN, Chief Judge. In this tragic case, two individuals were killed and a third badly injured in a skiing accident in New Hampshire. The details are set forth in two very able opinions by the district court. Thus, we confine ourselves to an abbreviated description focused on the two primary issues raised on this appeal: one is an important question of statutory construction and the other a narrower issue turning upon the pleadings.
Howard and Eileen Gwyn, their daughter Margaret Do, and Margaret’s fiance Mark Goss went on a ski vacation in Lincoln, New Hampshire. On January 25, 1999, they spent the morning together skiing down [**2] easy trails at Loon Mountain Ski Area (“Loon”). Shortly before lunch, Howard, Margaret, and Mark–all very experienced skiers–left Eileen and rode the chairlift up to the Summit Lodge to ski down some more difficult trails. Unbeknownst to them, Loon had closed one of the trails (named “Triple Trouble”) the night before because of icy conditions, a closure noted on the trail board at the bottom of the mountain.
[*215] From the summit, it was possible to ski directly down a trail named Big Dipper from which, part way down, Triple Trouble branched off to the skier’s right. Or, from the summit, one could head right on a trail called Haulback, then take a left fork onto Cant Dog, and enter Big Dipper just above the point where Triple Trouble branched off to the right. At this branching off point from Big Dipper to Triple Trouble, Loon had posted a sign warning that Triple Trouble was closed. It had also placed a rope across the entrance to Triple Trouble.
From the summit, Howard led the group to the right down Haulback and then took a left turn onto Cant Dog. At the intersection of Cant Dog and Big Dipper–right above the closed Triple Trouble trail–Howard slipped on ice, slid under the rope [**3] blocking off Triple Trouble, and tumbled nine hundred feet down the icy slope. He suffered severe injuries resulting in his death a few days later. Margaret Do and Mark Goss saw Howard Gwyn fall, removed their skis, and attempted to walk down the closed trail to rescue him. Both fell, sliding hundreds of feet down Triple Trouble trail. Goss died. Margaret Do suffered severe injuries and frostbite but was rescued several hours later. In this diversity suit, Margaret Do and Eileen Gwyn (as executrix of Howard Gwyn’s estate and on her own behalf) sued Loon for breach of multiple common law and statutory duties. The district court granted Loon’s motion to dismiss the majority of claims under New Hampshire’s “Skiers, Ski Area, and Passenger Tramway Safety Act,” N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann § 225-A:23 (2002) (“ski statute”). Two claims survived the motion to dismiss, but after discovery the district court granted summary judgment to Loon on both counts. Plaintiffs appealed, focusing attention on one statutory claim and one claim of common law negligence.
At the crux of this appeal is New Hampshire’s ski statute, N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann § 225-A. In this [**4] statute several duties are placed on ski operators–maintaining trail boards, marking the difficulty of various slopes, making trail maps available to all skiers–and operators can be sued for violations of these statutory duties. § 225-A:23; Nutbrown v. Mt. Cranmore, Inc., 140 N.H. 675, 671 A.2d 548, 553 (N.H. 1996). At the same time, the statute places the risk of injury from dangers inherent in the sport of skiing on the skiers themselves, and bars all actions against ski operators for injuries caused by these dangers. 1 § 225-A:24; Nutbrown, 671 A.2d at 553. New Hampshire case law is slowly filling in the gaps but uncertainties remain.
1 [HN1] The statute provides that “each person who participates in the sport of skiing accepts as a matter of law[] the dangers inherent in the sport, and to that extent may not maintain an action against the operator for any injuries which result from such inherent risks, dangers, or hazards.” § 225-A:24; see also Nutbrown, 671 A.2d at 553 (“By participating in the sport of skiing, a skier assumes this inherent risk and may not recover against a ski area operator for resulting injuries.”).
[**5] Here, most of the counts and theories pressed by plaintiffs at the start are no longer in issue, but two major claims remain open on this appeal. The first is that Loon did not comply with a statutory duty relating to marking closed trails. Under the ski statute, operators are not required to close a trail because of hazardous conditions, but if they do close a trail they must mark “the beginning of, and designated access points to” the closed trail with a sign, § 225-A:23 (III)(b), and note the closure on a permanent trail board at the base of the mountain, § 225-A:23 (II)(a). Here, it is undisputed that Loon properly [*216] noted the closure on the trail board and properly marked “the beginning” of Triple Trouble at the point that it branched off Big Dipper.
Nevertheless, the plaintiffs say that a closed sign for Triple Trouble was also required by the statute at the uphill juncture where Cant Dog forked off Haulback–a point where a sign pointed the way to Big Dipper and Triple Trouble. This, they say, was itself an “access point” to Triple Trouble. Their causation theory is less clear: the implication is that such an early warning of a closed trail further downhill might have made [**6] Howard Gwyn decide to lead the group straight down Haulback instead of taking Cant Dog so they could avoid the entire region around the closed trail.
The district court ruled as a matter of law that “access points” as used in the New Hampshire statute referred to points of direct entry onto a trail, and did not include points above the start of the closed trail. Thus, the start of Cant Dog might conceivably be treated as an access point to Big Dipper since the former merged into the latter; once on Cant Dog, entry onto Big Dipper was inevitable. By contrast, nothing compelled one who took the fork to Big Dipper necessarily to take the fork from Big Dipper onto Triple Trouble.
We agree readily with the district court’s reading of the statute. True, as a matter of dictionary definition a remote fork to an intermediate trail that can lead eventually to the closed trail could be described as a way to “access” the later trail; but on this theory the summit itself would be an access point to every connected trail on the mountain below. Indeed, on plaintiffs’ reading, warning signs might have to be posted at a variety of different points wherever existing trail signs indicated that [**7] the closed trail could be reached somewhere downhill. Conceivably, plaintiffs’ position could also require ski operators to construct such directional signs even if they did not already exist in order to mark every downhill closure.
It would not be literally impossible to comply with such requirements–apparently some ski slopes do so mark their closed trails, at least where existing signs mention the trails–but it could involve fairly complex compliance measures. In fact, the Loon trail map indicates that from some trails one could reach nearly 30 different trails below–some of them through open intermediate trails branching off into other open forks. The simplicity of the statute’s requirements argues against an interpretation requiring ski operators to mark every one of those possibilities, and this interpretation is unnecessary to carry out what we perceive to be the rationale of the warning requirement.
In our view, the statute aims to give the skier warning of a trail closure at any point where the skier might otherwise commit himself to traverse the closed trail. This is a complete scheme of protection giving the skier both a comprehensive overview of all closures on the [**8] base trailboard, and specific notice of each closure at any point on the mountain where the skier has a last chance to avoid the closed trail.
This reading may leave some open issues, but it forecloses plaintiffs’ central claim in this case. Here, the plaintiffs argue that a sign should have been placed at the Haulback-Cant Dog junction, since Cant Dog led onto Big Dipper which in turn led onto Triple Trouble. But a skier does not commit himself to taking Triple Trouble merely by turning left onto Cant Dog. Big Dipper was an open trail which a skier could continue down without branching off onto Triple Trouble, so no warning sign as to Triple Trouble was required by [*217] the statute at the Haulback- Cant Dog fork, even though one could have been voluntarily provided.
The second claim on appeal is that the district court should not have rejected an alternative theory of the plaintiffs having nothing to do with notice. The plaintiffs said that the defendant had placed the rope across Triple Trouble somewhat below the entrance itself and that the placement was negligent because it could lure a skier closer to the icy entrance than one would go otherwise. Admittedly, there was no duty to [**9] use any closing rope at all (the statute made the signs sufficient) but the plaintiffs argue that a voluntarily assumed duty negligently performed is not immunized by the statute.
There are obvious risks in penalizing efforts to provide help or care beyond an existing duty, but the common law rule sometimes permits a claim for negligent performance of a voluntary act where the negligence “increases the risk” of harm, or harm is caused by the victim’s “reliance upon the undertaking” to provide help or care. Restatement (Second) of Torts § 323 (1965); see also Prosser & Keaton on Torts 378-82 (5th ed. 1984). The New Hampshire Supreme Court has not decided how far this doctrine may apply in the face of the state statute providing protection to ski operators. See Rayeski v. Gunstock Area/Gunstock Area Comm’n, 146 N.H. 495, 776 A.2d 1265, 1269 (N.H. 2001).
The district court did not attempt to answer this question. It rested its rejection of such a claim in this case on the fact that the plaintiffs had not articulated any plausible causal connection between the placement of the rope and Howard Gwyn’s fall. As the district court [**10] said:
[The] complaint is devoid of allegations suggesting that defendant’s failure to exercise reasonable care to perform the identified undertakings created the icy area where the falls took place, exacerbated an already dangerous situation, caused Howard Gwyn and Do to enter an area they would not have entered absent the undertakings, or caused Howard Gwyn and Do to suffer worse injuries than they would have suffered absent the undertakings.
We have read the plaintiffs’ appellate briefs with care and no persuasive answer to this summary appears.
The problem for the plaintiffs is that Howard Gwyn evidently slipped on an ice patch on Big Dipper, and [HN2] an icy and dangerous open slope is an inherent risk of skiing that the plaintiffs assumed as a matter of law. N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann § 225-A:24(I); Nutbrown, 671 A.2d at 553-54 (citing Fetzner v. Jiminy Peak, The Mountain Resort, 1995 Mass. App. Div. 55, 1995 Mass. App. Div. LEXIS 30, No. 94WAD16, 1995 WL 263916, at *2 (Mass. Dist. Ct. May 1, 1995) (slipping on ice is an inherent risk of skiing)). The only duty Loon voluntarily undertook–placing a rope across the trail–put the plaintiffs in no worse a position than [**11] they would have been without the rope. One can think of circumstances where a badly placed rope would cause or contribute to an accident but this simply is not such a case.
Three remaining claims can be dealt with more swiftly. First, plaintiffs say that as read by the district court (and now by this court), the New Hampshire statute violates two provisions of the New Hampshire Constitution: the right to a remedy and the equal protection of the laws. N.H. Const. part I, arts. 2, 12, 14. The claim is that the district court’s interpretation deprives the plaintiffs of their constitutionally guaranteed rights without giving them a sufficient quid pro quo of a prior warning of the danger. This argument may be forfeited since not raised [*218] below. Brigham v. Sun Life of Canada, 317 F.3d 72, 85 (1st Cir. 2003).
In any event the New Hampshire Supreme Court has already concluded that the obligations that the ski statute places on ski operators provide a sufficient quid pro quo for the statutory restriction on skiers’ legal remedies. Nutbrown, 671 A.2d at 552. While the “access points” issue was not considered in Nutbrown, this slight wrinkle would [**12] not be likely to alter the New Hampshire Supreme Court’s assessment. No further argument based on New Hampshire constitutional law is sufficiently developed to merit consideration. See Mass. Sch. of Law at Andover, Inc. v. Am. Bar Ass’n, 142 F.3d 26, 43 (1st Cir. 1998).
Second, plaintiffs say that the statutory reading of the access points language and the voluntary assumption issue present open questions of New Hampshire law that should be certified to the state court. No such request was made in the district court, which is ordinarily conclusive save in rare circumstances such as public policy concerns, e.g., Pyle v. S. Hadley Sch. Comm., 55 F.3d 20, 22 (1st Cir. 1995). In any event, the access points issue is too straightforward to deserve certification and the voluntary assumption claim has been resolved not on the basis of statutory preemption but simply on the pleadings and facts of this case.
Third, plaintiffs say that the district court erred by denying them the chance to amend their complaint for the second time (one earlier amendment had been made) two months after the deadline set by the district court’s scheduling order. The motion [**13] to amend was denied by the district court for failure to make any effort to satisfy the good cause requirement for amendments after the scheduling order deadline, Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b)(1), and also the disregard of Local Rule 15.1’s further requirements (e.g., attaching all relevant documents and explaining why the change had not been made before). D.N.H. R. 15.1.
On appeal, the plaintiffs say only that the district court erred by applying federal standards for amending pleadings instead of the supposedly more liberal amendment rules applicable in New Hampshire state courts. [HN3] But if anything comprises “procedural” rules exempt from the Erie doctrine, Erie R.R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 82 L. Ed. 1188, 58 S. Ct. 817 (1938), it is the standards for such routine issues as the granting or denial of extensions of time, leave to amend, and similar housekeeping concerns. [HN4] The outcome determinative test relied upon by plaintiffs has been limited, see Hanna v. Plumer, 380 U.S. 460, 471, 14 L. Ed. 2d 8, 85 S. Ct. 1136 (1965), and has no application to a clearly procedural matter governed by explicit federal procedural rules.
[**14] This is a sad case but, despite the ingenuity and energy of plaintiffs’ counsel, it is not a close one, given the limitations imposed by state policy. It was handled with care and competence by the district court, and we might have said less but for a desire to make clear that plaintiffs’ arguments have been considered with respect.
Affirmed.
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2013-2014 In bound ski/board fatalities
Posted: January 15, 2014 Filed under: Ski Area, Skier v. Skier, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: RecreationLaw, Ski Resort, skiing, Snowboard Leave a commentIt is depressing to start working on this every year. I hope it at some point in time can provide answers rather than news.
This list is not guaranteed to be accurate. The information is found from web searches and news dispatches. Those references are part of the chart. If you have a source for information on any fatality please leave a comment or contact me. Thank you.
If this information is incorrect or incomplete please let me know. This is up to date as of January 13, 2014. Thanks.
Skiing and Snowboarding are still safer than being in your kitchen or bathroom. This information is not to scare you away from skiing but to help you understand the risks.
2013 – 2014 Ski Season Fatalities
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# |
Date |
State |
Resort |
Where |
How |
Cause |
Ski/ Board |
Age |
Sex |
Home town |
Helmet |
Reference |
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1 |
12/11 | CO | Telluride | Pick’N Gad | Left the ski run, struck a tree and suffered fatal injuries | 60 | M | Norwood, CO | No | http://rec-law.us/190al75 | http://rec-law.us/1fchteM | |||
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2 |
12/12 | VT | Killington | Great Northern Trail | Found | 21 | F | PA | No | http://rec-law.us/1csgWCg | ||||
|
3 |
12/16 | WA | Crystal Mountain Resort | Tinkerbell | Lost control and veered off the trail | Blunt Force Trauma | F | Yes | http://rec-law.us/Jc4MX3 | |||||
| 4 | 1/1/14 | WV | skiing into a tree | M | Opp, AL | http://rec-law.us/1a6nAkQ | ||||||||
| 5 | 12/21 | CA | Heavenly Resort | colliding with a snowboarder and being knocked into a tree | 56 | F | NV | No | http://rec-law.us/JRiP4c | http://rec-law.us/1a7REMW | ||||
| 6 | 12/19 | CO | Winter Park | Butch’s Breezeway | blunt force injury to the head | 19 | M | Yes | http://rec-law.us/1f3ekSy | |||||
| 7 | 1/11 | CO | Aspen | Bellisimo | hitting a tree | Ski | 56 | M | CO | Yes | http://rec-law.us/1hNbHoz | http://rec-law.us/JTr7sY | ||
| 8 | 1/11 | MT | Whitefish Mountain Resort | Gray Wolf and Bigho | Found in a tree well | Ski | 54 | M | CA | http://rec-law.us/1kx1deP |
Our condolences go to the families of the deceased. Our thoughts extend to the families and staff at the areas who have to deal with these tragedies.
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Colorado Ski Country USA brings back the 5th Grade Beginner Ski & Snowboard Lesson
Posted: December 19, 2013 Filed under: Colorado, Ski Area | Tags: skiing, snowboarding Leave a commentColorado Ski Country USA’s First Class Program Kicks off in January
Complimentary Beginner Ski or Snowboard Lesson for Never-ever 5th Graders Returns
Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) announced the return of the complimentary lesson component to its popular 5th Grade Passport program: First Class. Launched in 2010, First Class provides one free beginner ski or snowboard lesson, including rental equipment, for 5th Grade Passport holders who are new to both the sports of skiing and snowboarding. These lessons, in coordination with Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, are provided at CSCUSA resorts during the month of January.
Detailed program information about First Class has been provided to parents of 5th graders who are currently signed up for the Colorado Ski Country 5th Grade Passport, including which of the 17 participating Colorado Ski Country USA member resorts parents can choose from for their child to have their introductory experience on snow.
“Skiing and snowboarding are Colorado’s signature sports, and we want to ensure that every child in Colorado has the opportunity to participate in our great winter pastime,” explained Melanie Mills, CSCUSA’s president and CEO. “The First Class program is so valuable for kids and parents alike because it makes that first ever day on the mountain a safe and fun experience. Proper equipment and professional instruction are paramount for a kid’s first day on the slopes, and First Class assures parents that their “never-evers” are introduced into the sport in a structured, enjoyable environment.”
The Colorado Ski Country USA 5th Grade Passport program provides three free lift tickets at each participating CSCUSA member resort to the state’s 5th graders. The 6th Grade Passport program provides four lift tickets at the same resorts for $99 to the state’s 6th graders.
More information on 2013-14 5th and 6th Grade Passports and First Class is available at http://www.coloradoski.com/passport or by calling 303-866-9707.
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Lift tickets are not contracts and rarely work as a release in most states
Posted: December 16, 2013 Filed under: Contract, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Contract, Lift Ticket, Release, ski area, skiing, snowboarding 2 CommentsNor can they be used to prove assumption of the risk. At best, a lift ticket is another sign informing someone of the risk. If you are relying upon a lift ticket to stop lawsuits, get a release.
In most states where a statute requires language on the back of a lift ticket that warns of the risk, the language is simply that, warning language.
Two decisions have held that a lift ticket is valid to stop a claim at a ski area: Oregon and North Carolina.
These decisions have upheld the use of a lift ticket to bar a claim.
Oregon: Silva v. Mt. Bachelor, Inc., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55942
North Carolina: Strawbridge v. Sugar Mountain Resort, 320 F. Supp. 2d 425; 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14, Strawbridge, v. Sugar Mountain Resort, Incorporated, 152 Fed. Appx. 286; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 23459
In most states, the lift ticket is just a warning. To create a contract, a release, the lift ticket would have been a meeting of the minds. The purchaser of the lift ticket would have to understand they are entering a contract and agree to the terms of the contract.
That means the skier or boarder would have to read the back of the lift ticket and say, yes, I agree to the terms of the contract (or “sure.”).
You can’t rely on a lift ticket or any ticket to stop a lawsuit in most states and even in those four states that have held that in these cases, I would not rely on them until additional decisions support the claims.
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Strawbridge, Jr., v. Sugar Mountain Resort, Inc., 328 F. Supp. 2d 610; 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18644
Posted: December 16, 2013 Filed under: Legal Case, North Carolina, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Lift Ticket, Release, skiing, snowboarding Leave a commentStrawbridge, Jr., v. Sugar Mountain Resort, Inc., 328 F. Supp. 2d 610; 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18644
Vincent F. Strawbridge, Jr., and Rebecca S. Strawbridge, Plaintiffs, vs. Sugar Mountain Resort, Inc.; B. Dale Stancil, Individually; The Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust; and The B. Dale Stancil Irrevocable Trust, Defendants.
CIVIL NO. 1:02CV92
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA, ASHEVILLE DIVISION
328 F. Supp. 2d 610; 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18644
May 28, 2004, Decided
June 28, 2004, Filed
PRIOR HISTORY: Strawbridge v. Sugar Mt. Resort, Inc., 320 F. Supp. 2d 425, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14561 (W.D.N.C., 2004)
COUNSEL: For VINCENT F. STRAWBRIDGE, JR., REBECCA S. STRAWBRIDGE, plaintiffs: R. Hayes Hofler, Daniel B. Hill, Hayes, Hofler & Associates, P.A., Durham, NC.
For SUGAR MOUNTAIN RESORT, INC., defendant: Wyatt S. Stevens, Roberts & Stevens, P.A., Robert E. Riddle, Asheville, NC USA.
For B. DALE STANCIL, THE SUGAR MOUNTAIN IRREVOCABLE TRUST, THE B. DALE STANCIL IRREVOCABLE TRUST, defendants: James R. Fox, Jennifer I. Oakes, Bell, Davis & Pitt, P.A., Winston-Salem, NC USA.
JUDGES: LACY H. THORNBURG, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUDGE.
OPINION BY: LACY H. THORNBURG
OPINION
[*611] ORDER
THIS MATTER is before the Court on motions of Defendant Sugar Mountain, Inc. (“Sugar Mountain”), and Defendants B. Dale Stancil, individually, the Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust, and the B. Dale Stancil Irrevocable Trust (“non-resort Defendants”) for reconsideration, the non-resort Defendants’ [**2] request for oral argument, and Plaintiff’s response to these motions.
A. Sugar Mountain’s motion.
Sugar Mountain argues that “there is a difference between contracting against liability for negligence and agreeing to assume certain inherent risks of a particular activity.” Defendant Sugar Mountain Resort, Inc.’s Motion for Reconsideration [Sugar Mountain’s Motion], filed June 9, 2004, at 2. Sugar Mountain further argues that, even if the exculpatory clause Plaintiff signed to rent his ski equipment is unenforceable, he still assumed the risk of suffering an injury caused by a bare spot on the slope. See id., at 4. To support its claim that Plaintiff assumed the risk of falling on a bare spot, Sugar Mountain relies primarily on the statement printed on the back of Plaintiff’s lift ticket warning him of bare spots and other dangers. Sugar Mountain also points to Plaintiff’s extensive skiing experience in support of its claim that he assumed the risk of the injury that he ultimately suffered. See id., at 7.
Sugar Mountain cites some persuasive and some binding authority that appears to support the distinction between agreements to assume inherent [**3] risks and contracts against liability for negligence. Cf., Alston v. Monk, 92 N.C. App 59, 373 S.E.2d 463 (1988) (analyzing the defendants’ assumption of risk claims separately from their waiver claims); Poston v. Skewes, 49 Fed.Appx. 404 (4th Cir. 2002) (explaining that the trial court had properly interpreted Virginia law when it allowed into evidence an “assumption of risk” statement that the plaintiff had signed but redacted language that purported to “release” [*612] the defendants from liability for negligence). The Court will, therefore, assume without deciding that Sugar Mountain’s assumption of risk defense is distinct from the “release” defense the Court has already considered and rejected.
Sugar Mountain concedes that [HN1] the assumption of risk defense “extends only to those risks which are normally incident to the [activity] in which the plaintiff engages.” Sugar Mountain’s Motion, at 5 (citing McWilliams v. Parham, 269 N.C. 162, 166, 152 S.E.2d 117,120 (1967)) (alteration added). Sugar Mountain further concedes that [HN2] “‘extraordinary risks, including additional hazards caused by the negligence of the [contracting [**4] party], or others on the [contracting party’s] premises,’ are not considered assumed risks.” Sugar Mountain’s Motion, at 5 (citing McWilliams, supra, at 166-67, 152 S.E.2d at 120) (alterations in original). [HN3] “Knowledge is the watchword of the defense of assumption of risk; knowledge of the dangers and hazards to be encountered.” Cobia v. Atlantic C.L.R. Co., 188 N.C. 487, 128 S.E. 18, 20 (1924). [HN4] “This doctrine of assumption of risk is based upon knowledge or a fair and reasonable opportunity to know, and usually this knowledge and opportunity must come in time to be of use. Id. (quotations and citations omitted).
Plaintiffs allege that negligence on the part of Sugar Mountain caused their injuries. This Court has held that [HN5] a jury may find negligence from “evidence of a bare spot on a slope, evidence that defendants knew of conditions that may cause bare spots, and evidence that the bare spot was in some way concealed.” Memorandum and Order, filed May 10,2004, at 14. A corollary of that holding is that a jury may find that a concealed bare spot on a ski slope is not a risk that is normally incident to the activity [**5] of skiing when the ski slope operator knows or should have known of the offending spot and is aware of weather conditions that may cause unusual bare spots. Since this Court held that Plaintiffs have forcast evidence of each element listed above, the Court cannot decide, as a matter of law, that the assumption of risk doctrine defeats Plaintiffs’ claims. 1 Quite to the contrary, since Plaintiffs can only prevail if they prove negligence on the part of Sugar Mountain, and since a finding of negligence would mean that Plaintiffs were injured by “additional hazards caused by the negligence of [Sugar Mountain],” the assumption of risk defense cannot aid the Defendants. McWilliams, at 166-67, 152 S.E.2d at 120.
1 The Poston case illustrates this point. There, the Fourth Circuit, in finding that the plaintiff had assumed the risk of an accident, pointed out that the district court found no negligence on the part of the defendants. Poston, supra.
B. The non-resort [**6] Defendants’ motion.
1. B. Dale Stancil.
The non-resort Defendants’ memorandum advances no novel argument for summary judgment as to Stancil. Therefore, for the reasons set forth in the Court’s Memorandum and Order, the Court declines to dismiss Defendant Stancil.
2. The trust entities.
In its Memorandum and Order, the Court found that the evidence would support a finding of derivative liability, but the Court did not specifically examine whether that potential liability extended to the two irrevocable trusts. Now, the Court finds it does not.
As explained in the Memorandum and Order, Stancil and his business partner created the Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust in 1979 when they conveyed the land on which the ski resort sits into the trust [*613] for estate planning purposes. The Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust has continued to lease the land to Sugar Mountain, Inc., since 1979. The beneficiaries of the Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust are the Defendant B. Dale Stancil Irrevocable Trust (“Stancil Trust”), which was established for Stancil’s children, and an irrevocable trust for the children of Stancil’s business partner. Both Defendant trusts are managed by independent trustees. [**7] Memorandum and Order, at 17-18.
Although neither trustee is obligated to give Stancil access to the corpus of the trusts, the Stancil Trust does provide that the Trustee may loan funds to “the Grantor, the Grantor’s affiliated corporations or partnerships, other trusts created by the Grantor, trusts of which this trust is a beneficiary, beneficiaries of this trust or their affiliated corporations or partnerships.” Exhibit 8, B. Dale Stancil Irrevocable Trust (“Stancil Trust”), attached to Brief Opposing Summary Judgment as to Certain Defendants, at 2. The trust further provides that any such loan must be “on an arm’s length basis with good and adequate security and a fair interest rate.” Id. The trustee has, in fact, allowed Stancil to borrow money from the Stancil Trust to finance a real estate investment in Virginia and possibly to invest money in Sugar Mountain, Inc. Stancil makes interest payments to the trust in the sum of roughly $ 100,000 per year but does not make payments on the principal. Exhibit 17, Deposition of B. Dale Stancil, attached to Plaintiff’s Objections to Memorandum and Recommendation, at 44-45, 93-94, 103-04.
Plaintiffs [**8] give two theories on why liability should extend to the trust entities. The first is that, at least with respect to the Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust, liability is proper because the trust actually owns the premises on which Plaintiff was injured. However, it is well settled [HN6] in North Carolina that “a landlord who has neither possession nor control of the leased premises is not liable for injuries to third persons.” Vera v. Five Crow Promotions, Inc., 130 N.C. App. 645, 650, 503 S.E.2d 692, 697 (1998) (internal quotations omitted). Plaintiffs state in their objections to the Memorandum and Recommendation that the Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust “operated the resort,” but there is no forecast of evidence to support that statement. The original lease, however, states that Sugar Mountain Resort, Inc., agrees “to operate” the resort. Lease Agreement, contained in Appendix to Moving Defendants’ Memorandum in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment, at 4. For that reason, the fact that Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust was a landlord to Sugar Mountain, Inc., does not extend the liability of Sugar Mountain, Inc., to either trust entity.
Plaintiffs’ second [**9] argument for holding the trusts liable is that Stancil and the trusts are in an agency relationship. At times, Plaintiffs assert that “Stancil is the agent or servant of the trusts,” and, at other times, Plaintiffs assert that the trusts and the trustees are paid servants of Stancil. Plaintiffs’ Brief Opposing Summary Judgment as to Certain Defendants, at 20-21; Plaintiffs’ Objections to Memorandum and Recommendation, at 57-59. However, neither trust instrument mandates any ongoing obligations between Stancil and the trusts or the trustees. Exhibit 7, Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust, attached to Plaintiffs’ Brief Opposing Summary Judgment as to Certain Defendants; Exhibit 8, B. Dale Stancil Irrevocable Trust, supra. Although there is evidence of at least one loan from the Stancil Trust to Stancil, there is no evidence or legal authority to support the finding of an agency relationship, and there is no evidence to support a [*614] finding that the transaction was not performed at arm’s length.
For the reasons discussed above, the Court sees no basis for extending liability to irrevocable trust entities Stancil created over 20 years ago. As such, the two trust Defendants [**10] will be dismissed from this action.
3. Request for oral argument
Because of the extensive briefs filed by the parties, the Court determines there is no need for oral argument.
ORDER
IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that Defendant Sugar Mountain Inc.’s, motion to reconsider is hereby DENIED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that there will be no jury determination of whether Plaintiff Vincent Strawbridge assumed the risk of injury.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the non-resort Defendants’ motion to reconsider is hereby GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Plaintiffs’ claims against the B. Dale Stancil Irrevocable Trust and the Sugar Mountain Irrevocable Trust are hereby DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the non-resort Defendants’ request for oral argument is hereby DENIED.
THIS the 28th day of May, 2004.
LACY H. THORNBURG
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUDGE
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Silva v. Mt. Bachelor, Inc., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55942
Posted: December 16, 2013 Filed under: Oregon, Ski Area | Tags: Lift Ticket, ski area, skiing, snowboarding Leave a commentSilva v. Mt. Bachelor, Inc., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55942
David J. Silva, Plaintiff, v. Mt. Bachelor, Inc., an Oregon corporation, Defendant.
Civ No. 06-6330-AA
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55942
July 21, 2008, Decided
COUNSEL: [*1] For Plaintiffs: David Jensen, Jensen, Elmore & Stupasky, Eugene, OR.
For Defendant: Andrew C. Balyeat, Jeffrey T. Eager, Balyeat & Eager, Bend, OR.
JUDGES: Ann Aiken, United States District Judge.
OPINION BY: Ann Aiken
OPINION
OPINION AND ORDER
AIKEN, Judge:
Plaintiff filed suit alleging premises liability and negligence arising from a skiing accident. Defendant moves for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claims, arguing that they are barred by a valid release from liability agreed to by plaintiff.
FACTS
Plaintiff is a resident of Idaho and an avid skier who has skied at numerous ski resorts throughout the United States. Plaintiff received vouchers for two days of skiing at Mt. Bachelor and two nights at the Inn of the Seventh Mountain.
On April 16, 2005, plaintiff traded his voucher for an all-day ski pass at Mt. Bachelor. At the ticket windows, Mt. Bachelor posts signs stating “YOUR TICKET IS A RELEASE” and advising skiers that their ski pass contains a release of all claims against Mt. Bachelor. The signs read:
The back of your ticket contains a release of all claims against Mt. Bachelor and its employees or agents. Read the back of your ticket before you ski or ride the lift or use any of the facilities of the area. [*2] If you purchase a ticket for someone else, you must provide this ticket release information to that person or person.
Skiers and lift passengers who use tickets at this resort release and agree to hold harmless and indemnify Mt. Bachelor, Inc., its employees and agents from all claims for property damage, injury or death which he/she may suffer or for which he/she may be liable to others, arising out of the use of Mt. Bachelor’s premises, whether such claims are for negligence or any other theory of recovery, except for intentional misconduct.
If you do not agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the sale of your ticket, please do not purchase the ticket or use the facilities at Mt. Bachelor.
Presentation of this ticket to gain access to the premises and facilities of this area is an acknowledgment of your agreement to the terms and conditions outlined above.
Affidavit of Tom Lomax, Ex. 1.
Additionally, the back of plaintiff’s ski pass stated “READ THIS RELEASE AGREEMENT” and contained the following language:
In consideration for each lift ride, the ticket user releases and agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Mt. Bachelor, Inc., and its employees and agents from all claims for [*3] property damages, injury or death which he/she may suffer or for which he/she may be liable to others, arising out of the use of Mt. Bachelor’s premises, whether such claims are for negligence or any other theory of recovery, except for intentional misconduct.
Affidavit of Andrew C. Balyeat, Ex. 2, p. 2.
As plaintiff skied in an ungroomed area, he fell and injured his knee.
On December 27, 2006, plaintiff filed this lawsuit. Plaintiff alleges that defendant failed to make the ski area reasonably safe and that defendant’s negligence in failing to do so caused his injuries.
STANDARD
Summary judgment is appropriate “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c). The materiality of a fact is determined by the substantive law on the issue. T.W. Elec. Serv., Inc. v. Pac. Elec. Contractors Ass’n., 809 F.2d 626, 630 (9th Cir. 1987). The authenticity of a dispute is determined by whether the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving [*4] party. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S. Ct. 2505, 91 L. Ed. 2d 202 (1986).
The moving party has the burden of establishing the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S. Ct. 2548, 91 L. Ed. 2d 265 (1986). If the moving party shows the absence of a genuine issue of material fact, the nonmoving party must go beyond the pleadings and identify facts which show a genuine issue for trial. Id. at 324.
Special rules of construction apply to evaluating summary judgment motions: (1) all reasonable doubts as to the existence of genuine issues of material fact should be resolved against the moving party; and (2) all inferences to be drawn from the underlying facts must be viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. T.W. Elec., 809 F.2d at 630.
DISCUSSION
Defendant moves for summary judgment on grounds that plaintiff agreed to release defendant from all liability for damages arising from the use of its facilities. Defendant maintains that the release agreement is valid and enforceable and bars plaintiff’s claims. See Harmon v. Mt. Hood Meadows, Ltd., 146 Ore. App. 215, 932 P.2d 92 (1997); Mann v. Wetter, 100 Ore. App. 184, 785 P.2d 1064 (1990) .
Plaintiff concedes that one party [*5] may contract to limit another party’s liability for negligence. However, plaintiff disagrees that the release on the Mt. Bachelor ski pass is a valid release of liability. Plaintiff maintains that the release is not enforceable, because the parties were not negotiating at arms length in a commercial setting, the release was not make known to or signed by plaintiff, and the terms of the release are equivocal because it purports to cover all claims under any theory of recovery except intentional misconduct.
Plaintiff’s arguments are unavailing. First, no Oregon court has held that a release from liability in a recreational, as opposed to commercial, context offends public policy and is unenforceable. Harmon, 146 Ore. App. at 219 n. 3, 932 P. 2d 92 (“[W]e assume, without deciding, that a release relieving a ski resort solely from the consequences of its own negligence does not offend Oregon public policy.”). Further, the release from liability is not invalid as a contract of adhesion, because plaintiff voluntarily chose to ski at Mt. Bachelor and the ski resort does not provide essential public services. Mann, 100 Ore. App. at 187-88, 785 P.2d 1064.
Second, although plaintiff testified at [*6] his deposition that he did not read the release on the back of his ski pass or the signs at the ticket window, the pass and signs clearly advise skiers of the significance of the release agreement. Further, plaintiff testified that he knew and expected that his lift ticket would contain a release, based on his extensive skiing experience. Balyeat Aff., Ex. 1, pp. 14-15. Plaintiff also admitted that he understood the terms of the release, and plaintiff cites no case that requires a recreational release agreement to be signed. Id. Ex. 1, p. 15. Therefore, I find no genuine issue of fact exists as to whether the release and its terms were made known plaintiff.
Finally, the Oregon Court of Appeals has specifically held that a plaintiff must establish overbreadth of a release agreement as applied to the specific claim alleged:
Most simply, the party must show that, as applied, the contractual term is unenforceable on grounds of public policy. Here, plaintiff does not contend that Oregon public policy precludes a ski resort from limiting its liability for negligence; thus, regardless of whether defendants’ release might be unenforceable as to other plaintiffs asserting other claims, it is [*7] not unenforceable as applied to plaintiff.
Harmon, 146 Ore. App. at 221-22 (emphasis in original).
Here, plaintiff asserts negligence claims against defendant and concedes that a defendant may limit its liability for negligence. Therefore, the fact that the release agreement purports to cover other theories of liability does not preclude enforcement of the release in this case. As such, plaintiff’s claims are barred.
CONCLUSION
Defendant’s motion for summary judgment (doc. 13) is GRANTED. This case is DISMISSED.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated this 21 day of July, 2008.
/s/ Ann Aiken
Ann Aiken
United States District Judge
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Attractive Nuisance cases are rare, even rarer when it involves a ski area and ski lessons, let alone a collision case
Posted: December 9, 2013 Filed under: California, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Colorado Ski Safety Act, Premises Liability Act, Safety Act, ski lesson, Ski Safety Act, Snowmass, Snowmass Ski Area 2 CommentsThis is an early collision case and shows the development of alpine ski collision cases. This case also examines how courts review the Colorado Ski Safety Act and whether it conflicted with Colorado’s Premise Liability Statute.
Giebink v. Fischer, 709 F. Supp. 1012; 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7791
Plaintiff: James C. Giebink and Roxanne Johnson-Giebink, as parents and natural guardians of Michael Giebink, a minor; James C. Giebink, individually and Roxanne Johnson Giebink, individually, Plaintiffs
Defendant: Robert Fischer, as parent and natural guardian of Kevin Fischer, a minor; Robert Fischer, an individual and Aspen Skiing Corporation, a Colorado corporation, aka Aspen Skiing Company, and Jennifer Catherine Lang, Defendants
Plaintiff Claims:
Defendant Ski Area: negligent maintenance of the premises; C.R.S. 13-21-115, alleging that ASC “deliberately failed to exercise reasonable care to protect persons such as the minor Plaintiff, against dangers which were not ordinarily present on the aforesaid property despite the fact that Defendant actually knew or should have known of said dangers; and,
Under an attractive nuisance theory.
Defendant Ski School is liable for the negligent supervision of Michael by its agents and/or employees during the course of Michael’s ski lesson; and,
For negligent supervision and instruction of Michael while enrolled in the ski school.
Defendant Defenses: Colorado Skier Safety Act
Holding: partially for the plaintiff and for the defendant
This case was filed in federal district court gave rise to this decision based on motions to dismiss filed by the defendants’ ski area and ski school. The motions were an attempt to dismiss the majority of the plaintiff’s claims, to weaken their position and their case.
The defendant was skiing at Snowmass Mountain Resort when the defendant allegedly collided with the plaintiff. At the time of the collision, the plaintiff was enrolled in a ski lesson with the defendant ski school. The defendant skier was “lured” to a roll or jump on the slope which he went over colliding with the plaintiff. It was this roll that was defined as the property creating the attractive nuisance.
This was a different approach to attractive nuisance. Attractive nuisance is normally used to recover from a landowner when something on the land attracted the minor on to the land resulting in the minor being injured. Here the minor who was attracted to land, was legally on the land and caused injury to another.
The court classified the plaintiff as an invited guest and customer of Snowmass. This definition took in both statutes the court was going to have to decide in this case, the Colorado Ski Safety Act and the Colorado’s Premises Liability Statute’
Summary of the case
The court first looked at the plaintiff’s allegations that the Colorado Ski Safety Act violated Colorado’s Premises Liability Statute and as such was unconstitutional. Under the Premises Liability Statute, the duty owed to the plaintiff would be as a business invitee which is the highest degree of care owed to someone on your land and a much higher degree of care than required under the ski safety act. The premise’s liability statute defines the liability of a business invitee as:
If the landowner has expressly or impliedly invited the plaintiff onto the real property for the purposes of the landowner, the plaintiff may recover for damages caused by the landowner’s deliberate failure to exercise reasonable care to protect against dangers, which are not ordinarily present on property of the type involved and of which he actually knew.
The court found the statutes did not conflict because statutes were directed at different types of “dangerous activities and conditions.”
The court then reviewed the plaintiff’s argument that the defendant ski area failed to protect the plaintiff from dangers it should have known. The claim was based on a statute that requires actual knowledge. In this case, it means the defendant would have to have known the defendant skier was going to collide with the plaintiff. The knowledge required was more than foreseeable; it had to be actual to create liability.
The Ski Safety Act imposes specific duties upon ski operators as a means of protecting skiers against dangerous conditions that are commonly present at ski areas. In general, it does not protect against dangers arising from conditions or activities which are not ordinarily present at ski areas.
In contrast, the premises liability statute imposes liability against all landowners for conditions, or activities conducted on, or circumstances existing on his or her property. “If the landowner has expressly or impliedly invited the plaintiff onto the real property for the purposes of the landowner, the plaintiff may recover for damages caused by the landowner’s deliberate failure to exercise reasonable care to protect against dangers which are not ordinarily present on property of the type involved and of which he actually knew.”
Not to hold this way, the court stated, it would subject ski area operators to greater liability than other landowners. Because the plaintiff failed to make any claims under the Ski Safety Act, only claims under the Premises Liability Act the plaintiff was out on his negligence claims. Without the Premises Liability Act to support the claims, the claims failed when the Premises Liability Act was held not to supersede the Ski Area Safety Act.
However, the court reasoned the plaintiff’s claims of negligent supervision were not based on the premise’s liability statute those claims were allowed to continue. “Instructing people in the sport of skiing is not inherently related to the land.”
The attractive nuisance claims were also dismissed.
The purpose of the doctrine is to protect children from hazards, which tend to attract them onto property. By allowing the doctrine to survive the enactment of the premise’s liability statute, the Legislature evidenced an intent to give children under the age of fourteen protections beyond that which is now available to other persons. This protection logically should extend to children, regardless of their status as a trespasser, licensee, or invitee.
The doctrine only applies to features on the land that are unnatural and unusual.
The doctrine requires that the object be unnatural and unusual. This limitation protects landowners from liability for conditions, which are present on their property of which children should reasonably recognize the associated dangers.
Because the roll was natural and not unusual, the roll was not an attractive nuisance.
A possessor of land is . . . under a duty to keep so much of his land as he knows to be subject to the trespasses of young children, free from artificial conditions which involve an unreasonable risk of death or serious bodily harm to them. This does not require him to keep his land free from conditions which even young children are likely to observe and the full extent of the risk involved in which they are likely to realize. The purpose of the duty is to protect children from dangers which they are unlikely to appreciate and not to protect them against harm resulting from their own immature recklessness in the case of known danger. Therefore, even though the condition is one which the possessor should realize to be such that young children are unlikely to realize the full extent of the danger of meddling with it or encountering it, the possessor is not subject to liability to a child who in fact discovers the condition and appreciates the full risk involved therein but none the less chooses to encounter it out of recklessness or bravado.
The court dismissed the claims based on conditions of the land, but not those based on general negligence that were not based on the land.
So Now What?
This case has little direction for ski areas. However, it is a fundamental building block in Colorado law for the ski industry. The case also shows how a court determines which of two statutes will be controlling and how that decision is made by the courts.
The legal doctrine of attractive nuisance is also fading and not used much anymore. However, this case is a good analysis of the attractive nuisance doctrine. Here you can see that unnatural things on your land, which attract minors, under the age of 14, that causes injury to the minor can hold the landowner liable. Normally, a landowner would not be liable in this situation to a trespasser.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
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Giebink v. Fischer, 709 F. Supp. 1012; 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7791
Posted: December 9, 2013 Filed under: Colorado, Legal Case, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Colorado Ski Safety Act, Premises Liability Act, Safety Act, ski lesson, Ski Safety Act, Snowmass Ski Area Leave a commentTo Read an Analysis of this decision see
Attractive Nuisance cases are rare, even rarer when it involves a ski area and ski lessons, let alone a collision case
Giebink v. Fischer, 709 F. Supp. 1012; 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7791
James C. Giebink and Roxanne Johnson-Giebink, as parents and natural guardians of Michael Giebink, a minor; James C. Giebink, individually and Roxanne Johnson Giebink, individually, Plaintiffs, v. Robert Fischer, as parent and natural guardian of Kevin Fischer, a minor; Robert Fischer, an individual and Aspen Skiing Corporation, a Colorado corporation, aka Aspen Skiing Company, and Jennifer Catherine Lang, Defendants
Civil Action No. 88-A-766
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO
709 F. Supp. 1012; 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7791
March 22, 1989, Decided
March 22, 1989, Filed
COUNSEL: [**1] Scott R. Larson, Esq., Scott R. Larson, P.C., Denver, Colorado, Attorney for Plaintiffs.
Thomas E. Hames, Esq., Inman, Erickson & Flynn, P.C., Denver, Colorado, Attorney for Defendants Fischers.
Paul D. Nelson, Esq., Hancock, Rothert & Bunshoft, San Francisco, California, Scott S. Barker, Esq., Mary D. Metzger, Esq., Perry L. Glantz, Esq., Holland & Hart, Englewood, Colorado, Attorneys for Defendants Aspen Skiing Co. and Jennifer Catherine Lang.
JUDGES: Alfred A. Arraj, United States District Judge.
OPINION BY: ARRAJ
OPINION
[*1013] MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER ON MOTION TO DISMISS
ALFRED A. ARRAJ, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE.
This matter is before the court on defendants Aspen Skiing Company’s (“ASC”) and Jennifer Catherine Lang’s (“Lang”) Motion to dismiss the Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Portions of the Fourth Claim For Relief Contained in Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint. This is the second motion to dismiss filed in this case.
In order to understand the procedural posture of this motion, it is helpful to first set out the factual events upon which plaintiffs’ claims arose. According to plaintiffs, defendant Kevin Fischer, minor son of defendant Robert Fischer, collided with plaintiff Michael Giebink (“Michael”) in a skiing accident at Snowmass Ski Area on or about March 29, 1988. As a result, Michael was seriously injured. At [**2] the time of the accident it is alleged that Michael was an invited guest and customer at Snowmass Mountain Resort which is owned by ASC.
Plaintiffs’ Third Claim in its Second Amended Complaint is based upon ASC’s alleged negligent maintenance of the premises. Plaintiffs’ Fourth Claim is apparently pled under C.R.S. 13-21-115, alleging that ASC “deliberately failed to exercise reasonable care to protect persons such as the minor Plaintiff, Michael Giebink, against dangers which were not ordinarily present on the aforesaid property despite the fact that Defendant actually knew or should have known of said dangers.” Second Amended Complaint para. 3 at 4. Plaintiffs’ Seventh Claim is also based upon the condition [*1014] of ASC’s premises under an attractive nuisance theory.
Plaintiffs further claim that Michael was enrolled in the Snowmass Ski School at the time of his accident. Defendant Jennifer Lang, an employee of ASC, was the skiing instructor. Plaintiffs’ Fifth Claim asserts that ASC is liable for the negligent supervision of Michael by its agents and/or employees during the course of Michael’s ski lesson. Plaintiffs’ Sixth Claim is against Lang, individually, for negligent supervision [**3] and instruction of Michael while enrolled in the ski school.
In its first motion to dismiss, defendant ASC moved to dismiss those of plaintiffs’ claims which were pled under theories of common law negligence. Defendant argued that C.R.S. § 13-21-115, the Colorado premises liability statute, abrogated common law claims and that the statute was plaintiffs’ exclusive means of remedy. Plaintiffs opposed dismissal on several grounds, including their contention that C.R.S. § 13-21-115 was unconstitutional. At a hearing held on July 15, 1988, this court denied ASC’s first motion without prejudice. Certification of the constitutional questions raised by plaintiffs was made to the Colorado Supreme Court on November 1, 1988. The Supreme Court declined to answer the certified questions on December 12, 1988.
The present motion to dismiss was filed January 24, 1989. In it, defendants move for dismissal of the Third, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Claims and portions of the Fourth claim as contained in plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint. Defendants renew their argument that C.R.S. § 13-21-115 is plaintiffs’ exclusive remedy. They conclude that because § 13-21-115 abrogates common law claims against [**4] landowners, that plaintiffs’ Third, Fifth, and Sixth Claims, founded on common law negligence theories, fail to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Defendants also urge this court to dismiss the Seventh Claim because it is admitted that Michael was not a trespasser, and, according to defendants, the doctrine of attractive nuisance only applies to trespassers. Finally, defendants argue that the Fourth Claim should be dismissed to the extent that, contrary to § 13-21-115, the complaint implies that liability may be imposed against a landowner for failure to exercise reasonable care to protect an invited plaintiff against dangers of which it “should have known.”
ANALYSIS
I) “Conflict” between the Colorado Ski Safety Act and Premises Liability Statute.
It is plaintiffs’ position that the premises liability statute, C.R.S. § 13-21-115, does not apply to this case involving a skiing accident because the Colorado Ski Safety Act (“Ski Safety Act”), C.R.S. §§ 33-44-101 to -111, is a specific statute which applies to ski areas and prevails over the general premises liability statute which applies to “any civil action brought against a landowner.” § 13-21-115(2). Plaintiffs contend [**5] that the Ski Safety Act authorizes negligence actions, and to the extent that § 13-21-115 abrogates common law negligence claims there is a conflict. Consequently, plaintiffs conclude that the specific statute prevails and that their negligence claims are viable under the Ski Safety Act.
My analysis begins with [HN1] C.R.S. § 2-4-205, which provides in full:
“If a general provision conflicts with a special or local provision, it shall be construed, if possible, so that effect is given to both. If the conflict between the provisions is irreconcilable, the special or local provision prevails as an exception to the general provision, unless the general provision is the later adoption and the manifest intent is that the general provision prevail.”
It is the court’s duty to construe statutes to avoid inconsistency if it is reasonably possible. Marshall v. City of Golden, 147 Colo. 521, 363 P.2d 650, 652 (1961). In the instant case the two statutes may reasonably be interpreted to avoid conflict. They apply to different activities and conditions.
The Ski Safety Act has an express purpose “to further define the legal responsibilities [*1015] of ski area operators 1 and their agents and employees; to define [**6] the responsibilities of skiers using such ski areas; and to define the rights and liabilities existing between the skier and the ski area operator and between skiers.” C.R.S. § 33-44-102. [HN2] The only responsibilities imposed upon operators by the Ski Safety Act relate to posting signs, §§ 33-44-106, 33-44-107, and providing lighting and other conspicuous markings for snow-grooming vehicles and snowmobiles. C.R.S. § 33-44-108. “A violation by a ski area operator of any requirement of this article or any rule or regulation promulgated by the passenger tramway safety board pursuant to section 25-5-710(a), C.R.S., shall, to the extent such violation causes injury to any person or damage to property, constitute negligence on the part of such operator.” C.R.S. § 33-44-104(2). Thus, the duties imposed upon ski operators by the Ski Safety Act, a breach of which constitutes actionable negligence, concern a very limited number of specifically identified activities and conditions.
1 “‘Ski area operator’ means ‘operator’ as defined in section 25-5-702(3), C.R.S., and any person, partnership, corporation, or other commercial entity having operational responsibility for any ski areas, including an agency of this state or a political subdivision thereof.” C.R.S. § 33-44-103(7).
[**7] The Ski Safety Act imposes specific duties upon ski operators as a means of protecting skiers against dangerous conditions that are commonly present at ski areas. See Pizza v. Wolf Creek Ski Development Corp., 711 P.2d 671, 678 (Colo. 1985) (“the legislature has attempted to identify those dangers which can reasonably be eliminated or controlled by the ski area operator.”). In general, it does not protect against dangers arising from conditions or activities which are not ordinarily present at ski areas. 2
2 Conceivably, a conflict could exist between the two statutes, as in a case where a ski operator fails to mark a man-made structure as required by § 33-44-107(7). If the structure was one not ordinarily present at a ski area, a conflict would exist. However, the instant case does not present the court with this situation.
In contrast, [HN3] the premises liability statute imposes liability against all landowners for conditions, or activities conducted on, or circumstances existing on his or her property. C.R.S. § 13-21-115(2). “If the landowner has expressly or impliedly invited the plaintiff onto the real property for the purposes of the landowner, the plaintiff may recover [**8] for damages caused by the landowner’s deliberate failure to exercise reasonable care to protect against dangers which are not ordinarily present on property of the type involved and of which he actually knew.” C.R.S. § 13-21-115(3)(c) (emphasis added). 3 Thus, it is clear that the statutes are directed at two different types of dangerous activities and conditions, ordinary and out of the ordinary.
3 It is the judge’s duty to determine which subsection of § 13-21-115(3) is applicable in each action. § 13-21-115(4). The parties do not dispute that if the premises liability statute does indeed control, that § 13-21-115(3)(c) is the applicable subsection.
In Calvert v. Aspen Skiing Company, 700 F. Supp. 520 (D. Colo. 1988), the court held that the two statutes did conflict and that the specific Ski Safety Act prevailed. Accordingly, the court denied the defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s negligence claims. The conflict, according to the court, was that the premises liability statute abrogates all common law claims for negligence while the Ski Safety Act does not. Id. at 522. However, the two statutes may be interpreted consistently in light of the different scope [**9] of activities and conditions addressed by each.
It would be contrary to the Legislature’s intent to expose ski operators to greater liability than other landowners. To sustain plaintiffs’ claims founded on negligence would have exactly that effect. The Colorado Supreme Court has addressed at least one of the Legislature’s purposes in enacting the Ski Safety Act, stating:
Indisputably, the ski industry is an important part of the Colorado economy. . . . The legislative history indicates that one of the purposes underlying the [presumption provided in § 33-44-109(2) which imposes a presumption that the [*1016] responsibility for collisions by skiers with any person, natural object, or man-made structure marked in accordance with the Act is solely that of the skier and not the ski area operator] is to reduce the number of frivolous lawsuits and, accordingly, the rapidly rising cost of liability insurance accruing to ski area operators.
Pizza, 711 P.2d at 679 (citation omitted). The Legislature intended to protect ski operators from the increasing burden of litigation by passing the Ski Safety Act. There is no reason to believe that it intended to single out ski operators as a subgroup [**10] of landowners who would be held to a higher standard of care.
While the Ski Safety Act does not abrogate common law causes of action for negligence, neither does it expressly or implicitly create a general negligence action for all injuries sustained at ski areas. In the present case plaintiffs have not alleged any facts that would be actionable as a violation of the specific duties imposed upon ski operators by the Ski Safety Act. Their common law negligence claims, therefore, cannot be sustained under the umbrella of the Act. 4
4 Defendants pose a second argument which leads to the same conclusion. The premises liability statute was adopted subsequent to the Ski Safety Act and contains the “manifest intent” to apply to “any civil action.” C.R.S. § 13-21-115(2) (emphasis added). Accordingly, the premises liability statute, which expressly abrogates common law claims, would prevail even if the two statutes did conflict. C.R.S. § 2-4-205.
II) Premises Liability Statute
I must now consider to what extent the premises liability statute applies to plaintiffs’ claims. The language of the statute appears to embrace a broad range of conditions and activities that exist or are [**11] conducted on a landowner’s property. C.R.S. § 13-21-115(2). However, the court in Geringer v. Wildhorn Ranch, Inc., 706 F. Supp. 1442 (D. Colo. 1988), noted that [HN4] “the statutory classification ‘activities conducted or circumstances existing on such property’ must be read narrowly with careful regard for the intent of the legislature to re-establish common law distinctions in the law of premises liability.” Id. at 1446.
In Geringer, the plaintiff brought a wrongful death action for the death of her husband and son in a drowning accident which occurred at the defendant’s guest ranch. The two drowned during a boating accident involving a peddleboat supplied by the defendant corporation. The court struck plaintiff’s claims founded on the premises liability statute. Following a jury verdict in favor of the plaintiff, the defendants made motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, for new trial, and for amended judgment. Defendants contended that they were prejudiced by the trial court’s failure to instruct the jury in accordance with the premises liability statute which provides a more difficult standard for plaintiffs to overcome. Defendants argued that the [**12] premises liability statute was plaintiff’s exclusive remedy. The court disagreed:
Traditionally, the activities for which a defendant is liable as a landowner are inherently related to the land — construction, landscaping or other activities treating the land. . . .
The causation evidence in this case focused on defendants’ maintenance of the peddleboats and on defendants’ knowledge of their condition following purported repairs. The duty litigated in this case was that of a supplier of chattel to provide its user with chattel that was not defective. . . . The statute does not reflect an intention to extend the application of premises liability doctrine to the negligent supply of chattel by a landowner.
Id. at 1446. The distinction between activities “inherently related to the land” and other activities which do not fall within the scope of the premises liability statute logically follows from the court’s conclusion that “the statute does not establish a feudal realm of absolute protection from liability for simple negligence based only on a defendant’s status as a landowner.” [*1017] Id. at 1446. 5
5 To hold otherwise would shield all types of negligent activities from the negligence standard, such as in a case where a doctor negligently treats a patient at his privately owned clinic. This result could not have been intended by the Legislature.
[**13] In the present case plaintiff’s Fifth and Sixth Claims are based upon the alleged negligent supervision of Michael during the course of his skiing instruction. Instructing people in the sport of skiing is not inherently related to the land. Therefore, plaintiffs’ Fifth and Sixth Claims should not be dismissed.
On the other hand, plaintiffs’ Third Claim is founded on defendant’s negligent maintenance of conditions at the ski area. Conditions of property clearly fall within the scope of the premises liability statute. C.R.S. § 13-21-115(2). Therefore, the Third Claim must be dismissed for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
III) Constitutionality of the Premises Liability Statute
Plaintiffs contest the constitutionality of C.R.S. § 13-21-115 on several grounds. [HN5] Statutes are presumed constitutional and the plaintiff, as the party attacking the statute, must prove the statute unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt. Bedford Motors, Inc. v. Harris, 714 P.2d 489, 491 (Colo. 1986).
Plaintiffs argue that the phrase “deliberate failure to exercise reasonable care,” as provided in C.R.S. § 13-21-115(3)(c), is unconstitutionally vague. It is plaintiffs’ position [**14] that the terms “deliberate” and “reasonable care” are contradictory. I disagree.
The premises liability statute is basically an economic regulation, designed to limit the liability of landowners. Therefore, the vagueness standard which must be applied in this case is less exacting than in a case involving a penal statute or laws regulating first amendment rights. Pizza, 711 P.2d at 676.
“Deliberate” is a common word used frequently in every-day experience and readily understood. [HN6] “The probable legislative intent in using such a word may be determined by resorting to a standard dictionary.” Pizza, at 676. Webster’s New World Dictionary (2nd ed. 1972) defines “deliberate” as “carefully thought out and formed, or done on purpose; premeditated; careful in considering, judging, or deciding; not rash or hasty.” [HN7] “Reasonable care” is obviously a common tort standard associated with negligence which requires a degree of care which an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under the same or similar circumstances. See Safeway Stores, Inc. v. Langdon, 187 Colo. 425, 532 P.2d 337, 339 (1975). Thus, in order to incur liability under § 13-21-115(3)(c), a landowner must purposely fail to act [**15] as an ordinarily prudent person would in a like situation.
Plaintiffs also argue that the statute denies them a right to a remedy for injury as guaranteed by [HN8] Article II, Section 6 of the Colorado Constitution. Article II, Section 6 provides:
Courts of justice shall be open to every person, and a speedy remedy afforded for every injury to person, property or character; and right and justice should be administered without sale, denial or delay.
As noted in Goldberg v. Musim, 162 Colo. 461, 427 P.2d 698, 702 (1967), this provision is a mandate to the judiciary, not the legislature. “The power of the legislature to abolish substantive common law rights including those vouch-safed by the common law of England, in order to attain a permissible legislative object, has already been decided by this court. . . .” Id. at 470. Thus, the Legislature’s enactment of § 13-21-115 does not violate the Colorado Constitution.
Next plaintiffs argue that the statute violates [HN9] Article V, Section 25 of the Colorado Constitution which prohibits the general assembly from passing special laws for the benefit of any corporation, association or individuals. The constitutional inhibition against class legislation [**16] arises “when the effect of the law is to prohibit a carrying on of a legitimate business [*1018] or occupation while allowing other businesses or occupations not reasonably to be distinguished from those prohibited to be carried on freely.” Dunbar v. Hoffman, 171 Colo. 481, 468 P.2d 742, 745 (1970). However, a statute is not special when “it is general and uniform in its operation upon all in like situation.” McCarty v. Goldstein, 151 Colo. 154, 376 P.2d 691, 693 (1962). The premises liability statute applies uniformly to all landowners to limit liability for injuries resulting from conditions and activities which are inherently related to ownership of property. It is, therefore, not a special law.
Plaintiffs’ equal protection challenge also fails. [HN10] The statutory classification need only be reasonably related to a legitimate state objective in order to pass constitutional muster because no fundamental right or suspect class is involved. Yarbro v. Hilton Hotels Corp., 655 P.2d 822, 827 (Colo. 1982). In this case the Legislature could have reasonably enacted the premises liability statute as a means of reducing liability of landowners for certain injuries occurring on their property. The Colorado [**17] Supreme Court has recognized that the Legislature has a legitimate interest in protecting the state economy. Pizza, 711 P.2d at 679. Providing limited protection to landowners is reasonably related to that end.
IV) Plaintiffs’ Fourth Claim
Defendants argue that plaintiffs’ Fourth Claim should be dismissed to the extent that it alleges that defendant ASC is liable for failure to exercise reasonable care to protect Michael against dangers of which it “should have known.” 6 Plaintiffs’ Fourth Claim is based on § 13-21-115(3)(c), which, by its express terms, requires actual knowledge. Plaintiffs’ Fourth Claim is dismissed to the extent that it seeks to impose liability for dangers of which ASC should have known.
6 Plaintiffs’ Fourth Claim alleges that ASC is liable because it “deliberately failed to exercise reasonable care to protect persons such as the minor Plaintiff, Michael Giebink, against dangers which were not ordinarily present on the aforesaid property despite the fact that Defendant actually knew or should have known of said dangers.”
V) Attractive Nuisance
Finally, defendants move to dismiss plaintiffs’ Seventh Claim which is founded upon the doctrine of attractive [**18] nuisance, 7 arguing that it only applies to situations involving trespassers, and that according to plaintiffs’ allegations Michael was not a trespasser. 8 In an attempt to strike a reasonable compromise between the conflicting interests between the freedom of land use and the protection of children, courts have recognized the attractive nuisance doctrine. [HN11] The doctrine imposes a higher standard of care on landowners toward children than would otherwise be owed to a trespasser. 9
7 In their Seventh Claim, plaintiffs accuse defendant ASC of maintaining an unreasonably dangerous and hazardous condition in the form of a roll jump. The roll jump is made entirely of earth. Skiers use it to perform aerial maneuvers.
8 The Colorado Legislature clearly provided that attractive nuisance, as it applies to persons under fourteen years of age, is not abrogated by the premises liability statute. C.R.S. § 13-21-115(2).
9 Prior to the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision in Mile High Fence Co. v. Radovich, 175 Colo. 537, 489 P.2d 308 (1971), landowners generally owed no duty to make or keep property safe for trespassers. See Staley v. Security Athletic Association, 152 Colo. 19, 380 P.2d 53, 54 (1963).
[**19] The purpose of the doctrine is to protect children from hazards which tend to attract them onto property. By allowing the doctrine to survive the enactment of the premises liability statute, the Legislature evidenced an intent to give children under the age of fourteen protection beyond that which is now available to other persons. This protection logically should extend to children, regardless of their status as a trespasser, licensee, or invitee. See W. Prosser & W. Keeton, Prosser and Keeton on Torts, § 59 at 402 (5th ed. 1984) (“In any case where the child could recover if he were a trespasser, he can recover at least as well when he is a licensee or an invitee [*1019] on the premises.”); Restatement (Second) of Torts § 343B (1977) (“In any case where a possessor of land would be subject to liability to a child for physical harm caused by a condition on the land if the child were a trespasser, the possessor is subject to liability if the child is a licensee or an invitee.”); State v. Juengel, 15 Ariz. App. 495, 489 P.2d 869, 873 (1971). See also CJI-Civ. 2d 12:6A (Supp. 1988).
However, plaintiffs’ Seventh Claim fails for several other reasons. Plaintiffs’ counsel made [**20] it clear at the March 17, 1989 hearing that it was not Michael that was lured to the accident scene by the roll jump; it was Kevin Fischer, the other youth allegedly involved in the collision, who was drawn to the location by the roll jump. The doctrine of attractive nuisance simply does not apply under these facts.
A second, related argument, also leads me to the conclusion that the doctrine should not be applied in this case. [HN12] The doctrine requires that the object be unnatural and unusual. This limitation protects landowners from liability for conditions which are present on their property of which children should reasonably recognize the associated dangers. See Esquibel v. City and County of Denver, 112 Colo. 546, 151 P.2d 757, 759 (1944) (attractive nuisance doctrine did not apply where child was injured while climbing on automobile bodies piled in an unstable heap). The Esquibel court cited the Restatement of Torts § 339 Comment on Clause (c):
A possessor of land is . . . under a duty to keep so much of his land as he knows to be subject to the trespasses of young children, free from artificial conditions which involve an unreasonable risk of death or serious bodily harm to [**21] them. This does not require him to keep his land free from conditions which even young children are likely to observe and the full extent of the risk involved in which they are likely to realize. The purpose of the duty is to protect children from dangers which they are unlikely to appreciate and not to protect them against harm resulting from their own immature recklessness in the case of known danger. Therefore, even though the condition is one which the possessor should realize to be such that young children are unlikely to realize the full extent of the danger of meddling with it or encountering it, the possessor is not subject to liability to a child who in fact discovers the condition and appreciates the full risk involved therein but none the less chooses to encounter it out of recklessness or bravado.
Other conditions which have been held to be common and obvious include an artificial pond, Phipps v. Mitze, 116 Colo. 288, 180 P.2d 233 (1947), an icy slope used for sledding, Ostroski v. Mount Prospect Shop-Rite, Inc., 94 N.J. Super. 374, 228 A.2d 545 (1967), a sand pile, Knight v. Kaiser Co., 48 Cal. 2d 778, 312 P.2d 1089 (1957), and a steep bluff, Zagar v. Union Pacific R. Co., [**22] 113 Kan. 240, 214 P. 107 (1923).
Defendants in this case had a right to expect youngsters who were actively participating in the sport of skiing to understand the dangers of conditions such as the roll jump. The dangers associated with the roll jump are apparent, not latent. It is not an “unusual condition.” Therefore, the doctrine of attractive nuisance is not available to the plaintiffs.
CONCLUSION
Accordingly,
IT IS ORDERED that plaintiffs’ Third and Seventh Claims be, and the same hereby are, DISMISSED with prejudice.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that plaintiffs’ Fourth Claim, to the extent that it seeks to impose liability for dangers of which ASC ‘should have known,’ be, and the same hereby is, DISMISSED with prejudice.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that defendants’ motion to dismiss to the extent that it requests dismissal of plaintiffs’ Fifth and Sixth Claims be, and the same hereby is, DENIED.
DATED at Denver, Colorado this 22nd day of March, 1989.
G-YQ06K3L262
http://www.recreation-law.com
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State Ski Safe Acts
Posted: November 6, 2013 Filed under: Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: ski area, Ski Law, Ski Safety Act, skiing, snowboarding, statute, Winter Sports Act Leave a comment30 States have created statutes that affect regulate skiing. Two states have recreational statutes that apply to skiing.
Those state statutes are listed below along with significant portions of the act.
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State |
Statute |
Ski Area Defined |
Lists Inherent Risks of Skiing |
Misc. |
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AK |
Alaska Ski Safety Act of 1994, Alaska Stat. §§ 05.45.010 et seq. |
“ski area” means all downhill ski slopes or trails and other places under the control of a downhill ski area operator; “ski area” does not include a cross-country ski trail; |
changing weather conditions; snow conditions as they exist or may change, including ice, hard pack, powder, packed powder, wind pack, corn, crust, slush, cut-up snow, and machine-made snow; surface or subsurface conditions including bare spots, forest growth, rocks, stumps, streams, streambeds, and trees, or other natural objects, and collisions with natural objects; impact with lift towers, signs, posts, fences or enclosures, hydrants, water pipes, other man-made structures, and their components; variations in steepness or terrain, whether natural or as a result of slope design, snowmaking or grooming operations, including roads and catwalks or other terrain modifications; collision with other skiers; and the failure of skiers to ski within their own abilities |
Sec. 05.45.120. Use of liability releases Releases are void A ski area operator shall prepare a plan of operation for each ski season and shall implement the plan throughout the ski season. A plan of operation must include written provisions for ski patrol, avalanche control, avalanche rescue, grooming procedures, tramway evacuation, hazard marking, missing person procedures, and first aid. |
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AZ |
“Ski area” means all ski slopes and trails or other places within the boundary of a ski area operator’s property, administered as a single enterprise in this state. |
(a) Changing weather conditions. (b) Existing and changing snow surface conditions, such as ice, hard pack, powder, packed powder, wind pack, corn, crust, slush, cut-up and machine-made snow. (c) Surface or subsurface conditions, whether marked or unmarked, such as bare spots, forest growth, rocks, stumps, streambeds, trees or other natural objects. (d) Impacts with lift towers, signs, posts, fences or other enclosures, hydrants, water pipes or other man-made structures and their components, whether marked or unmarked. (e) Variations in steepness or terrain, including roads, catwalks and other terrain modifications, whether natural or as a result of slope design, snowmaking or grooming operations. (f) Collisions with other skiers. (g) The failure of skiers to ski within their own abilities. |
§ 5-706. Release of liability In any action brought by a skier against a ski area operator, if the ski area operator proves that the skier signed a valid release, the ski area operator’s liability shall be determined by the terms of the release. |
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CO |
“Ski area” means all ski slopes or trails and all other places within the ski area boundary, marked in accordance with section 33-44-107 (6), under the control of a ski area operator and administered as a single enterprise within this state. |
“Inherent dangers and risks of skiing” means those dangers or conditions that are part of the sport of skiing, including changing weather conditions; snow conditions as they exist or may change, such as ice, hard pack, powder, packed powder, wind pack, corn, crust, slush, cut-up snow, and machine-made snow; surface or subsurface conditions such as bare spots, forest growth, rocks, stumps, streambeds, cliffs, extreme terrain, and trees, or other natural objects, and collisions with such natural objects; impact with lift towers, signs, posts, fences or enclosures, hydrants, water pipes, or other man-made structures and their components; variations in steepness or terrain, whether natural or as a result of slope design, snowmaking or grooming operations, including but not limited to roads, freestyle terrain, jumps, and catwalks or other terrain modifications; collisions with other skiers; and the failure of skiers to ski within their own abilities. |
Notwithstanding any provision of law or statute to the contrary, the risk of a skier/skier collision is neither an inherent risk nor a risk assumed by a skier in an action by one skier against another. |
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|
CT |
“Ski area operator” means a person who owns or controls the operation of a ski area and such person’s agents and employees. |
(1) Variations in the terrain of the trail or slope which is marked in accordance with subdivision (3) of section 29-211 or variations in surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions, except that no skier assumes the risk of variations which are caused by the ski area operator unless such variations are caused by snow making, snow grooming or rescue operations; (2) bare spots which do not require the closing of the trail or slope; (3) conspicuously placed or, if not so placed, conspicuously marked lift towers; (4) trees or other objects not within the confines of the trail or slope; (5) loading, unloading or otherwise using a passenger tramway without prior knowledge of proper loading and unloading procedures or without reading instructions concerning loading and unloading posted at the base of such passenger tramway or without asking for such instructions; and (6) collisions with any other person by any skier while skiing, except that collisions with on-duty employees of the ski area operator who are skiing and are within the scope of their employment at the time of the collision shall not be a hazard inherent in the sport of skiing. |
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GA |
(7) “Ski area” means all snow ski slopes or trails and other places under the control of a ski area operator at a defined business location within this state. (8) “Ski area operator” means an individual, partnership, corporation, or other commercial entity who owns, manages, or otherwise directs or has operational responsibility for any ski area. (9) “Ski slopes or trails” means those areas open to the skiing public and designated by the ski area operator to be used by a skier. The designation may be generally set forth on trail maps and further designated by signage posted to indicate to the skiing public the intent that the areas be used by the skier for the purpose of skiing. Nothing in this paragraph implies that ski slopes or trails may not be restricted for use at the discretion of the ski area operator. |
(A) Changing weather conditions; (B) Surface and subsurface snow or ice conditions as they may exist or change from time to time, including variable conditions such as hard packed powder, packed powder, wind-blown snow, wind-packed snow, corn snow, crust slush, snow modified by skier use, or cut up snow; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions as they exist or may change as the result of weather changes or skier use; snow created by or resulting from snow making or snow grooming operations; or collisions or falls resulting from such conditions; (C) Surface or subsurface conditions other than those specified in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, including dirt, grass, rocks, trees, stumps, other forms of forest or vegetative growth, stream beds, or other natural objects or debris; or collisions or falls resulting from such conditions; (D) Collisions with: lift towers; components of lift towers; signs, posts, fences, mazes, or other enclosure devices; hydrants, pipes, or any other portions of snow making or snow delivery systems; snow grooming equipment or other over-snow vehicles marked or lighted as required by this chapter; or collisions with or falls resulting from any such structures or any other manmade structures or their components; (E) Variations in surface, contour, or steepness of terrain, including, but not limited to, moguls, ski jumps, roads, depressions, water bars, and cat walks; other terrain changes or modifications which occur naturally or result from slope design or construction, snow making, snow grooming, maintenance operations, or skier use; or collisions with or falls resulting from such variations; and (F) Collisions with other skiers unless such collisions are caused by the failure on the part of other skiers to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. |
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ID |
(3) “Ski area” means the property owned or leased and under the control of the ski area operator within the state of Idaho. (4) “Ski area operator” means any person, partnership, corporation or other commercial entity and their agents, officers, employees or representatives, who has operational responsibility for any ski area or aerial passenger tramway. (5) “Skiing area” means all designated slopes and trails but excludes any aerial passenger tramway. |
variations in terrain; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots, rocks, trees, other forms of forest growth or debris, lift towers and components thereof; utility poles, and snowmaking and snowgrooming equipment which is plainly visible or plainly marked in accordance with the provisions of section 6-1103, Idaho Code. |
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ME |
§ 15202. Definitions 15. SKI AREA. “Ski area” means the ski slopes and trails, adjoining skiable terrain, areas designated by the ski area operator to be used for skiing as defined by section 15217, subsection 1, paragraph B and passenger tramways administered or operated as a single enterprise within this State. |
§ 15217. (1)(A)…existing and changing weather conditions; existing and changing snow conditions, such as ice, hardpack, powder, packed powder, slush and granular, corn, crust, cut-up and machine-made snow; surface or subsurface conditions, such as dirt, grass, bare spots, forest growth, rocks, stumps, trees and other natural objects and collisions with or falls resulting from such natural objects; lift towers, lights, signs, posts, fences, mazes or enclosures, hydrants, water or air pipes, snowmaking and snow-grooming equipment, marked or lit trail maintenance vehicles and snowmobiles, and other man-made structures or objects and their components, and collisions with or falls resulting from such man-made objects; variations in steepness or terrain, whether natural or as a result of slope design; snowmaking or snow-grooming operations, including, but not limited to, freestyle terrain, jumps, roads and catwalks or other terrain modifications; the presence of and collisions with other skiers; and the failure of skiers to ski safely, in control or within their own abilities. |
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MA |
“Ski area”, all of the slopes and trails under the control of the ski area operator, including cross-country ski areas, slopes and trails, and any recreational tramway in operation on any such slopes or trails administered or operated as a single enterprise but shall not include base lodges, motor vehicle parking lots and other portions of ski areas used by skiers when not actually engaged in the sport of skiing. |
…know of the existence of certain unavoidable risks inherent in the sport of skiing, which shall include, but not be limited to, variations in terrain, surface or subsurface snow, ice conditions or bare spots |
No action shall be maintained against a ski area operator for injury to a skier unless as a condition precedent thereof the person so injured shall, within ninety days of the incident, give to such ski area operator notice, by registered mail, of the name and address of the person injured, the time, place and cause of the injury. |
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MI |
Ski Area Safety Act of 1962, Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §§ 408.321 to 408.344 |
“Ski area” means an area used for skiing and served by 1 or more ski lifts. |
…terrain; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots; rocks, trees, and other forms of natural growth or debris; collisions with ski lift towers and their components, with other skiers, or with properly marked or plainly visible snow-making or snow-grooming equipment. |
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MT |
“Ski slopes and trails” means those areas designated by the ski area operator to be used by skiers for skiing. |
(2) “Inherent dangers and risks of skiing” means those dangers or conditions that are part of the sport of skiing, including: (a) changing weather conditions; (b) snow conditions as they exist or as they may change, including ice, hardpack, powder, packed powder, wind pack, corn snow, crust, slush, cut-up snow, and machine-made snow; (c) avalanches, except on open, designated ski trails; (d) collisions with natural surface or subsurface conditions, such as bare spots, forest growth, rocks, stumps, streambeds, cliffs, trees, and other natural objects; (e) collisions with lift towers, signs, posts, fences, enclosures, hydrants, water pipes, or other artificial structures and their components; (f) variations in steepness or terrain, whether natural or the result of slope design, snowmaking, or snow grooming operations, including but not limited to roads, freestyle terrain, ski jumps, catwalks, and other terrain modifications; (g) collisions with clearly visible or plainly marked equipment, including but not limited to lift equipment, snowmaking equipment, snow grooming equipment, trail maintenance equipment, and snowmobiles, whether or not the equipment is moving; (h) collisions with other skiers; (i) the failure of a skier to ski within that skier’s ability; (j) skiing in a closed area or skiing outside the ski area boundary as designated on the ski area trail map; and (k) restricted visibility caused by snow, wind, fog, sun, or darkness. |
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NC |
All winter sports slopes, alpine and Nordic ski trails, freestyle terrain and passenger tramways, that are administered or operated as a ski area enterprise within this State. |
variations in terrain, snow, or ice conditions, bare spots and rocks, trees and other forms of forest growth or forest debris; |
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ND |
Skiing Responsibility Act N.D. Cent. Code §§ 53-09-01 to 53-09-10 |
3. “Ski area” means property owned or leased and under the control of the ski area operator and administered as a single enterprise within the state of North Dakota. |
Each skier expressly assumes the risk of and legal responsibility for any injury to person or property which results from participation in the sport of skiing including any injury caused by the following: variations in terrain; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots, rocks, trees, or other forms of forest growth or debris, lift towers and components thereof; pole lines; and snowmaking equipment which are plainly visible or are plainly marked in accordance with the provisions of section 53-09-03. |
53-09-10. Effect of modified comparative fault. Notwithstanding section 32-03.2-02, any person is, consistent with the provisions of this chapter, barred from recovery for loss or damage resulting from a risk inherent in the sport of skiing and like-wise is so barred when it is established that a person has knowingly exposed oneself to the real or po-tential hazards of a situation. |
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NH |
“Ski areas” means all passenger tramways and all designated alpine and nordic trails, slopes, freestyle terrain, tubing terrain, and nordic ski jumps under the control of the alpine and nordic ski area operator and any other areas under the operator’s control open to the public for winter sports recreation or competition. |
variations in terrain, surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots; rocks, trees, stumps and other forms of forest growth or debris; terrain, lift towers, and components thereof (all of the foregoing whether above or below snow surface); pole lines and plainly marked or visible snow making equipment; collisions with other skiers or other persons or with any of the categories included in this paragraph. |
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NJ |
“Ski area” includes all of the real and personal property, under the control of the operator or on the premises of the operator which are being occupied, by license, lease, fee simple or otherwise, including but not limited to all passenger tramways, designated trails, slopes and other areas utilized for skiing, operating toboggans, sleds, or similar vehicles during the skiing season. |
A skier is deemed to have knowledge of and to assume the inherent risks of skiing, operating toboggans, sleds or similar vehicles created by weather conditions, conditions of snow, trails, slopes, other skiers, and all other inherent conditions. |
As a precondition to bringing any suit in connection with a skiing injury against an operator, a skier shall report in writing to the ski area operator all the details of any accident as soon as possible, but in no event longer than 90 days from the time of the incident giving rise to the suit. |
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NM |
“ski area” means the property owned, permitted, leased or under the control of the ski area operator and administered as a single enterprise within the state; |
variations in terrain; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots; rocks, trees or other forms of forest growth or debris; lift towers and components thereof, pole lines and snow-making equipment which are plainly visible or are plainly marked in accordance with the provisions of Section 24-15-7 |
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NV |
Ski Safety Act, Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 455A.060 to 455A.190 |
“Snow recreation area” means the slopes, trails, runs and other areas under the control of an operator that are intended to be used for skiing, snowboarding or for the observation of the sports. |
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28-2-702 Contracts that violate policy of law — exemption from responsibility. |
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NY |
4. “Ski area” means all ski slopes, ski trails and passenger tramways administered as a single enterprise within this state. |
(1) that downhill skiing, like many other sports, contains inherent risks including, but not limited to, the risks of personal injury or death or property damage, which may be caused by variations in terrain or weather conditions; surface or subsurface snow, ice, bare spots or areas of thin cover, moguls, ruts, bumps; other persons using the facilities; and rocks, forest growth, debris, branches, trees, roots, stumps or other natural objects or man-made objects that are incidental to the provision or maintenance of a ski facility in New York state; |
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OH |
(D) “Ski area” means all the ski slopes, ski trails, and passenger tramways that are administered or operated as a single enterprise within this state. |
(A) (1) The general assembly recognizes that skiing as a recreational sport is hazardous to skiers regardless of all feasible safety measures that can be taken. It further recognizes that a skier expressly assumes the risk of and legal responsibility for injury, death, or loss to person or property that results from the inherent risks of skiing, which include, but are not limited to, injury, death, or loss to person or property caused by changing weather conditions; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; hard pack, powder, packed powder, wind pack, corn, crust, slush, cut-up snow, and machine-made snow; bare spots, rocks, trees, stumps, and other forms of forest growth or debris; lift towers or other forms of towers and their components, either above or below the snow surface; variations in steepness or terrain, whether natural or as the result of snowmaking, slope design, freestyle terrain, jumps, catwalks, or other terrain modifi-cations; any other objects and structures, including, but not limited to, passenger tramways and related structures and equipment, competition equipment, utility poles, fences, posts, ski equipment, slalom poles, ropes, out-of-bounds barriers and their supports, signs, ski racks, walls, buildings, and sheds; and plainly marked or otherwise visible snowmaking and snow-grooming equipment, snowmobiles, snow cats, and over-snow vehicles. |
(5) If the skier is utilizing a tubing park, to assume the risk of collision with others on the course. |
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OR |
(4) “Ski area” means any area designated and maintained by a ski area operator for skiing. |
“Inherent risks of skiing” includes, but is not limited to, those dangers or conditions which are an integral part of the sport, such as changing weather conditions, variations or steepness in terrain, snow or ice conditions, surface or subsurface conditions, bare spots, creeks and gullies, forest growth, rocks, stumps, lift towers and other structures and their components, collisions with other skiers and a skier’s failure to ski within the skier’s own ability. |
(1) A ski area operator shall be notified of any injury to a skier by registered or certified mail within 180 days after the injury or within 180 days after the skier discovers, or reasonably should have discovered, such injury. |
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PA |
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RI |
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TN |
Ski Area Safety & Liability Act, Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 68-114-101 et seq. |
(4) “Ski area” means all the ski slopes and ski trails and passenger tramways administered or op-erated as a single enterprise within this state; |
Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, each skier or passenger is deemed to have assumed the risk of and legal responsibility for any injury to the skier’s or passenger’s person or property arising out of the skier’s or passenger’s participation in Alpine or downhill skiing or the use of any passenger tramways associated with Alpine or downhill skiing. |
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UT |
Utah Inherent Risks of Skiing Act, Utah Code Ann. §§ 78-27-51 to 78-27-54 |
(4) “Ski area” means any area designated by a ski area operator to be used for skiing, nordic, free-style, or other type of ski jumping, and snowboarding. |
…certain risks are inherent in that sport, and to provide that, as a matter of public policy, no person engaged in that sport shall recover from a ski operator for injuries resulting from those inherent risks. (1) “Inherent risks of skiing” means those dangers or conditions which are an integral part of the sport of recreational, competitive, or professional skiing, including, but not limited to: (a) changing weather conditions; (b) snow or ice conditions as they exist or may change, such as hard pack, powder, packed powder, wind pack, corn, crust, slush, cut-up snow, or machine-made snow; (c) surface or subsurface conditions such as bare spots, forest growth, rocks, stumps, streambeds, cliffs, trees, and other natural objects; (d) variations or steepness in terrain, whether natural or as a result of slope design, snowmaking or grooming operations, and other terrain modifications such as terrain parks, and terrain features such as jumps, rails, fun boxes, and all other constructed and natural features such as half pipes, quarter pipes, or freestyle-bump terrain; (e) impact with lift towers and other structures and their components such as signs, posts, fences or enclosures, hydrants, or water pipes; (f) collisions with other skiers; (g) participation in, or practicing or training for, competitions or special events; and (h) the failure of a skier to ski within the skier’s own ability. |
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VA |
Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-227.11 (2013) |
“Winter sports area” means all the real and personal property under control of the operator or on the premises of such property that is being occupied by the operator by fee simple, lease, license, easement, permission, or otherwise, including but not limited to any and all trails, freestyle terrain, competition terrain, passenger tramways, or other areas of real property. “Winter sports area” does not include a tubing park except for any passenger tramway serving a tubing park and the immediate vicinity of such a passenger tramway in which individuals embark upon or disembark from the passenger tramway. |
1. Existing and changing weather conditions and visibility; 2. Hazards associated with varying surface or subsurface conditions on a single trail or from one trail to another, including but not limited to hazards such as participant use, snow in any condition and changing snow conditions, man-made snow, synthetic snow, ice, synthetic ice, snow or ice falling from a tree or natural or man-made structure, crust, slush, soft spots, ridges, rollers, knobs, holes, grooves, tracks from winter sports area vehicles, bare spots, rocks, boulders, stumps, logs, and brush or other forest growth or debris, or piles thereof; 3. Variations in difficulty of terrain, whether natural or as a result of slope use, slope design, or both; 4. Trails that have, or fall away or drop off toward, natural or man-made obstacles or hazards, including but not limited to sharp corners, ridges, jumps, bumps, rollers, moguls, valleys, dips, compressions, cliffs, ravines, drop-offs, streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, stream beds, open water or water with thin ice, holes, steep, flat, and uphill sections, and all variants and combinations thereof; 5. The potential for collision with other participants or other individuals, including with winter sports area personnel, whether or not those personnel are on duty or off duty; with wild or domestic animals; or with equipment or objects such as winter sports area infrastructure, snowmaking equipment, buildings and posts, and stationary and moving lit or flagged winter sports area vehicles; 6. The potential for a participant to act in a negligent or reckless manner that may cause or contribute to the injury or death of the participant or other individuals or damage to property; 7. The location, construction, design, layout, configuration, and condition of trails, freestyle terrain, and competition terrain; 8. The fact that use of trails, freestyle terrain, and competition terrain and participation in or being near races or other competitions or events, including but not limited to as a participant, employee at a winter sports area, spectator, or observer, involves the risk of serious injury or death or damage to property; 9. The fact that a helmet may not afford protection in all instances and that failure to wear a helmet that is properly sized, fitted, and secured may increase the risk of injury or death or the risk of more severe injury; and 10. The fact that the use of passenger tramways may be hazardous to passengers, including but not limited to risks resulting from loading or unloading a tramway and the potential for a passenger to fall from a tramway. |
Each operator, upon request, shall provide to a participant a trail map of all trails located in the operator’s winter sports area. The maps shall be available at each ticket sales office and at other locations at the winter sports area such that the maps are easily accessible to participants. All trail maps shall indicate the skill-level designation for each trail at the winter sports area as designated in subsection C of § 8.01-227.12. Each winter sports participant, or the parent or legal guardian of, or adult acting in a supervisory position over, a participant under the age of 18, shall be responsible for determining whether the participant will wear a helmet and whether the helmet is sufficiently protective and properly sized, fitted, and secured. Nothing herein shall prevent a participant or passenger from offering evidence that he did not know the particular inherent risk of winter sports that proximately caused the injury or death or damage to property at issue, did not fully appreciate the nature and extent of such risk, or did not voluntarily expose himself to such risk. |
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Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1036 of this title, a person who takes part in any sport accepts as a matter of law the dangers that inhere therein insofar as they are obvious and necessary. |
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WA |
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WV |
Skiing Responsibility Act, W. Va. Code Ann. §§ 20-3A-1 to 20-3A-8 |
“Ski area” means any property owned or leased and under the control of the ski area operator or operators within West Virginia. |
Variations in terrain including freestyle terrain; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots, rocks, trees, other forms of forest growth or debris; collisions with pole lines, lift towers or any component thereof; or, collisions with snowmaking equipment which is marked by a visible sign or other warning implement in compliance with section three [§ 20-3A-3] of this article. |
When no certified ambulance service is available in the vicinity, have on duty at or near the skiing area, during all times that skiing areas are open for skiing, at least one trained and currently certified emergency medical technician. |
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Recreational Statutes that Include Skiing
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Statute |
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WI |
Wis. Stat. Ann. § 895.525 |
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WY |
Recreation Safety Act, Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 1-1-121 to 1-1-123 |
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Always contact local legal counsel to determine the latest version of any state statute affecting your business.
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Copyright 2013 Recreation Law (720) Edit Law
Email: Rec-law@recreation-law.com
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Court writes clear decision a jump in a terrain park is an open and obvious risk
Posted: October 28, 2013 Filed under: Michigan, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Features, Half Pipe, Jump, MI, Michigan, Rails, Ramps, skiing, Snowboard, snowboarding, Terrain park Leave a commentIf you practice law in this area, you should hold on to this decision because of its statements on the risks of a terrain park.
Anderson v Boyne USA, Inc., 2012 Mich. App. LEXIS 1725
Plaintiff: Patrick N. Anderson
Defendant: Boyne USA, Inc.,
Plaintiff Claims: Negligence
Defendant Defenses: Michigan Ski Area Safety Act
Holding: for the defendant
This is a pretty simple Michigan case applying the Michigan Ski Area Safety Act (SASA) to an injury in a terrain park.
The plaintiff was paralyzed after go off a jump at a terrain park. The plaintiff sued, and the defendant filed a motion for summary judgment based on the Michigan Ski Area Safety Act. The motion was granted the plaintiff appealed. The appellate court upheld the trial court decision.
The plaintiff went off the jump the previous day. On the second day of skiing, when he was injured, he had not inspected the jump. The plaintiff knew that the features of the park would change over time, including overnight.
Summary of the case
What is striking and great about this case is the court’s frankness in describing the terrain park and its risks. The Michigan Ski Area Safety Act, MCL 408.342 provides:
(1) While in a ski area, each skier shall do all of the following:
(a) Maintain reasonable control of his or her speed and course at all times.
(b) Stay clear of snow-grooming vehicles and equipment in the ski area.
(c) Heed all posted signs and warnings.
(d) Ski only in ski areas which are marked as open for skiing on the trail board described in section 6a(e).
(2) Each person who participates in the sport of skiing accepts the dangers that inhere in that sport insofar as the dangers are obvious and necessary. Those dangers include, but are not limited to, injuries which can result from variations in terrain; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots; rocks, trees, and other forms of natural growth or debris; collisions with ski lift towers and their components, with other skiers, or with properly marked or plainly visible snowmaking or snow-grooming equipment.
As long as the risks or hazards of skiing are open and obvious to the sport, then the statute provides immunity to the ski area from suit.
Based on the statute, the Michigan Supreme court in another case (of the same name Anderson) found there were two types of inherent dangers in skiing: natural and unnatural hazards. The court then applied a legal principle, ejusdem generis which states: “general terms include those “of the same kind, class, character, or nature as those specifically enumerated.” Application of this principal provided a greater number of risks, more than those just listed in the statute.
Once hazards fall within the covered category, only if they are unnecessary or not obvious is the ski operator liable.” Id. The Court stated that the Legislature enacted the statute to remove these matters “from the common-law arena” and to grant immunity to ski-area operators. Id. Therefore, the reasonableness of the placement of the shack was not a consideration for the fact-finder.
The court found the jump in the terrain park was a hazard of skiing, even if created by the ski area; it was still a “variation in the terrain that a snowboarder would expect to see if he or she entered a terrain park. The court continued with this great statement.
Even if the jump were not inside the terrain park, it would still be a danger inherent in the sport of skiing; a snowboarder accepts the risks associated with snowboarding, regardless of whether he is snowboarding down a slope or performing tricks in a terrain park.
The court then went further and stated:
While it is true one can snowboard without jumps, a snowboarder enters a terrain park expecting to use jumps, rails, and boxes. Without those features, there would not be a terrain park. If a snowboarder did not want to use those features, he or she would not enter a terrain park. Instead, the snowboarder would simply propel down a ski hill. Therefore, a jump is a necessary feature of a terrain park.
There were signs posted at the entrance of the terrain park stating that skiers were responsible for familiarizing themselves with the terrain throughout its use, especially because the features change constantly due to snow conditions, weather, and usage. The jump was not a hidden feature of the park, and plaintiff would have seen it had he heeded all posted signs and warnings, as required by the statute.
The court looked at the plaintiff’s final argument that the jump was not obvious because the plaintiff was not aware of the dangerous it created by being improperly constructed. The plaintiff had an expert witness who opined that the jump could have been constructed in a “safer way.”
The court stated whether there was a safer way to make the jump was irrelevant. The statute removed this issue from litigation.
So Now What?
There are two statements by the court that you need to remember, and hopefully apply in your state. The first is:
Even if the jump were not inside the terrain park, it would still be a danger inherent in the sport of skiing; a snowboarder accepts the risks associated with snowboarding, regardless of whether he is snowboarding down a slope or performing tricks in a terrain park.
The creation of the terrain park or creating features in the terrain park does nothing to change the risks of skiing. The fact the feature is in a terrain park provides greater notice and ability to see and understand the risks to a skier or boarder. However, a jump, in or out of a terrain park, is still a risk to be assumed by someone on the slope.
The second is:
Without those features, there would not be a terrain park. If a snowboarder did not want to use those features, he or she would not enter a terrain park. Instead, the snowboarder would simply propel down a ski hill. Therefore, a jump is a necessary feature of a terrain park.
A terrain park is a hill without jumps, ramps, rails, half-pipes and other features. Without those features there is no terrain park. If you enter a terrain park there are going to be jumps, ramps, rails, half-pipes and other features.
Both of these would require that the language of your states Ski Area Statute is written similarly to Michigan’s. However both create great legal language for arguing that when you enter the terrain park you assume the risks of everything in the terrain park, even if you don’t understand or fail to inspect the features in it. But for the signs and ropes, a terrain park is no different from any other part of the ski slope.
This court put in an appeal the things many people have been saying for years.
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Jim Moss is an attorney specializing in the legal issues of the outdoor recreation community. He represents guides, guide services, outfitters both as businesses and individuals and the products they use for their business. He has defended Mt. Everest guide services, summer camps, climbing rope manufacturers; avalanche beacon manufactures and many more manufacturers and outdoor industries. Contact Jim at Jim@Rec-Law.us |
Jim is the author or co-author of six books about the legal issues in the outdoor recreation world; the latest is Outdoor Recreation Insurance, Risk Management and Law.
To see Jim’s complete bio go here and to see his CV you can find it here. To find out the purpose of this website go here.
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Attorney Client Privilege is not under control of the defendant
Posted: October 21, 2013 Filed under: Ohio, Ski Area | Tags: Attorney Client Privilege, Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort, Bullwheel, Lift Accident, Megan Nageotte, Privilege, Rope Tow, ski area, Witness Statement Leave a commentFor the protection of privilege to be applicable, the document or communication must be prepared for the attorney, not just given to the attorney
Plaintiff: Megan Nageotte
Defendant: Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort, et al., Raymond Conde, John Doe employees 1-5, John Doe individuals 1-5, and John Doe entities 1-5,
Plaintiff Claims: Negligence
Defendant Defenses: Documents were protected by Attorney Client Privilege
Holding: For the Plaintiff. No privilege applied to ski area witness statements
There is a misunderstanding about what attorney-client privilege is and how it works. Simply, a communication, of any type, prepared for an attorney during or in anticipation of litigation is protected because of attorney-client privilege. That means that no one can be told of or about or see the communication.
In this case, the plaintiff was injured when she did not let go or could not let go of a rope tow at the defendant ski area. She went around the bullwheel causing her injuries to her hand. She sued claiming the ski area and known, and unknown employees (John Does) were negligent.
During the discovery phase of the litigation, the plaintiff requested copies or to see the witness statements taken by an employee at the time of the accident. The ski area refused to provide them saying the witness statements were protected by attorney-client privilege, so she could not have them.
Ms. Nageotte [plaintiff] sought the witness statements of Mr. Conde [ski area employee and defendant] because Mr. Conde was working at the top of the slope where Ms. Nageotte was injured. Further, Ms. Nageotte believes that Mr. Conde failed to press an emergency stop button or otherwise prevent Ms. Nageotte’s injuries.
The plaintiff filed a motion to get the statements which was granted by the trial court. The defendant appealed the trial court’s motion to the appellate court.
Summary of the case
The issue before the appellate court was simple. Was the witness statements taken at the time of the accident by an employee of the ski area were protected by attorney-client privilege.
The burden to prove a document is protected is on the person attempting to protect the document. Consequently, the burden to prove the witness statements should not be provided to the plaintiff was on the ski area. The ski area’s argument was because the witness statements were provided to the attorney providing the defense to the ski area, the documents were protected.
Brandywine and Mr. Conde assert that Mr. Conde’s witness statements are protected by the attorney-client privilege because the statements were at some point provided to Brandywine’s and Mr. Conde’s attorney. Brandywine and Mr. Conde submitted the affidavit of their attorney, who averred that he is the attorney representing the defendant in the action and that Brandywine and its liability insurer provided him with Mr. Conde’s witness statements “for the purpose of defending this action.”
The lift supervisor of the defendant ski area testified about the witness statements and why they were taken.
Mr. March testified that: (1) the ski patrol, an all-volunteer organization, typically obtains witness statements; (2) Mr. March typically reviews those witness statements; (3) the witness statements are obtained and preserved as a part of Brandywine’s insurance program; (4) the statements are turned over to the insurance carrier if there is a claim made; and (5) the witness statements are turned over to counsel if necessary to defend against any litigation.
None of the reasons for the statements or timing of the statements would support an argument that the statements were privileged.
In order for a document to constitute a privileged communication, it is essential that it be brought into being primarily as a communication to the attorney.” (Emphasis added.) In re Klemann, 132 Ohio St. 187, 192, 5 N.E.2d 492 (1936). “A document of the client existing before it was communicated to the attorney is not within the present privilege so as to be exempt from production. But a document which has come into existence as a communication to the attorney, being itself a communication, is within the present privilege.”
That means that if the documents were to be privileged, when the witnesses were preparing the statements, they had to be done so knowing they were for the attorney, handed or mailed to the attorney and not seen by anyone other than the attorney for the ski area.
Just turning something over to an attorney does not make it privileged.
The documents were not made in anticipation of litigation because at the time of the accident, there was no litigation and the ski area had not been informed of litigation.
The people preparing the statements, the witnesses, were not preparing those statements for an attorney. They were preparing them for the ski area. There was probably nothing on the paper or form it indicating that the statements were for an attorney, probably only the name of the ski area.
Shortly after the incident, Mr. March began to take witness statements. He agreed during his deposition that part of his job was to take witness statements to understand what happened and that Brandywine would want to understand what happened when someone was injured irrespective of whether the person filed a claim. Moreover, he agreed that, at the time the witness statements were made, he did not know a claim or lawsuit was coming. Further, it is unclear when the statements were handed over to the insurance company and the attorney.
So Now What?
Simply put, for a statement to be protected, it must be made for and given to an attorney. No one else can see the document. The person making the communication must know about the litigation and know they are making the communication for the attorney.
The person making the communication must know that attorney-client privilege is going to apply to the communication when the document is being made for privilege to apply.
If you have an incident where you have a belief that (1) litigation is going to occur and (2) there is information your attorney may need and (3) you don’t want anyone else to know you must contact your attorney immediately. Your attorney must direct the creation of and transmittal of the communications.
In most states, documents prepared for insurance companies, even after litigation has started are not protected by attorney-client privilege.
Attorney-client privilege is a basic right that has an unbelievable power to protect. However, to fall within that protection each step must be met. Courts today, in order to facilitate discovery, will rule against protecting a document. If you want to protect a document, you must work with your attorney before the communication is prepared.
If you have a disaster, call your attorney first and then call your insurance company. Only communicate to anyone other than your attorney, only what your attorney tells you to communicate. Communicate everything to your attorney.
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Copyright 2013 Recreation Law (720) Edit Law
Email: Rec-law@recreation-law.com
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By Recreation Law Rec-law@recreation-law.com James H. Moss #Authorrank
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Nageotte v. Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort, et al., 2012 Ohio 6102; 2012 Ohio App. LEXIS 5266 (Ohio App 2012)
Posted: October 21, 2013 Filed under: Legal Case, Ohio, Ski Area | Tags: Attorney Client Privilege, Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort, Bullwheel, Lift Accident, Megan Nageotte, Privilege, Rope Tow, ski area, Witness Statement Leave a commentNageotte v. Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort, et al., 2012 Ohio 6102; 2012 Ohio App. LEXIS 5266 (Ohio App 2012)
Megan Nageotte, Appellee v. Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort, et al., Appellants
C.A. No. 26563
COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO, NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, SUMMIT COUNTY
2012 Ohio 6102; 2012 Ohio App. LEXIS 5266
December 26, 2012, Decided
SUBSEQUENT HISTORY: Discretionary appeal not allowed by Nageotte v. Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort, 2013–Ohio–1622, 2013 Ohio LEXIS 1085 (Ohio, Apr. 24, 2013)
PRIOR HISTORY: [**1]
APPEAL FROM JUDGMENT ENTERED IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS COUNTY OF SUMMIT, OHIO. CASE No. CV 2012 01 0175.
DISPOSITION: Judgment affirmed.
COUNSEL: JEFREY M. ELZEER, Attorney at Law, for Appellants.
MARK J. OBRAL and THOMAS J. SILK, Attorneys at Law, for Appellee.
JUDGES: EVE V. BELFANCE, Judge. MOORE, P. J. DICKINSON, J. CONCUR.
OPINION BY: EVE V. BELFANCE
OPINION
DECISION AND JOURNAL ENTRY
BELFANCE, Judge.
[*P1] Defendants-Appellants Brandywine Ski Resort, Inc. (“Brandywine”) and Raymond Conde appeal from the order of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas which directed Brandywine and Mr. Conde to produce the witness statements of Mr. Conde. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm.
I.
[*P2] On January 15, 2010, Plaintiff-Appellee Megan Nageotte went to Brandywine to go skiing. As she was “utilizing a tramway tow-rope, attempting to disembark, * * * her hand was caused to be pulled into the tramway tow-rope wheel [(bullwheel),] lifting her off of the ground and propelling her around the entire length of the tow-rope wheel, * * * causing serious and lasting personal injuries * * * .” On January 10, 2012, Ms. Nageotte filed a multi-count complaint against Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort, Brandywine Ski Resort, Boston Mills Ski Resort, Boston [**2] Mills Ski Resort, Inc., Mr. Conde, in his capacity as an employee, John Doe employees 1-5, John Doe individuals 1-5, and John Doe entities 1-5, which included several counts alleging negligence of the Defendants. Subsequently, Ms. Nageotte sought leave to file an amended complaint, which was unopposed, to consolidate the ski-resort defendants to a single defendant: Brandywine Ski Resort, Inc. Her motion was ultimately granted.
[*P3] The matter proceeded to discovery, at which point the Defendants refused to produce witness statements of Mr. Conde, asserting both attorney-client privilege and the work-product doctrine. Ms. Nageotte filed a motion to compel and/or request for an in-camera inspection and extensive briefing by both sides followed. No hearing was held on the issue. The trial court concluded that neither the work-product doctrine nor the attorney-client privilege applied and granted the motion to compel.
[*P4] Brandywine and Mr. Conde have appealed the trial court’s ruling with respect to the issue of attorney-client privilege but not the application of the work-product doctrine. Ms. Nageotte filed a motion to dismiss this appeal, asserting that this Court lacked jurisdiction; however, [**3] we subsequently denied her motion and see no reason to revisit that ruling.
II.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN GRANTING PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE’S MOTION TO COMPEL THE PRODUCTION OF STATEMENTS OF DEFENDANT-APPELLANT, RAYMOND CONDE, AS THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE PROTECTS THE DISCLOSURE OF THESE STATEMENTS.
[*P5] Brandywine and Mr. Conde assert in their sole assignment of error that the trial court erred in concluding that the attorney-client privilege did not apply to protect disclosure of Mr. Conde’s witness statements. Because we conclude that the trial court did not err in determining that Brandywine and Mr. Conde failed to meet their burden, we affirm its ruling.
[*P6] [HN1] “Although, generally, discovery orders are reviewed under an abuse-of-discretion standard, the Supreme Court of Ohio has concluded that the issue of whether the information sought is confidential and privileged from disclosure is a question of law that should be reviewed de novo.” Ward v. Summa Health Sys., 184 Ohio App.3d 254, 2009-Ohio-4859, ¶ 11, 920 N.E.2d 421 (9th Dist.). [HN2] “Parties may obtain discovery regarding any matter, not privileged, which is relevant to the subject matter involved in the pending action * * * .” Civ.R. 26(B)(1).
[*P7] [**4] [HN3] “In Ohio, the attorney-client privilege is governed by statute, R.C. 2317.02(A), and in cases that are not addressed in R.C. 2317.02(A), by common law.” (Internal quotations and citations omitted.) State ex. rel. Toledo Blade Co. v. Toledo-Lucas Cty. Port. Auth., 121 Ohio St.3d 537, 2009-Ohio-1767, ¶ 24, 905 N.E.2d 1221.
R.C. 2317.02(A), by its very terms, is a mere testimonial privilege precluding an attorney from testifying about confidential communications. The common-law attorney-client privilege, however, reaches far beyond a proscription against testimonial speech. The privilege protects against any dissemination of information obtained in the confidential relationship.
(Internal quotations and citations omitted.) Id.
[*P8] Thus, as Ms. Nageotte seeks discovery of Mr. Conde’s witness statements, the question is whether the common-law attorney-client privilege applies. [HN4] “[T]he party seeking protection under the privilege carries the burden of establishing the existence of that privilege.” Perfection Corp. v. Travelers Cas. & Sur., 153 Ohio App.3d 28, 2003 Ohio 3358, ¶ 12, 790 N.E.2d 817 (8th Dist.); see also Grace v. Mastruserio, 182 Ohio App.3d 243, 2007-Ohio-3942, ¶ 19, 912 N.E.2d 608 (1st Dist.), citing Lemley v. Kaiser, 6 Ohio St.3d 258, 263-264, 6 Ohio B. 324, 452 N.E.2d 1304 (1983). [**5] At issue in this case is whether appellants met their burden to establish the existence of the privilege.
[HN5] The common-law attorney-client privilege applies (1) [w]here legal advice of any kind is sought (2) from a professional legal adviser in his capacity as such, (3) the communications relating to that purpose, (4) made in confidence (5) by the client, (6) are at his instance permanently protected (7) from disclosure by himself or by the legal adviser, (8) unless the protection is waived.
(Internal quotations and citations omitted.) Grace at ¶ 19; Perfection Corp. at ¶ 12.
[*P9] Ms. Nageotte sought the witness statements of Mr. Conde because Mr. Conde was working at the top of the slope where Ms. Nageotte was injured. Further, Ms. Nageotte believes that Mr. Conde failed to press an emergency stop button or otherwise prevent Ms. Nageotte’s injuries. Brandywine and Mr. Conde assert that Mr. Conde’s witness statements are protected by the attorney-client privilege because the statements were at some point provided to Brandywine’s and Mr. Conde’s attorney. Brandywine and Mr. Conde submitted the affidavit of their attorney, who averred that he is the attorney representing the defendant in the [**6] action and that Brandywine and its liability insurer provided him with Mr. Conde’s witness statements “for the purpose of defending this action.” In addition, Brandywine and Mr. Conde relied on portions of the deposition of Michael March, who is the supervisor of the lifts at Brandywine Ski Resort. A large portion of Mr. March’s deposition was filed in this case, including some portions filed with Ms. Nageotte’s motion to compel.
[*P10] Mr. March testified that: (1) the ski patrol, an all-volunteer organization, typically obtains witness statements; (2) Mr. March typically reviews those witness statements; (3) the witness statements are obtained and preserved as a part of Brandywine’s insurance program; (4) the statements are turned over to the insurance carrier if there is a claim made; and (5) the witness statements are turned over to counsel if necessary to defend against any litigation. Mr. March agreed during his deposition that part of his job was to take witness statements to understand what happened and that Brandywine would want to understand what happened when someone was injured irrespective of whether the person filed a claim.
[*P11] [HN6] “In order for a document to constitute a privileged [**7] communication, it is essential that it be brought into being primarily as a communication to the attorney.” (Emphasis added.) In re Klemann, 132 Ohio St. 187, 192, 5 N.E.2d 492 (1936). “A document of the client existing before it was communicated to the attorney is not within the present privilege so as to be exempt from production. But a document which has come into existence as a communication to the attorney, being itself a communication, is within the present privilege.” (Emphasis omitted.) (Internal quotations and citations omitted.) Id. See also In re Story, 159 Ohio St. 144, 147, 111 N.E.2d 385 (1953) (noting that, in some instances, reports and records, which according to custom are turned over and remain in possession of attorney, are privileged communications); In re Keough, 151 Ohio St. 307, 85 N.E.2d 550 (1949), paragraph two of the syllabus.
[*P12] In addition, [HN7] “[o]therwise discoverable information cannot be made privileged by merely turning it over to an attorney.” Harpster v. Advanced Elastomer Sys., L.P., 9th Dist. No. 22684, 2005-Ohio-6919, ¶ 14. There is evidence in the record that indicates the statements at issue were not brought into being primarily as a communication to the parties’ attorney and that the document [**8] existed before it was communicated to the attorney and was not prepared at the direction of the attorney. See id. Shortly after the incident, Mr. March began to take witness statements. He agreed during his deposition that part of his job was to take witness statements to understand what happened and that Brandywine would want to understand what happened when someone was injured irrespective of whether the person filed a claim. Moreover, he agreed that, at the time the witness statements were made, he did not know a claim or lawsuit was coming. Further, it is unclear when the statements were handed over to the insurance company and the attorney.
[*P13] Moreover, we cannot say that the trial court erred in concluding that Brandywine failed to meet its burden. It is not clear whether the witness statements at issue were in fact confidential. See Grace, 182 Ohio App.3d 243, 2007-Ohio-3942, at ¶ 19, 912 N.E.2d 608. It is not evident from the materials provided what the circumstances were under which Mr. Conde’s witness statements were taken, how many witness statements were taken, or who in fact took the statements.1 For instance, it is unclear whether Mr. Conde gave his statement with just Mr. March present [**9] or in the presence of other people. Thus, the trial court was not presented with evidence that the witness statements at issue were confidential. If the statements were not confidential, the attorney-client privilege would not apply. See Grace at ¶ 19; Perfection Corp., 153 Ohio App.3d 28, 2003-Ohio-3358, at ¶ 12.
1 Mr. March’s deposition seems to indicate that he took at least one of Mr. Conde’s witness statements; however, Mr. March’s testimony also evidences that ski patrol is typically responsible for taking witness statements.
[*P14] Accordingly, we conclude the trial court did not err in concluding that the witness statements were not protected from discovery by the attorney-client privilege in light of the evidence presented by Brandywine and Mr. Conde. Brandywine’s and Mr. Conde’s assignment of error is overruled.
III.
[*P15] In light of the foregoing, the judgment of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed.
Judgment affirmed.
There were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
We order that a special mandate issue out of this Court, directing the Court of Common Pleas, County of Summit, State of Ohio, to carry this judgment into execution. A certified copy of this journal entry shall [**10] constitute the mandate, pursuant to App.R. 27.
Immediately upon the filing hereof, this document shall constitute the journal entry of judgment, and it shall be file stamped by the Clerk of the Court of Appeals at which time the period for review shall begin to run. App.R. 22(C). The Clerk of the Court of Appeals is instructed to mail a notice of entry of this judgment to the parties and to make a notation of the mailing in the docket, pursuant to App.R. 30.
Costs taxed to Appellants.
EVE V. BELFANCE
FOR THE COURT
MOORE, P. J.
DICKINSON, J.
CONCUR.
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Montana Ski Statues
Posted: October 19, 2013 Filed under: Montana, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Montana, MT Montana ski Statute, Ski Safety Act, skiing, snowboarding Leave a commentTITLE 23 PARKS, RECREATION, SPORTS, AND GAMBLING
CHAPTER 2 RECREATION
PART 7 PASSENGER ROPEWAYS — SKI AREAS
Mont. Code Anno., § 23-2-701 (2012)
23-2-701 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-702 Definitions.
As used in this part, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Freestyle terrain” means terrain parks and terrain features, including but not limited to jumps, rails, fun boxes, half-pipes, quarter-pipes, and freestyle bump terrain, and any other constructed features.
(2) “Inherent dangers and risks of skiing” means those dangers or conditions that are part of the sport of skiing, including:
(a) changing weather conditions;
(b) snow conditions as they exist or as they may change, including ice, hardpack, powder, packed powder, wind pack, corn snow, crust, slush, cut-up snow, and machine-made snow;
(c) avalanches, except on open, designated ski trails;
(d) collisions with natural surface or subsurface conditions, such as bare spots, forest growth, rocks, stumps, streambeds, cliffs, trees, and other natural objects;
(e) collisions with lift towers, signs, posts, fences, enclosures, hydrants, water pipes, or other artificial structures and their components;
(f) variations in steepness or terrain, whether natural or the result of slope design, snowmaking, or snow grooming operations, including but not limited to roads, freestyle terrain, ski jumps, catwalks, and other terrain modifications;
(g) collisions with clearly visible or plainly marked equipment, including but not limited to lift equipment, snowmaking equipment, snow grooming equipment, trail maintenance equipment, and snowmobiles, whether or not the equipment is moving;
(h) collisions with other skiers;
(i) the failure of a skier to ski within that skier’s ability;
(j) skiing in a closed area or skiing outside the ski area boundary as designated on the ski area trail map; and
(k) restricted visibility caused by snow, wind, fog, sun, or darkness.
(3) “Passenger” means any person who is being transported or conveyed by a passenger ropeway.
(4) “Passenger ropeway” means a device used to transport passengers by means of an aerial tramway or lift, surface lift, surface conveyor, or surface tow.
(5) “Ski area operator” or “operator” means a person, firm, or corporation and its agents and employees having operational and administrative responsibility for ski slopes and trails and improvements.
(6) “Ski slopes and trails” means those areas designated by the ski area operator to be used by skiers for skiing.
(7) “Skier” means a person who is using any ski area facility for the purpose of skiing, including but not limited to ski slopes and trails.
(8) “Skiing” means any activity, including an organized event, that involves sliding or jumping on snow or ice while using skis, a snowboard, or any other sliding device.
23-2-703 Ropeways not common carriers or public utilities.
Passenger ropeways may not be construed to be common carriers or public utilities for the purposes of regulation within the meaning of the laws of the state of Montana.
23-2-704 Unlawful to endanger life or cause damage.
(1) It is unlawful for a passenger riding or using a passenger ropeway to endanger the life and safety of other persons or cause damage to passenger ropeway equipment.
(2) A person who purposely or knowingly violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.
23-2-705 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-706 through 23-2-710 reserved.
23-2-711 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-712 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-713 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-714 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-715 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-716 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-717 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-718 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-719 and 23-2-720 reserved.
23-2-721 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-722 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-723 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-724 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-725 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-726 through 23-2-730 reserved.
23-2-731 Purpose.
The legislature finds that skiing is a major recreational sport and a major industry in the state and recognizes that among the attractions of the sport are the inherent dangers and risks of skiing. The state has a legitimate interest in maintaining the economic viability of the ski industry by discouraging claims based on damages resulting from the inherent dangers and risks of skiing, defining the inherent dangers and risks of skiing, and establishing the duties of skiers and ski area operators.
23-2-732 Repealed.
Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1997.
23-2-733 Duties of operator regarding ski areas.
(1) Consistent with the duty of reasonable care owed by a ski area operator to a skier, a ski area operator shall:
(a) mark all trail grooming vehicles by furnishing the vehicles with flashing or rotating lights that must be in operation whenever the vehicles are working or are in movement in the ski area;
(b) mark with a visible sign or other warning implement the location of any hydrant or similar equipment used in snowmaking operations and located on ski slopes and trails;
(c) maintain one or more trail boards at prominent locations at each ski area displaying a map of that area’s network of ski slopes and trails, the boundaries of the ski area, and the relative degree of difficulty of the ski slopes and trails at that area;
(d) post a notice requiring the use of ski-retention devices;
(e) designate at the start of each day, by trail board or otherwise, which ski slopes and trails are open or closed and amend those designations as openings and closures occur during the day;
(f) post in a conspicuous location the current skier responsibility code that is published by the national ski areas association;
(g) post a copy of 23-2-736 in a conspicuous location; and
(h) mark designated freestyle terrain with a symbol recognized by the national ski areas association.
(2) Nothing in this part may be construed to impose any duty owed by a ski area operator to a trespasser or an unauthorized user of a ski area.
23-2-734 Duties of operator with respect to passenger ropeways.
A ski area operator shall construct, operate, maintain, and repair any passenger ropeway. An operator has the duty of taking responsible actions to properly construct, operate, maintain, and repair a passenger ropeway in accordance with current standards.
23-2-735 Duties of passenger.
A passenger may not:
(1) board or disembark from a passenger ropeway except at an area designated for those purposes;
(2) throw or expel any object from a passenger ropeway;
(3) interfere with the running or operation of a passenger ropeway;
(4) use a passenger ropeway unless the passenger has the ability to use it safely without any instruction on its use by the operator or requests and receives instruction before boarding;
(5) embark on a passenger ropeway without the authority of the operator.
23-2-736 Duties of skier.
(1) A skier has the duty to ski at all times in a manner that avoids injury to the skier and others and to be aware of the inherent dangers and risks of skiing.
(2) A skier:
(a) shall know the range of the skier’s ability and safely ski within the limits of that ability and the skier’s equipment so as to negotiate any section of terrain or ski slope and trail safely and without injury or damage. A skier shall know that the skier’s ability may vary because of ski slope and trail changes caused by weather, grooming changes, or skier use.
(b) shall maintain control of speed and course so as to prevent injury to the skier or others;
(c) shall abide by the requirements of the skier responsibility code that is published by the national ski areas association and that is posted as provided in 23-2-733;
(d) shall obey all posted or other warnings and instructions of the ski area operator; and
(e) shall read the ski area trail map and must be aware of its contents.
(3) A person may not:
(a) place an object in the ski area or on the uphill track of a passenger ropeway that may cause a passenger or skier to fall;
(b) cross the track of a passenger ropeway except at a designated and approved point; or
(c) if involved in a skiing accident, depart from the scene of the accident without:
(i) leaving personal identification; or
(ii) notifying the proper authorities and obtaining assistance when the person knows that a person involved in the accident is in need of medical or other assistance.
(4) A skier shall accept all legal responsibility for injury or damage of any kind to the extent that the injury or damage results from inherent dangers and risks of skiing. Nothing in this part may be construed to limit a skier’s right to hold another skier legally accountable for damages caused by the other skier.
23-2-737 Repealed.
Sec. 5, Ch. 429, L. 1989.
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Risk Management is Customer Service
Posted: October 16, 2013 Filed under: Colorado, Ski Area | Tags: Customer service, Guest Services, Loveland Ski Area, Risk Management, skiing Leave a commentLoveland Ski Area 2013
PowerPoint Presentation given to the Loveland Ski Area Management Team in preparation for the 2013-2014 ski season.
Risk Management is Customer Service
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Skiing accident suit pleads negligent first aid based on actions of the ski patrol
Posted: October 14, 2013 Filed under: California, Release (pre-injury contract not to sue), Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Fisher, Inc., National Ski Patrol, NSP, Sierra Summit, ski area, Ski Patrol, Ski Resort, Ski Summit 2 CommentsRelease and statute protecting pre-hospital care provider’s defeats plaintiff’s claims
Fisher v. Sierra Summit, Inc. et al., 2011 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 185
Plaintiff: John G. Fisher
Defendant: Sierra Summit, Inc. et al.,
Plaintiff Claims: (1) negligence in the defendants’ maintenance of the property, resulting in the hole into which Fisher skied; (2) negligence in the defendants’ provision of ski equipment to Fisher; and (3) negligence in the defendants’ provision of first aid at the scene of the accident.
Defendant Defenses: Release, Assumption of the Risk, Health and Safety Code section 1799.102 and Health and Safety Code section 1799.108
Holding: for the Defendant Ski area
The plaintiff in this case was injured when he skied into a “hole in the snow” at the ski area. He also claimed the ski patrol “contributed to his injuries by providing first aid negligently.” The plaintiff’s injuries rendered him a quadriplegic.
The defendants filed a motion for summary judgment. The lower court throughout the plaintiff’s claim based on a release he signed when he rented his skis and that the plaintiff’s negligent first aid claim was barred by the California Good Samaritan Act.
The plaintiff pleaded:
The complaint alleged three causes of action: (1) negligence in defendants’ maintenance of the property, resulting in the hole into which Fisher skied; (2) negligence in defendants’ provision of ski equipment to Fisher; and (3) negligence in defendants’ provision of first aid at the scene of the accident.
The second claim relating to the equipment was voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiff.
The defendants argued that the release signed by the plaintiff was a voluntary assumption of the risk. They supported this assertion by a statement that the area had been previously inspected by the defendant and did not find any conditions that needed corrections in the slope.
The defendants then placed the following information in their motion concerning the negligent first aid allegations.
Fisher told the ski patrollers when they first arrived, and before he was moved, that he had no feeling in his feet or legs. He became agitated and combative and sat up and waved his arms; the ski patrollers told him he might injure himself more and should stop.
The defendant’s argument was fairly simple. The plaintiff stated he was paralyzed during the crash. Therefore, the ski patrol did not create his injuries. The defendants then argued that because the ski patrol did not receive compensation from the plaintiff, they were protected by the Good Samaritan Act. The case does not state whether the ski patrollers who responded were volunteers or paid.
The defendant also argued that the ski patrollers had all been properly trained, and the plaintiff had presented no evidence that the ski patrol acted in bad faith or grossly negligent. In general, Good Samaritan acts do not provide protection for gross negligence or bad faith.
The plaintiff appealed.
Summary of the case
The court quickly agreed that the release stopped the plaintiff’s claims about the conditions on the slope.
The purpose of releases like the one signed by Fisher is to make skiing facilities available to the public by removing liability exposure that would make the operation of those facilities economically infeasible.
The plaintiff also argued the release violated public policy because the release was not clear on what it covered. The plaintiff argued the release only covered the rental of the equipment while the court decided the release covered his accident also.
…Fisher argues that public policy was violated because defendants obtained releases only from those renting equipment but did not “make it unquestionably clear” that it was doing so. There is no public policy that requires this be done. A release must be clear about what is being released, and the release at issue here satisfied that requirement, as we have said.
The main issue and one of interest in this case is the court’s analysis of the negligent first aid claim.
The plaintiff argued that the release did not apply to the negligent first aid allegations. The plaintiff argued:
… because defendants asked skiers to sign it when renting equipment and did not obtain any release from skiers who brought their own equipment, suggesting that liability for equipment failure was its only subject matter.
The court decided not to debate the arguments made by the parties at the trial court level that the ski patrollers were protected by the Good Samaritan law because of the compensation issue. The court decided the ski patrollers were immune under another California law Health and Safety Code §1799.108 “which immunizes those certified to provide prehospital emergency field care treatment at the scene of an emergency except where their conduct is grossly negligent or not in good faith.”
The statute states:
“Any person who has a certificate issued pursuant to this division from a certifying agency to provide prehospital emergency field care treatment at the scene of an emergency, as defined in Section 1799.102, shall be liable for civil damages only for acts or omissions performed in a grossly negligent manner or acts or omissions not performed in good faith.”
The court first described the burden the plaintiff had to meet to prove his case.
He only claims there is a triable issue about whether they were grossly negligent or acted in bad faith. Defendants sustained their burden of producing evidence making a prima facie showing that there is no triable issue on the element of gross negligence or bad faith.
The court then looked at the allegations made by the plaintiff failed to meet the burden.
Fisher presented no evidence to sustain his burden of making a prima facie showing that a triable issue exists on the element of gross negligence or bad faith. Defendants have sustained their ultimate burden of persuasion that Fisher cannot prove an essential element of this cause of action.
Since the plaintiff did not allege that the action of the patrollers was grossly negligent or done in bad faith, nor did he plead any allegations that could be interpreted as such, the court held the patrollers were immune from litigation under the statute.
So Now What?
One of the major issues for the ski industry that this court could find a way around was that releases used by the rental shops only cover the rental of the equipment under most state laws. It does not take much to have your attorney write your equipment rental release to also cover ski school classes, or season passes, and any other activity at the resort.
If third-party ski rental shops are also selling your lift tickets as part of the lift ticket package pay to have the third-party rental shops release cover your ski area also.
Physicians have argued for a decade that they should be protected by a Good Samaritan act because they were not paid by the patient, but paid by the hospital where the patient was at the time of the alleged injury. This argument has failed repeatedly for physicians. The court in skipping this argument in this case probably saved itself from the numerous court cases with this type of holding.
The court found another statute to protect the patrollers was valuable. The statute is rare and not found in many other states. However, it could be applicable in all types of outdoor recreation businesses and programs in providing liability protection in California.
The first step in meeting the protections provided by Health and Safety Code §1799.108 would be to find the list of first aid “certificate[s] issued pursuant to this division” and make sure your guides, instructors, and patrollers all have the required first aid training and certificate. I would collect the certificates each year and keep their copies in a file to make sure they were always easily found. After that, the application of the law should be fairly consistent based on this case.
However, the court stated the law had been changed since the accident and used the older version of the law, as appropriate. The new law states:
1799.108. Emergency field care treatment by certificate holder
Any person who has a certificate issued pursuant to this division from a certifying agency to provide prehospital emergency field care treatment at the scene of an emergency, as defined in Section 1799.102, shall be liable for civil damages only for acts or omissions performed in a grossly negligent manner or acts or omissions not performed in good faith.
California Health and Safety Code §1799.102 states:
§ 1799.102. Emergency care at scene of emergency; Liability
(a) No person who in good faith, and not for compensation, renders emergency medical or nonmedical care at the scene of an emergency shall be liable for any civil damages resulting from any act or omission. The scene of an emergency shall not include emergency departments and other places where medical care is usually offered. This subdivision applies only to the medical, law enforcement, and emergency personnel specified in this chapter.
(b)
(1) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage other individuals to volunteer, without compensation, to assist others in need during an emergency, while ensuring that those volunteers who provide care or assistance act responsibly.
(2) Except for those persons specified in subdivision (a), no person who in good faith, and not for compensation, renders emergency medical or nonmedical care or assistance at the scene of an emergency shall be liable for civil damages resulting from any act or omission other than an act or omission constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. The scene of an emergency shall not include emergency departments and other places where medical care is usually offered. This subdivision shall not be construed to alter existing protections from liability for licensed medical or other personnel specified in subdivision (a) or any other law.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to change any existing legal duties or obligations, nor does anything in this section in any way affect the provisions in Section 1714.5 of the Civil Code, as proposed to be amended by Senate Bill 39 of the 2009-10 Regular Session of the Legislature.
(d) The amendments to this section made by the act adding subdivisions (b) and (c) shall apply exclusively to any legal action filed on or after the effective date of that act.
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| Jim Moss is an attorney specializing in the legal issues of the outdoor recreation community. He represents guides, guide services, and outfitters both as businesses and individuals and the products they use for their business. He has defended Mt. Everest guide services, summer camps, climbing rope manufacturers; avalanche beacon manufacturers, and many more manufacturers and outdoor industries. Contact Jim at Jim@Rec-Law.us |
Jim is the author or co-author of eight books about legal issues in the outdoor recreation world; the latest is Outdoor Recreation Insurance, Risk Management, and Law. To Purchase Go Here:
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Fisher v. Sierra Summit, Inc. et al., 2011 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 185
Posted: October 14, 2013 Filed under: California, Legal Case, Release (pre-injury contract not to sue), Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: Fisher, Inc., National Ski Patrol, Sierra Summit, ski area, Ski Patrol, Ski Resort, skiing Leave a commentTo Read an Analysis of this decision see
Skiing accident suit pleads negligent first aid based on actions of the ski patrol
Fisher v. Sierra Summit, Inc. et al., 2011 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 185
John G. Fisher, Plaintiff and Appellant, v. Sierra Summit, Inc. et al., Defendants and Respondents.
F058735
COURT OF APPEAL OF CALIFORNIA, FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
2011 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 185
January 11, 2011, Filed
NOTICE: NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS. CALIFORNIA RULES OF COURT, RULE 8.1115(a), PROHIBITS COURTS AND PARTIES FROM CITING OR RELYING ON OPINIONS NOT CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION OR ORDERED PUBLISHED, EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED BY RULE 8.1115(b). THIS OPINION HAS NOT BEEN CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION OR ORDERED PUBLISHED FOR THE PURPOSES OF RULE 8.1115.
PRIOR HISTORY: [*1]
APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Fresno County. Super. Ct. No. 08CECG00198. Donald S. Black, Judge.
CORE TERMS: ski, patrollers, summary judgment, skiing, user, hole, rented, slope, emergency, snow-sliding, negligently, ambiguous, patrol, bad faith, bleachers, triable, skied, scene, crash, skier, snow, grossly negligent, triable issue, gross negligence, public policy, groomed, manufacturers, distributors, customer, arms
COUNSEL: Lang, Richert & Patch, Robert L. Patch II, David T. Richards, and Ana de Alba for Plaintiff and Appellant.
Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker, Patrick M. Kelly, Steven R. Parminter, and Kathleen M. Bragg for Defendants and Respondents.
JUDGES: Wiseman, Acting P.J.; Kane, J., Poochigian, J. concurred.
OPINION BY: Wiseman
OPINION
Plaintiff John G. Fisher was severely injured when he crashed while skiing at the Sierra Summit ski resort. He sued defendants Sierra Summit, Inc., and Snow Summit Ski Corporation, contending he crashed because he skied into a hole in the snow that was present because of their negligence. He also claimed that ski patrol personnel at Sierra Summit contributed to his injuries by providing first aid negligently.
The trial court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment. The court ruled that Fisher’s claim that he was injured by a dangerous condition negligently allowed to exist on the property was barred by a release he signed when he rented his skis, a release in which he expressly assumed the risk of being injured while skiing. It ruled that his claim of negligent first [*2] aid was barred by Health and Safety Code section 1799.102, 1 a Good Samaritan statute that immunizes from tort liability those who, at the scene of an emergency, render emergency care in good faith and not for compensation.
1 Subsequent statutory references are to the Health and Safety Code unless otherwise noted.
We affirm the judgment. We agree with the trial court’s conclusion that the risks Fisher expressly assumed when he signed the release included the risk of the accident he suffered. On the ski patrol issue, however, we will not reach the issue of whether section 1799.102 applies. This would require us to decide whether “for compensation” in that statute means for any compensation or for compensation specifically by the injured person–a question which, under the circumstances, it is unnecessary to decide. Instead, we hold that the claim of negligent first aid by the ski patrollers is barred by section 1799.108, which immunizes those certified to provide prehospital emergency field care treatment at the scene of an emergency except where their conduct is grossly negligent or not in good faith. There is no triable issue of fact regarding whether the ski patrollers were grossly [*3] negligent or acted in bad faith, so summary judgment on this claim properly was granted.
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORIES
Fisher filed his complaint on January 17, 2008. It alleged that on January 20, 2007, “while skiing at a safe speed and in-bounds [on] a properly marked ski slope, [Fisher] encountered a large hole in the snow which was not naturally occurring or obvious.” He crashed. When ski patrol personnel came to the scene, they allegedly failed to provide proper assistance. The accident resulted in Fisher’s quadriplegia. The complaint alleged three causes of action: (1) negligence in defendants’ maintenance of the property, resulting in the hole into which Fisher skied; (2) negligence in defendants’ provision of ski equipment to Fisher; and (3) negligence in defendants’ provision of first aid at the scene of the accident. Fisher voluntarily dismissed the second cause of action, pertaining to equipment, on March 19, 2009.
Defendants filed a motion for summary judgment. With it, they submitted a copy of a release Fisher signed when he rented his skis at the ski shop at Sierra Summit on the day of the accident. The document, a single sheet of 8-by-14-inch paper, printed in four columns [*4] going down the narrow axis of the paper, sets out two distinct agreements, with two separate places for the customer’s signature. The first agreement, occupying the first column, pertains exclusively to equipment. It reads:
“PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING EQUIPMENT RENTAL AGREEMENT & RELEASE OF LIABILITY DO NOT SIGN UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED YOUR EQUIPMENT
“I understand how this ski (snowboard, skiboard) boot-binding system works and I have been fully instructed in its proper use. Any questions I have had about this equipment have been satisfactorily answered. I agree that the binding release/retention setting numbers appearing in the visual indicator windows on the binding correspond to those recorded on this form (Alpine only).
“I agree to have user check this equipment before each use, including the binding anti-friction device (Alpine only), and that I will not use this equipment or if I am not the user permit the user to use this equipment if any parts are worn, damaged, or missing. If I am not the user I will provide all of this information to the user.
“I understand that I may return at any time to have this equipment examined, replaced or repaired.
“X
“USER’S SIGNATURE
DATE”
Fisher’s [*5] signature appears on the line. The second column is filled with a box for the customer’s name, address, shoe size, and other information necessary for providing equipment. Fisher filled out this box.
The second agreement occupies the third and fourth columns. It refers to equipment as well, but also contains a more general release of liability. It reads:
“RELEASE OF LIABILITY “1) READ CONTRACT COMPLETELY, SIGN/INITIAL “2) PROCEED TO CASHIER, HAVE DRIVER’S LICENSE/I.D. READY.
“1. I will read the EQUIPMENT RENTAL AGREEMENT & RELEASE OF LIABILITY of this agreement, and will be responsible for obtaining all of the information required by that section and will provide a copy of same to the user of this agreement. I will make no misrepresentations to the ski shop regarding the user’s height, weight, and age or skier type.
“2. I understand that ALL FORMS OF SNOW-SLIDING, including skiing and snowboarding, are HAZARDOUS activities. I also understand that all forms of snow-sliding have inherent and other RISKS OF INJURY, INCLUDING DEATH, that reasonable care, caution, instruction and expertise cannot eliminate. I further understand that injuries are common and ordinary occurrences during these [*6] activities. I hereby agree to freely, voluntarily and expressly ASSUME and accept any and ALL RISKS of any injury to any part of the user’s body while engaging in any form of snow-sliding.
“(Please Initial )
“3. I understand that the Alpine ski equipment being furnished by Snow Summit, Inc., and/or by Sierra Summit, Inc., and/or by Bear Mountain, Inc., any of their respective agents, employees, or affiliated corporations (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Summit”), forms all or part of a ski-boot-binding system which will NOT RELEASE OR RETAIN AT ALL TIMES OR UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. I further agree and understand that any ski-boot-binding system does NOT ELIMINATE THE RISK of injuries to any part of the user’s body. If SkiBoard or Snowboard or any other equipment is being furnished, I understand that these systems are designed to NOT RELEASE and do NOT PROTECT against injuries to any part of this user’s body.
“(Please Initial )
“4. I hereby FOREVER RELEASE SUMMIT, as well as the equipment manufacturers and distributors from, and agree to indemnify them and hold them harmless for, any and all responsibility or legal liability for any injuries or damages to any user of any equipment [*7] rented with this form, whether or not such injuries or damages are caused by the NEGLIGENCE OF SUMMIT. I agree NOT to make a claim against or sue Summit, or any of the equipment manufacturers and distributors for injuries or damages relating to or arising from the use of chairlifts or surface tows, any snow-sliding activities and/or the use of this equipment. I accept full responsibility for any and all such injuries and damages.
“(Please Initial )
“5. Summit provides NO WARRANTIES, express or implied. This equipment is accepted “AS IS.” I will accept full responsibility for the care of the listed equipment. I agree to return all rented equipment by the agreed date to avoid additional charges.
“(Please Initial )
“6. I have read this agreement and understand its terms. I am aware that this is a binding contract which provides a comprehensive release of liability. However, it is not intended to assert any claims or defenses that are prohibited by law. I agree that the foregoing agreement is intended to be as broad and inclusive as is permitted by law and that if any portion or paragraph is held invalid, the balance shall continue in full legal force and effect.
“X
“USER’S SIGNATURE
DATE”
Fisher [*8] signed at the bottom and initialed in each place indicated.
Defendants argued that this release constituted Fisher’s express assumption of the risk of having the accident he had and that it formed the basis of a complete defense to all Fisher’s claims. Defendants argued that, apart from the release, all Fisher’s claims were also barred by the common-law doctrine of primary assumption of the risk, set out in Knight v. Jewett (1992) 3 Cal.4th 296 and its progeny. They further contended that Fisher could not produce evidence to support his claims that they were negligent in maintaining the property or providing first aid.
To support the contention that Fisher could not prove negligent maintenance of the property, defendants produced evidence that their personnel had inspected the area where Fisher crashed a number of times the day before and the day of the accident and did not find any condition requiring marking or correction. Defendants also pointed to Fisher’s deposition testimony, implying that he was not on a groomed ski run when he crashed: “And when I skied from one run to the next, I encountered a hole that seemed to be between the two runs.”
To support the contention that Fisher [*9] could not prove negligent first aid, defendants produced evidence that Fisher told the ski patrollers when they first arrived, and before he was moved, that he had no feeling in his feet or legs. He became agitated and combative and sat up and waved his arms; the ski patrollers told him he might injure himself more and should stop. Defendants argued that these facts showed Fisher had already become paralyzed in the crash and that his injuries could not have been caused by anything done by the ski patrollers. Defendants also argued that there was no evidence of any act or omission by the ski patrollers that would have caused additional injury to Fisher.
On the claim of negligent first aid alone, defendants also relied on section 1799.102. At the time, 2 that section provided:
“No person who in good faith, and not for compensation, renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency shall be liable for any civil damages resulting from any act or omission. The scene of an emergency shall not include emergency departments and other places where medical care is usually offered.”
Defendants argued that their ski patrollers were immunized by this statute because they did not receive any compensation [*10] from Fisher. They acknowledged that no published California case has interpreted the phrase “not for compensation” in this statute; they relied on out-of-state cases applying other states’ similar statutes.
2 Section 1799.102 was amended effective August 6, 2009. (Stats. 2009, ch. 77, § 1.) The former version applies to this case.
Defendants additionally relied on section 1799.108, which provides:
“Any person who has a certificate issued pursuant to this division from a certifying agency to provide prehospital emergency field care treatment at the scene of an emergency, as defined in Section 1799.102, shall be liable for civil damages only for acts or omissions performed in a grossly negligent manner or acts or omissions not performed in good faith.”
Defendants presented evidence that all the ski patrollers involved had the certification required by this section. They argued that Fisher could present no evidence that the patrollers who assisted him acted in bad faith or with gross negligence.
In opposing the motion for summary judgment, Fisher argued that the release did not apply to his accident because it only released defendants’ liability for injuries arising from problems with the rented [*11] equipment. The court could not grant summary judgment based on the release, he argued, because this was a reasonable interpretation of an ambiguous contract. It was patently ambiguous, he argued, because a reasonable person could interpret its terms to mean that liability was released only for injuries related to equipment failures. It was latently ambiguous because defendants asked skiers to sign it when renting equipment and did not obtain any release from skiers who brought their own equipment, suggesting that liability for equipment failure was its only subject matter. Even if the release did relate to liability for accidents resulting from the condition of the slopes, Fisher argued, it would not bar an action for a dangerous condition that existed because of defendants’ negligence. In addition, even if the release covered defendants’ negligence, it did not cover the particular kind of negligence that caused Fisher’s injuries because releasing liability for injuries caused by falling in an artificially created hole was not reasonably related to the parties’ purpose in entering into the release.
Responding to defendants’ argument that there was no evidence to support his claim that [*12] the accident resulted from their negligent maintenance of the slopes, Fisher submitted evidence intended to show that the hole was on a groomed slope, meant to be skied on by defendants’ patrons, and was not naturally occurring. He cited his own deposition in which he testified that he did not ski on any ungroomed areas. He further testified that there was a wall of ice on the far side of the hole as he skied into it and that the wall of ice “seemed to have a groomed edge on the top of it ….” Fisher also submitted a declaration asserting that the hole was “manmade.” The declaration does not, however, explain how Fisher knew it was manmade. In addition, Fisher pointed to deposition testimony by Sierra Summit personnel acknowledging that holes or walls in the snow can inadvertently be created by snow grooming equipment.
In response to defendants’ claim that Fisher could not produce evidence of negligent first aid, Fisher argued that if he could sit up and wave his arms at the time when the ski patrollers found him, that could mean the patrollers added to his injuries through their first aid. He also claimed the defense was not entitled to summary judgment on the claim unless it offered [*13] expert medical testimony that the ski patrollers acted reasonably.
Fisher argued that the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk does not apply to this case. He said the doctrine applies only to risks inherent in the risky activity, and the risk of an accident like his is not inherent in skiing if the hole was artificial and was present because of defendants’ negligence.
On the ski patrol claim, Fisher contended that section 1799.102 was inapplicable because the ski patrollers were compensated by defendants. He argued that the statute requires simply that aid be given “not for compensation”; that defendants’ view would read words into the statute that are not there; and that this would be improper, regardless of what out-of-state cases interpreting other statutes might say. Fisher also argued that summary judgment could not be granted based on section 1799.108 because of the facts that he was combative and tried to sit up while he was being aided, combined with defendants’ failure to produce an expert opinion. Fisher did not explicitly say how these points helped him, but presumably he meant they showed there was a triable issue of whether the ski patrollers were grossly negligent. [*14] Fisher also did not explicitly say why his ski patrol claim fell outside the release or outside the doctrine of primary assumption of the risk, but his arguments on those topics implied that neither defense would apply because the risk of negligent first aid was not related to equipment failure and not an inherent risk of skiing.
The trial court granted the motion for summary judgment, basing its ruling on the release and on section 1799.102. It held that the release barred Fisher’s claim that his crash was caused by a hole negligently allowed to exist on a slope because the release “clearly and unambiguously releases defendant from liability for injuries or damages caused by defendant’s negligence and which occur to any user of rented equipment, a status which plaintiff indisputably occupied.” It stressed that the release “clearly expresses plaintiff’s agreement not to sue defendant and to accept full responsibility for all injuries and damages relating to or arising from … ‘any snow-sliding activities ….'” The court rejected Fisher’s contention that the release was ambiguous: “[B]y its express terms [it] is not limited to damages or injuries caused by the equipment, but extends to [*15] any claims relating to or arising from snow-sliding activities.” In applying section 1799.102 to the negligent first-aid claim, the court acknowledged that no California cases have interpreted the phrase “not for compensation.” It agreed with defendants’ view that the phrase means not for compensation by the injured party.
DISCUSSION
We review an order granting summary judgment de novo. (Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co. (2001) 25 Cal.4th 826, 860.) We independently review the record and apply the same rules and standards as the trial court. (Zavala v. Arce (1997) 58 Cal.App.4th 915, 925.) The trial court must grant the motion if “all the papers submitted show that there is no triable issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” (Code Civ. Proc., § 437c, subd. (c).) “There is a triable issue of material fact if, and only if, the evidence would allow a reasonable trier of fact to find the underlying fact in favor of the party opposing the motion in accordance with the applicable standard of proof.” (Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co., supra, at p. 850.) We view the facts in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party and assume [*16] that, for purposes of our analysis, his version of all disputed facts is correct. (Sheffield v. Los Angeles County Dept. of Social Services (2003) 109 Cal.App.4th 153, 159.) A moving defendant can establish its entitlement to summary judgment by either (1) demonstrating that an essential element of the plaintiff’s case cannot be established, or (2) establishing a complete defense. (Code Civ. Proc., § 437c, subd. (o).)
I. Dangerous condition of property claim
Fisher contends that the trial court erred in applying the release of liability he signed to bar his claim that defendants caused his injuries by negligently allowing the existence of the hole into which he skied. We disagree.
A contract in which a party expressly assumes a risk of injury is, if applicable, a complete bar to a negligence action. (Knight v. Jewett, supra, 3 Cal.4th 296, 308, fn. 4; Allan v. Snow Summit, Inc. (1996) 51 Cal.App.4th 1358, 1372.)
“In order for a release of liability to be held enforceable against a plaintiff, it ‘must be clear, unambiguous and explicit in expressing the intent of the parties’ [citation]; the act of negligence that results in injury to the releasee must be reasonably related to the object [*17] or purpose for which the release is given [citation]; and the release cannot contravene public policy [citation]. A release need not be perfect to be enforceable. [Citation.]” (Sweat v. Big Time Auto Racing, Inc. (2004) 117 Cal.App.4th 1301, 1304-1305 (Sweat).)
We address each requirement in turn.
A. The release is clear, unambiguous, and explicit in expressing the intent of the parties
We agree with the trial court’s conclusion that the release Fisher signed applied unambiguously to injuries arising from skiing accidents, including the injuries Fisher suffered, even if caused by defendants’ negligence. The release stated that Fisher “agree[d] to freely, voluntarily and expressly ASSUME and accept any and ALL RISKS of any injury to any party of the user’s body while engaging in any form of snow-sliding.” He agreed to “FOREVER RELEASE SUMMIT,” as well as the equipment manufacturers and distributors, from “any and all responsibility or legal liability for any injuries or damages to any user of any equipment rented with this forms, whether or not such injuries or damages are caused by the NEGLIGENCE OF SUMMIT.” He also agreed “NOT to make a claim against or sue Summit, or any of the equipment [*18] manufacturers and distributors for injuries or damages relating to or arising from the use of chairlifts or surface tows, any snow-sliding activities and/or the use of this equipment.” He accepted “full responsibility for any and all such injuries and damages” and stated that he was “aware that this is a binding contract which provides a comprehensive release of liability” and “is intended to be as broad and inclusive as is permitted by law ….” This language applies to personal injuries sustained by a skier who crashes while skiing at the resort, even if the crash is caused by a defect in the snow or ground surface caused by defendants’ negligent maintenance of the property. Fisher’s argument that the agreement is patently ambiguous because it contains references to the rented equipment and the equipment manufacturers and distributors is not persuasive. The agreement plainly states that Fisher releases the ski resort and the equipment manufacturers and distributors from liability for injuries caused by skiing as well as those caused by equipment problems.
The release also is not latently ambiguous. The parties disagree about whether extrinsic evidence should be considered to determine [*19] whether the release is latently ambiguous, but we need not resolve that debate because no latent ambiguity appears even if the extrinsic evidence Fisher relies on is considered. Fisher relies on evidence that the release is given to customers when they rent equipment; that neither it nor any other release is obtained from customers who ski without renting equipment; and that because of these circumstances he assumed, without reading the release, that it applied only to injuries caused by problems with the rented equipment. None of this detracts from the clarity of the release’s language or renders reasonable an interpretation according to which the release applies only to injuries arising from the rented equipment.
B. The alleged negligence that resulted in the injury was reasonably related to the purpose for which the release was given
The purpose of releases like the one signed by Fisher is to make skiing facilities available to the public by removing liability exposure that would make the operation of those facilities economically infeasible. (National & Internat. Brotherhood of Street Racers, Inc. v. Superior Court (1989) 215 Cal.App.3d 934, 938 [if releases of liability in cases [*20] arising from hazardous recreational pursuits are not enforced, “many popular and lawful recreational activities are destined for extinction”].) The alleged negligence in maintenance of the property that Fisher says caused his injuries has a reasonable relationship with this purpose.
Fisher argues that the release’s purpose is not reasonably related to the conditions that caused his accident because the release only applies to accidents caused by equipment problems and was only given to customers renting equipment. We have already explained why the release cannot reasonably be understood as applying only to accidents caused by equipment problems. The fact that the resort gave the release only to skiers who rented equipment does not show that its purpose is limited to accidents arising from equipment, for its plain meaning is to the contrary. It may be that the release fails fully to achieve its economic purpose if the resort does not obtain it from all skiers, but that does not prove it has a different purpose.
Fisher also argues that the release’s purpose is not reasonably related to the conditions that caused his accident because the risk of skiing into an artificially created hole [*21] in a groomed part of a slope is not a reasonably foreseeable risk, and there is at least a triable question of whether the hole he skied into was artificially created and in a groomed part of a slope. He cites Bennett v. United States Cycling Federation (1987) 193 Cal.App.3d 1485, 1490-1491 (Bennett), which reversed summary judgment against the signer of an agreement releasing the defendants from liability for injuries, including injuries caused by the defendants’ negligence, sustained by the signer in a bicycle race. The court held that there was a triable question of whether the accident–a collision with a car on a race course that was closed to traffic–was reasonably foreseeable.
The Bennett court did not cite any authority directly supporting the proposition that an agreement releasing liability for negligence applies only to harms arising from reasonably foreseeable negligence. It relied instead on quotations from the Restatement Second of Torts and the treatise of Prosser and Keeton to the effect that releases apply only to harm-causing conduct of the defendant that was within the contemplation of the parties. (Bennett, supra, 193 Cal.App.3d at p. 1490.) It is not by any means [*22] clear to us that, as a general proposition, parties who enter into a release of liability for negligent conduct related to a hazardous recreational activity intend the release to apply only to negligent conduct that the parties can reasonably be expected to think of in advance. This is especially implausible where, as here, the release explicitly applies to all skiing-related injuries even if caused by defendants’ negligence. To the extent that Bennett is in conflict with these views, we decline to follow it. Further, even if we were applying the holding of Bennett, we would not conclude that it stands in the way of summary judgment here. Even assuming there are triable questions of whether the hole was artificial and whether it was on a groomed portion of the slope, Fisher has suggested no persuasive reasons why a crash caused by negligently maintained slope conditions would not be reasonably foreseeable. What sort of negligence would be more likely to cause a skiing accident than negligence in failing to keep the slopes in good condition?
Fisher relies also on Sweat, supra, 117 Cal.App.4th 1301, in which we held that a release did not apply because the defendant’s negligence was not [*23] reasonably related to the purpose of the release. In that case, the plaintiff attended an auto race where, if an audience member sat in the bleachers in the pit area, the track owners required him or her to sign a release of liability for any claim of injury arising while the audience member was in that area, even if caused by the owners’ negligence. The plaintiff signed the release, sat in the pit area bleachers, and was injured when the bleachers collapsed. After a bench trial, the court found this release was a complete defense. We reversed (id. at p. 1303), concluding that the release was ambiguous; that extrinsic evidence was necessary to resolve the ambiguity; and that, in light of that evidence, the release’s only purpose was to allow audience members to observe the race from the pit area. The collapse of the bleachers had no causal relation to dangers arising from the race, so the release was not applicable to liability for injuries resulting from that collapse. (Id. at pp. 1305-1308.)
Sweat is distinguishable from this case. Here we have an unambiguous release barring negligence liability for any injury resulting from skiing, among other activities. A skiing accident caused [*24] by a negligently maintained ski trail falls within the scope of the release.
The final paragraph of our analysis in Sweat is instructive:
“Here, appellant’s express assumption of risk would cover all hazards related to the automobile race and its observation. As appellant points out, those might include a tire separating from a car and hitting someone, a car leaving the track and striking a spectator, or someone being burned by a crash. This is not an exhaustive list. One can even anticipate the flying tire, the errantly driven car, or the flames from the crash causing the collapse of bleachers. The race activity might lead to less dramatic accidents: a person slipping on automotive grease in the pit area, or even a race observer slipping on spilled soda while keenly watching the race as he or she steps through the bleachers. The release agreement here does not, however, contractually charge appellant with assuming the risk of injury from defectively constructed or maintained bleachers, should a full trial on the merits establish such facts.” (Sweat, supra, 117 Cal.App.4th at p. 1308.)
The accident in Sweat fell outside the release because it was causally unrelated to the race, to allow [*25] the observation of which was the purpose of the release. An accident unrelated to skiing, such as a fall inside a ski lodge caused by a defect in the floor unreasonably allowed to be present, would be comparable to the accident in Sweat and would fall outside the release, for it would be causally unrelated to skiing or any of the other activities mentioned in the release. Here, however, if the skiing accident were caused by defendant’s negligent maintenance of the slopes, as Fisher claims, it would be comparable to an accident caused by something negligently allowed to remain on the floor in the race-observation area–grease or soda–by the track owners in Sweat. That cause is reasonably related to skiing and consequently to the purpose of the release.
C. The release is not against public policy
Fisher argues that there is a public policy of “fundamental fairness,” and that the release violates this policy because it “appears, on its face, to only relate to the rental equipment ….” As we have said, this is not the case. Fisher also repeats here the argument that, because the release was obtained only from skiers who rented equipment, it is only applicable to accidents caused by the equipment. [*26] Again, this circumstance does not negate the explicit statements in the agreement releasing defendants from liability for any injuries sustained while the customer engages in snow-sliding activities.
Fisher also argues that the release violates public policy because it allows defendants to be negligent in maintaining their ski slopes without incurring liability. As we have seen, however, the law allows releases of liability for injuries caused by negligence during hazardous recreational activities, and does so in order to prevent exposure to liability from making those activities economically infeasible. Finally, Fisher argues that public policy was violated because defendants obtained releases only from those renting equipment but did not “make it unquestionably clear” that it was doing so. There is no public policy that requires this be done. A release must be clear about what is being released, and the release at issue here satisfied that requirement, as we have said.
The parties have extensively briefed the subject of primary assumption of the risk, but our holding on the release makes it unnecessary for us to address that issue.
II. Negligent first-aid claim
Fisher argues that the [*27] trial court erred when it held that section 1799.102 barred his claim of negligent first aid by the ski patrollers. He says summary judgment could not properly be granted on this basis because there was evidence that the ski patrollers received compensation for performing their duties. We need not break ground in this unsettled area because an alternative basis for the judgment–a basis raised by defendants in the trial court–is available. (California School of Culinary Arts v. Lujan (2003) 112 Cal.App.4th 16, 22 [appellate court may affirm summary judgment on any correct legal theory raised by parties in trial court].)
This basis is section 1799.108, which immunizes certified first-aid providers except in cases of gross negligence or actions not taken in good faith. In support of their motion, defendants submitted evidence that all the ski patrollers who aided Fisher were properly certified. They also submitted evidence of the aid the patrollers gave, arguing that nothing in their actions or the surrounding circumstances gave any support to a claim of gross negligence or bad faith. This evidence included Fisher’s own statement in his deposition that the only thing he remembered about [*28] the people who aided him was that they insisted he lie still. It also included declarations by three patrollers who assisted Fisher: Mary Warner, Russ Bassett, and Richard Bailey. According to these declarations, a guest was helping Fisher when the ski patrollers first arrived. The guest said he was an EMT. The patrollers brought a toboggan, a backboard, a cervical collar, splints, and oxygen. Fisher was on the ground and the guest was correctly supporting his cervical spine, according to one of the patrollers. Fisher repeatedly yelled that his arms, legs, and back were broken and that he was going into shock. When one of the patrollers pinched Fisher’s leg and determined that he had no feeling in it, Fisher said he was paralyzed and became agitated. He swung his arms and tried to sit up until the patrollers calmed him and persuaded him to be still. The patrollers used the toboggan and backboard to bring Fisher to the first-aid patrol room, where his care was taken over by paramedics. The paramedics decided to transport Fisher to the hospital by ambulance.
In his opposition to the motion, Fisher presented no additional evidence. He only pointed to the evidence that he waved his arms [*29] and tried to sit up. Presumably his point was that, in the end, his injuries were too severe to allow this and therefore the patrollers might have made the injuries worse. He did not say so explicitly, however, and presented no supporting evidence. He also pointed out that defendants did not present an expert’s opinion that the patrollers did not act negligently.
A defendant moving for summary judgment has, at all stages, the burden of persuading the court that the plaintiff cannot establish an essential element of his cause of action. The defendant need not conclusively negate an element of the cause of action, however. Rather, the defendant must first bear a burden of producing evidence making a prima facie showing of the nonexistence of a triable issue of material fact. The burden of production then shifts to the nonmoving plaintiff, who must produce evidence making a prima facie showing that a triable issue of material fact exists. (Aguilar v. Atlantic Richfield Co., supra, 25 Cal.4th at pp. 850-851, 853-855.)
In this case, Fisher does not claim there is a triable issue about whether the ski patrollers were certified. 3 He only claims there is a triable issue about whether they were [*30] grossly negligent or acted in bad faith. Defendants sustained their burden of producing evidence making a prima facie showing that there is no triable issue on the element of gross negligence or bad faith. As described in the ski patrollers’ declarations, the first aid they gave included nothing upon which a claim of gross negligence or bad faith could be founded. The fact that Fisher sat up and waved his arms, or attempted to do so, does not show that the ski patrollers made his injuries worse. There was no evidence that the sitting and waving or attempted sitting and waving were actions that later became impossible for Fisher, and no evidence that even if they did, this was because of anything done or omitted by the ski patrollers. Contrary to Fisher’s argument, there is no authority for the view that summary judgment can be obtained by a defendant on a claim of grossly negligent first aid only if the defendant presents an expert opinion that there was no gross negligence. Fisher presented no evidence to sustain his burden of making a prima facie showing that a triable issue exists on the element of gross negligence or bad faith. Defendants have sustained their ultimate burden of [*31] persuasion that Fisher cannot prove an essential element of this cause of action.
3 At oral argument, Fisher claimed, for the first time, that “some” of the ski patrollers were not certified. This claim does not appear in his discussion of this issue in his opening brief or his reply brief. It did not appear in his memorandum of points and authorities in opposition to the motion for summary judgment or the errata he filed to that memorandum. In their statement of undisputed facts, defendants stated that responders Russ Bassett, Richard Bailey, Marc Smith, Tim Crosby, and Mary Warner were qualified in first aid through, or were first-aid instructors for, the American Red Cross or the National Ski Patrol. Fisher agreed that these facts were undisputed. He did not argue that these credentials did not amount to certification within the meaning of section 1799.108. His separate statement of disputed facts did not state any contrary evidence or assert that any uncertified patrollers administered first aid. A factually unsupported claim made for the first time at oral argument on appeal is not grounds for reversing summary judgment.
Defendants argue that the release, the doctrine of primary [*32] assumption of the risk, and section 1799.102 all also support the court’s decision. We need not address these additional theories. 4
4 In their appellate brief, defendants assert that the trial court “implicitly determined the Release did not apply to the actions of the ski patrol” because it granted summary judgment on that claim on a different basis. This is not correct. A court does not implicitly reject a theory merely by basing a decision on another theory. “[A]n opinion is not authority for a proposition not therein considered.” (Ginns v. Savage (1964) 61 Cal.2d 520, 524, fn. 2.)
DISPOSITION
The judgment is affirmed. Defendants are awarded costs on appeal.
Wiseman, Acting P.J.
WE CONCUR:
Kane, J.
Poochigian, J.
G-YQ06K3L262
http://www.recreation-law.com
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Colorado Inaugurates 2013-14 Ski Season
Posted: October 13, 2013 Filed under: Colorado, Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding | Tags: A Basin, Arapahoe Basin, Colorado, ski area, skiing, snowboarding 1 CommentResort Opening Dates Available.
Arapahoe Basin First Ski Resort in the Nation to Open for the Season
Colorado’s 2013/14 ski season is underway today as Arapahoe Basin opened its chair lift to crowds of animated skiers and snowboarders. At 8:30a.m., with an 18-inch base and lifts running, Arapahoe Basin became the first resort in North America to open for the 2013/14 ski season. Arapahoe Basin’s opening, along with recently announced pass deals and new improvements at Colorado resorts, has skiers and riders eager for the season ahead.
Several resorts in Colorado have taken advantage of cold nighttime temperatures and ideal humidity conditions over the past several weeks. Arapahoe Basin and Loveland Ski Area began making snow on the evening of Friday, September 27, and have made snow or received natural snow most days since then. New snowmaking equipment upgrades, ideal snowmaking conditions, and recent natural snowfall have added to Arapahoe Basin’s base accumulation resulting in the resort’s current packed powder conditions. Today skiers and riders accessed the Black Mountain Express lift and enjoyed skiing on intermediate run High Noon.
For Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA), today’s exciting opening brings optimism for the season ahead. “Seeing skiers and snowboarders taking their first turns of the season is one of the highlights of the year,” said Colorado Ski Country USA President and CEO, Melanie Mills. “Since the first high country snowstorms several weeks ago, we’ve seen the enthusiasm in skiers and snowboarders building towards this day. Thanks to helpful weather patterns and the hard work of Snowmakers and groomers, all of Colorado’s resorts will open with top notch products our guests will enjoy.”
The recent autumn snow storms and early winter season conditions brought a robust crowd to Arapahoe Basin today, signifying skiers and riders are more than ready to enjoy Colorado’s signature winter sports. “Resorts continue to focus on the guest experience, with everything from safety to service,” continued Mills. “Whether the emphasis is on families, learning or value, visitors can expect the same qualities from resorts this year that keep them coming back to Colorado season after season.”
Amid all of the Opening Day celebrations, Colorado’s Governor, John Hickenlooper, congratulated Arapahoe Basin on being first to open saying, “It’s still fall but the 2013/14 ski and snowboard season is open for business in Colorado.” He continued, “Tourism and recreation are some of our most visible and important industries in Colorado, not to mention key economic drivers, and with today’s grand opening we are looking forward to a fun-filled and snowy year on the slopes.”
The race to host Opening Day is one of the highlights of the ski season, a title often held by Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin or Loveland. Both resorts are perched atop the Continental Divide giving them higher elevations, earlier frosts and colder temperatures. This also allows them to stay open long into the spring giving Colorado one of the longest ski seasons in the country.
Below is a current list of scheduled opening dates for CSCUSA member resorts*.
Resort Opening (and closing) Dates
Arapahoe Basin: October 13, 2013 – Early June 2014
Aspen Highlands: December 14, 2013 – April 13, 2014
Aspen Mountain: November 28, 2013 – April 20, 2014
Buttermilk: December 14, 2013 – April 6, 2014
Copper Mountain: November 1, 2013 – April 13, 2014
Crested Butte: November 27, 2013 – April 6, 2014
Eldora: November 22, 2013 – April 13, 2014
Howelsen Hill: November 30, 2013 – March 16, 2014
Loveland: Mid October 2013 – Early May 2014
Monarch Mountain: Mid November 2013 – April 13, 2014
Powderhorn: December 12, 2013 – March 30, 2014
Purgatory: November 29, 2013 – March 30, 2014
Silverton: December 21, 2013 – April 13, 2014
Ski Cooper: December 14, 2013 – April 6, 2014
Ski Granby Ranch: December 11, 2013 – April 6, 2014
Snowmass: November 28, 2013 – April 20, 2014
Steamboat: November 27, 2013 – April 13, 2014
Sunlight: December 6, 2013 – March 30, 2014
Telluride: November 28, 2013 – April 6, 2014
Winter Park: November 13, 2013 – April 20, 2014
Wolf Creek: November 8, 2013 – April 6, 2014
*Dates are subject to change.
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West Virginia Ski Safety Statute
Posted: October 12, 2013 Filed under: Ski Area, Skiing / Snow Boarding, West Virginia | Tags: Ski Safety Statute, skiing, snowboarding, West Virginia, WV Leave a commentWest Virginia Code Annotated
Chapter 20. Natural Resources.
Article 3A. Skiing Responsibility Act.
GO TO WEST VIRGINIA STATUTES ARCHIVE DIRECTORY
W. Va. Code Ch. 20, Art. 3A Note (2012)
Ch. 20, Art. 3A Note
NOTES:
Constitutionality.
This act, which immunizes ski area operators from tort liability for the inherent risks in the sport of skiing which are essentially impossible for the operators to eliminate, does not violate equal protection principles of W. Va. Const., art. III, § 10 or of U.S. Const., amend. 14. The act similarly does not constitute special legislation in violation of W. Va. Const., art. VI, § 39. Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991).
This act does not violate the certain remedy provision of W. Va. Const., art. III, § 17. Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991).
Purpose.
The purpose of this act was to eliminate or curtail the exposure of ski area operators to liability for the inherent risks of skiing. Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991).
Common-law cause of action.
This act does not provide an alternative remedy for the repealed common-law cause of action for damages resulting from the inherent risks of skiing which the operator cannot eliminate. Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991).
HIERARCHY NOTES:
Ch. 20 Note
§ 20-3A-1. Legislative purpose.
The Legislature finds that the sport of skiing is practiced by a large number of citizens of West Virginia and also attracts to West Virginia a large number of nonresidents, significantly contributing to the economy of West Virginia. Since it is recognized that there are inherent risks in the sport of skiing which should be understood by each skier and which are essentially impossible to eliminate by the ski area operator, it is the purpose of this article to define those areas of responsibility and affirmative acts for which ski area operators shall be liable for loss, damage or injury and those risks which the skier expressly assumes for which there can be no recovery.
HISTORY: 1984, c. 163.
NOTES: W. Va. Law Review.
Fahey, “Landlord Liability in West Virginia for Criminal Acts on the Premises,” 98 W. Va. L. Rev. 659 (1996).
Constitutionality.
The West Virginia Skiing Responsibility Act, which immunizes ski area operators from tort liability for the inherent risks of skiing that are essentially impossible for the operators to eliminate, does not violate equal protection principles of W. Va. Const., art. III, § 10, nor does it constitute special legislation in violation of art. VI, § 39. Pinson v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 196 W. Va. 436, 473 S.E.2d 151, 1996 W. Va. LEXIS 64 (1996).
Purpose.
The purpose of the West Virginia Skiing Responsibility Act is to eliminate or curtail the exposure of ski area operators to liability for the inherent risks of skiing. Hardin v. Ski Venture, Inc., 848 F. Supp. 58, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4233 (N.D.W. Va. 1994).
Quoted in
Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991).
HIERARCHY NOTES:
Ch. 20 Note
Ch. 20, Art. 3A Note
§ 20-3A-2. Definitions.
Unless the context of usage clearly requires otherwise:
(a) “Aerial passenger tramway” means any device operated by a ski area operator used to transport passengers, by single or double reversible tramway; chair lift or gondola lift; T-bar lift, J-bar lift, platter lift, conveyor lift or similar device; or a fiber rope tow.
(b) “Competitor” means a skier actually engaged in competition, a special event, or training or practicing for competition or a special event on any portion of the area made available by the ski area operator.
(c) “Freestyle terrain” includes, but is not limited to, terrain parks and terrain park features such as jumps, rails, fun boxes, and all other constructed and natural features, half-pipes, quarter pipes, and freestyle-bump terrain.
(d) “Passenger” means any person who is lawfully using an aerial passenger tramway, or is waiting to embark or has recently disembarked from an aerial passenger tramway and is in its immediate vicinity.
(e) “Ski area” means any property owned or leased and under the control of the ski area operator or operators within West Virginia.
(f) “Ski area operator” means any person, partnership, corporation or other commercial entity and their agents, officers, employees or representatives, or the State of West Virginia, or any political subdivision thereof, who has operational responsibility for any ski area or aerial passenger tramway.
(g) “Skiing area” means all ski slopes and trails not including any aerial passenger tramway.
(h) “Skier” means any person present at a skiing area under the control of a ski area operator for the purpose of engaging in the sport of skiing in locations designated as the ski slopes and trails, but does not include a passenger using an aerial passenger tramway.
(i) “Skiing” means sliding downhill or jumping on snow or ice on skis, a toboggan, a sled, a tube, a snowbike, a snowboard, or any other device by utilizing any of the facilities of the ski area.
(j) “Ski slopes and trails” means all ski slopes or trails and adjoining skiable terrain, including all their edges and features, and those areas designated by the ski area operator to be used by skiers for the purpose of participating in the sport of skiing in areas designated for that type of skiing activity. Ski slopes and trails shall be designated on trail maps, if provided, and by signs indicating to the skiing public the designated skiing activity for skiing areas.
HISTORY: 1984, c. 163; 2006, c. 204.
NOTES: Effect of amendment of 2006.
Acts 2006, c. 204, effective June 8, 2006, inserted “conveyor lift” in (a); added (b) and (c); redesignated former (b) through (f) as (d) through (h); inserted “ski” in (g); substituted “in locations designated as” for “by utilizing” in (h); added (i); redesignated former (g) as (j); and in (j), inserted “all ski slopes or trails and adjoining skiable terrain, including all their edges and features, and” in the first sentence, added “in areas designated for that type of skiing activity” at the end of the first sentence, and added the last sentence; and made a minor stylistic change.
Quoted in
Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991).
§ 20-3A-3. Duties of ski area operators with respect to ski areas.
Every ski area operator shall:
(1) Mark all trail maintenance vehicles and furnish such vehicles with flashing or rotating lights which shall be in operation whenever the vehicles are working or are in movement in the skiing area.
(2) Mark with a visible sign or other warning implement the location of any hydrant or similar equipment used in snowmaking operations and located on ski slopes and trails.
(3) Mark conspicuously the top or entrance to each ski slope, trail or area to designate open or closed and relative degree of difficulty using the appropriate symbols approved by the national ski areas association as of the effective date of this article and as may thereafter be modified by the association.
(4) Maintain one or more trail boards at prominent locations at each ski area displaying that area’s network of ski trails and slopes with each trail and slope rated thereon in accordance with the aforementioned symbols’ code and containing a key to the code in accordance with designations in subdivision (3) herein.
(5) Designate by trail board or otherwise which trails or slopes are open or closed.
(6) Place, or cause to be placed, whenever snow grooming or snowmaking operations are being undertaken upon any trail or slope while such trail or slope is open to the public, a conspicuous notice to that effect at or near the top of the trail or slope.
(7) Post notice at prominent locations of the requirements of this article concerning the use of ski retention devices. This obligation shall be the sole requirement imposed upon the ski area operator regarding the requirement for or use of ski retention devices.
(8) Maintain the ski areas in a reasonably safe condition, except that such operator shall not be responsible for any injury, loss or damage caused by the following: Variations in terrain; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots, rocks, trees, other forms of forest growth or debris; collisions with pole lines, lift towers or any component thereof; or, collisions with snowmaking equipment which is marked by a visible sign or other warning implement in compliance with subdivision two of this section.
(9) When no certified ambulance service is available in the vicinity, have on duty at or near the skiing area, during all times that skiing areas are open for skiing, at least one trained and currently certified emergency medical technician.
HISTORY: 1984, c. 163.
NOTES: Cross references.
Liability of ski area operators, § 20-3A-6.
Editor’s notes.
Concerning the reference in (3) to “the effective date of this article,” Acts 1984, c. 163, which enacted this article, provided that the act take effect June 8, 1984.
Construction.
Where variations in the terrain or ice conditions in the form of ungroomed snow caused injury to plaintiff, defendant ski area operator was not liable. Pinson v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 196 W. Va. 436, 473 S.E.2d 151, 1996 W. Va. LEXIS 64 (1996).
The West Virginia Skiing Responsibility Act, §§ 20-3A-1 et seq., does not require the posting of warnings concerning the presence of ungroomed snow or require that ski trails be closed because of ungroomed snow. Pinson v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 196 W. Va. 436, 473 S.E.2d 151, 1996 W. Va. LEXIS 64 (1996).
Purpose of act.
The purpose of the West Virginia Skiing Responsibility Act is to eliminate or curtail the exposure of ski area operators to liability for the inherent risks of skiing. Hardin v. Ski Venture, Inc., 848 F. Supp. 58, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4233 (N.D.W. Va. 1994).
Applicability.
Question of whether the general maintenance clause in subsection (8) is applicable to snow-making activity and, if so, whether the defendant negligently engaged in snow-making activity and whether the alleged dangerous condition could have been eliminated if the defendant had reasonably maintained the snow-making equipment presented questions of fact which compelled that defendant’s motion for summary judgment be denied. Hardin v. Ski Venture, Inc., 848 F. Supp. 58, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4233 (N.D.W. Va. 1994).
Jury instructions.
Jury instructions which cited this section were not weighted impermissibly in favor of the defendant. The degree that the instructions reflected any lack of balance was due to the content of state law, not to the misstatement of relevant legal principles by the court, and the statutory reference was not extraneous. Hardin v. Ski Venture, Inc., 50 F.3d 1291, 1995 U.S. App. LEXIS 7647 (4th Cir. 1995).
Quoted in
Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991).
HIERARCHY NOTES:
Ch. 20 Note
Ch. 20, Art. 3A Note
§ 20-3A-4. Responsibilities of passengers.
No passenger shall:
(1) Board or embark upon or disembark from an aerial passenger tramway except at an area designated for such purpose;
(2) Drop, throw or expel any object from an aerial passenger tramway;
(3) Perform any act which interferes with the running or operation of an aerial passenger tramway;
(4) Enter the boarding area of or use any aerial passenger tramway without requesting and receiving instruction on its use from the ski area operator, unless the passenger has the ability to use it safely without instruction;
(5) Engage in any harmful conduct, or willfully or negligently engage in any type of conduct which contributes to or causes injury to any person; or
(6) Embark on an aerial passenger tramway without the authority, express or implied, of the ski area operator.
HISTORY: 1984, c. 163.
NOTES: Cross references.
Liability of passengers, § 20-3A-7.
Quoted in
Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991).
HIERARCHY NOTES:
Ch. 20 Note
Ch. 20, Art. 3A Note
§ 20-3A-5. Duties of skiers.
(a) It is recognized that skiing as a recreational sport is hazardous to skiers, regardless of all feasible safety measures which can be taken. Each skier expressly assumes the risk of and legal responsibility for any injury, loss or damage to person or property which results from participation in the sport of skiing including, but not limited to, any injury, loss or damage caused by the following: Variations in terrain including freestyle terrain; surface or subsurface snow or ice conditions; bare spots, rocks, trees, other forms of forest growth or debris; collisions with pole lines, lift towers or any component thereof; or, collisions with snowmaking equipment which is marked by a visible sign or other warning implement in compliance with section three [§ 20-3A-3] of this article. Each skier shall have the sole individual responsibility for knowing the range of his or her own ability to negotiate any ski slope or trail, and it shall be the duty of each skier to ski within the limits of the skier’s own ability, to maintain reasonable control of speed and course at all times while skiing, to heed all posted warnings, to ski only on a skiing area designated by the ski area operator and to refrain from acting in a manner which may cause or contribute to the injury of anyone. If while actually skiing, any skier collides with any object or person, except an obviously intoxicated person of whom the ski area operator is aware, the responsibility for such collision shall be solely that of the skier or skiers involved and not that of the ski area operator.
(b) No person shall place any object in the skiing area or on the uphill track or any aerial passenger tramway which may cause a passenger or skier to fall.
(c) No skier shall cross the track of any T-bar lift, J-bar lift, platter lift, conveyor lift or similar device, or a fiber rope tow except at a designated location, nor shall any skier place any object in such an uphill track.
(d) No person involved in a skiing accident shall depart the ski area without leaving personal identification, including name and address, with an employee of the ski area operator or without notifying the proper authorities or without obtaining assistance when that person knows or reasonably should know that any other person involved in the accident is in need of medical or other assistance.
(e) A ski or snowboard used by a skier while skiing or snowboarding shall be equipped with a strap or other device capable of stopping the ski or snowboard should the ski or snowboard detach from the skier. No skier shall fail to wear retention straps or other devices to help prevent runaway skis or snowboards. This requirement shall not apply to cross country skis.
(f) Each skier has the duty to maintain control of his or her speed and course at all times when skiing and to maintain a proper lookout so as to be able to avoid other skiers and objects. However, the primary duty shall be on the person skiing downhill to avoid collision with any person or objects below him or her.
(g) No skier shall ski on a ski slope or trail that has been posted as “Closed.”
(h) No skier shall use any ski slope while such person’s ability to do so is impaired by the consumption of alcohol or by the use of any controlled substance or other drug or while such person is under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance or other drug.
(i) Each skier has the duty to heed all posted information and other warnings.
(j) Before beginning to ski from a stationary position or before entering a ski slope or trail from the side, the skier shall have the duty to avoid moving skiers already on the ski slope or trail.
HISTORY: 1984, c. 163; 2006, c. 204.
NOTES: Effect of amendment of 2006.
Acts 2006, c. 204, effective June 8, 2006, redesignated the former first two paragraphs as (a), redesignated the former third paragraph as (b) through (e), and added (f) through (j); in (a), inserted “including freestyle terrain” in the second sentence and inserted “ski” preceding “slope” in the third sentence; in (c), substituted “No skier shall cross ” for “or which crosses the track,” inserted “conveyor lift,” and added “nor shall any skier place any object in such an uphill track”; inserted “with an employee of the ski area operator” in (d); added the first and last sentences in (e); and made minor stylistic changes.
Cross references.
Liability of skiers, § 20-3A-8.
A.L.R. references.
Skier’s liability for injuries to or death of another person, 75 A.L.R.5th 583.
Construction.
Where variations in the terrain or ice conditions in the form of ungroomed snow, caused injury to plaintiff defendant ski area operator was not liable. Pinson v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 196 W. Va. 436, 473 S.E.2d 151, 1996 W. Va. LEXIS 64 (1996).
This article does not require the posting of warnings concerning the presence of ungroomed snow or require that ski trails be closed because of ungroomed snow. Pinson v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 196 W. Va. 436, 473 S.E.2d 151, 1996 W. Va. LEXIS 64 (1996).
Purpose of act.
The purpose of the West Virginia Skiing Responsibility Act is to eliminate or curtail the exposure of ski area operators to liability for the inherent risks of skiing. Hardin v. Ski Venture, Inc., 848 F. Supp. 58, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4233 (N.D.W. Va. 1994).
Skiing is hazardous.
Trial court properly granted summary judgment to the 12-year-old skier’s parents on the injured party’s claim that they were liable for injuries she sustained when the 12-year-old ran into her on the beginner’s slopes at a West Virginia ski resort; not only did the injured party not present a sufficient forecast of evidence to overcome the rebuttable presumption that the 12-year-old skier was incapable of negligence, but her claims that he could have done several things to avoid the collision was at odds with West Virginia law that recognized skiing was a recreational sport that was hazardous to skiers regardless of all feasible safety measures which could be taken. Frank v. Funkhouser, 2005 N.C. App. LEXIS 515, 169 N.C. App. 108, 609 S.E.2d 788 (Mar 15, 2005).
Quoted in
Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991).
§ 20-3A-6. Liability of ski area operators.
Any ski area operator shall be liable for injury, loss or damage cause by failure to follow the duties set forth in section three [§ 20-3A-3] of this article where the violation of duty is causally related to the injury, loss or damage suffered. A ski area operator shall not be liable for any injury, loss or damage caused by the negligence of any person who is not an agent or employee of such operator, nor shall a ski area operator be liable for any injury, loss or damage cause by any object dropped, thrown or expelled by a passenger from an aerial passenger tramway. Every ski area operator shall carry public liability insurance in limits of no less than one hundred thousand dollars per person, three hundred thousand dollars per occurrence and ten thousand dollars for property damage.
HISTORY: 1984, c. 163.
NOTES:
Quoted in
Lewis v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 185 W. Va. 684, 408 S.E.2d 634, 1991 W. Va. LEXIS 126 (1991); Pinson v. Canaan Valley Resorts, Inc., 196 W. Va. 436, 473 S.E.2d 151, 1996 W. Va. LEXIS 64 (1996).
Cited in
Whitlow v. Board of Educ., 190 W. Va. 223, 438 S.E.2d 15, 1993 W. Va. LEXIS 169 (1993).
HIERARCHY NOTES:
Ch. 20 Note
Ch. 20, Art. 3A Note
§ 20-3A-8. Liability of skiers.
Any skier shall be liable for injury, loss or damage resulting from violations of the duties set forth in section five [§ 20-3A-5].
HISTORY: 1984, c. 163.
NOTES: A.L.R. references.
Skier’s liability for injuries to or death of another person, 75 A.L.R.5th 583.
Purpose of act.
The purpose of the West Virginia Skiing Responsibility Act is to eliminate or curtail the exposure of ski area operators to liability for the inherent risks of skiing. Hardin v. Ski Venture, Inc., 848 F. Supp. 58, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4233 (N.D.W. Va. 1994).
HIERARCHY NOTES:
Ch. 20 Note
Ch. 20, Art. 3A Note
§ 20-3A-9. Competition.
(a) The ski area operator shall, prior to use of any portion of the area made available by the ski area operator, allow each competitor the opportunity to conduct a reasonable visual inspection of the ski slopes and trails or freestyle terrain used in the competition.
(b) The competitor shall be held to assume the risk of all ski slopes and trails or freestyle terrain conditions including, but not limited to, weather and snow conditions; obstacles, course or feature location, construction or layout, freestyle terrain configuration and conditions; and other courses, layouts, or configurations of the area to be used. No liability shall attach to a ski area operator for injury or death to any competitor caused by course, venue, or area conditions that a visual inspection should have revealed or by collisions with other competitors.
HISTORY: 2006, c. 204.
NOTES: Effective dates.
Acts 2006, c. 204, provided that the act take effect June 8, 2006.
HIERARCHY NOTES:
Ch. 20 Note
Ch. 20, Art. 3A Note
There is no duty on the part of the ski patrol to play cop on the slopes
Posted: October 7, 2013 Filed under: Ski Area, Skier v. Skier, Skiing / Snow Boarding, Vermont | Tags: Collision, duty, Killington, Killington Ltd., Mary Ryan O'Connell, Ski Patrol, skier collision, skier v. skier, Vermont Leave a commentSkiers and Boarders who do not voluntarily provide their ID to the ski area cannot be “caught” by the patrol and there is no liability on the resort for not doing so.
O’Connell v. Killington, Ltd., 164 Vt. 73; 665 A.2d 39; 1995 Vt. LEXIS 74
Plaintiff: Mary Ryan O’Connell
Defendant: Killington, Ltd.
Plaintiff Claims: (1) failed to warn of the icy conditions on the trail, (2) failed to close the trail because of its dangerous condition and (3) failed to obtain the identity of the skier who had collided with plaintiff. Defendant denied those allegations and alleged that plaintiff’s injuries were the consequence of her assumption of the inherent risks of skiing.
Defendant Defenses: No Duty
Holding: for the defendant
In this case the plaintiff was stopped on the slope of the defendant ski area. While standing she was struck by another skier. The ski patrol arrived on scene along with the plaintiff’s sister. The plaintiff asked the ski patrol to get the name of the skier that hit her. The plaintiff’s sister spoke to the skier that collided with the plaintiff and asked him to go to the patrol station and identify himself.
The skier never did.
The plaintiff sued the ski area alleging the ski area:
(1) failed to warn of the icy conditions on the trail,
(2) failed to close the trail because of its dangerous condition and
(3) failed to obtain the identity of the skier who had collided with plaintiff.
The basis for the failure to obtain the identity of the skier claim was based upon the defendant’s employee manual.
In its instructions to the jury on the failure-to-identify count, the court stated that the jury could find that defendant had assumed the duty to identify skiers involved in accidents based on its employee manual. This manual instructed defendant’s employees to investigate thoroughly all accidents and to obtain the identity of everyone involved. The court instructed the jury that, to decide defendant’s negligence on this count, it need determine only whether defendant had an opportunity to identify the other skier involved in the accident.
At the end of the trial the judge submitted the failure to warn and failure to identify claims to the jury.
The jury found for the plaintiff on both claims and awarded damages of $71,108.69.
The defendant appealed based on the following issues.
(1) whether defendant had a duty to plaintiff to obtain the identity of the other skier who collided with her;
(2) whether plaintiff’s failure-to-identify claim is precluded by the jury’s finding that the accident and injury were a result of one or more inherent risks in the sport of skiing; and
(3) whether certain instructions to the jury were proper.
Summary of the case
After the accident and before the appeal the Vermont Legislature passed a statute stating that a ski area was not legally responsible for obtaining the name of any person involved in an accident.
12 V.S.A. § 1038(b), effective June 21, 1994, provides, in part:
(b) Collision at a ski area.
(1) Any person who is involved in a collision with a skier at a ski area which results in bodily injury to any party to the collision has a duty to provide his or her name and local and permanent address to the other parties to the collision and shall proceed to the ski area first aid facility and provide that information to the ski area first aid personnel.
(2) No ski area, its employees or agents shall be held responsible for ensuring compliance with these duties by any person, nor shall it be liable in any way for a failure to obtain such person’s name or address.
Because the statute was passed after the incident in this case, it did not apply to this case.
The Court looked at whether there was a common law (prior to statute) duty to on the ski area to do more than ask for the information. To do that the court reviewed how a duty is created in Vermont. “The imposition of a duty is “‘an expression of the sum total of those considerations of policy which lead the law to say that the plaintiff is entitled to protection.”
These factors may include the degree of certainty that plaintiff suffered injury, the closeness of the connection between defendant’s conduct and plaintiff’s injury, the moral blame attached to defendant’s conduct, the policy of preventing future harm, the burden to the defendant, the con-sequences to the community of finding a duty, and the availability and cost of insurance.
The court analysis separated the separated physical harm, an injury, from economic harm, failure to find someone who may owe another money.
Thus, a possessor of land open to the general public has a duty to aid and protect a member of the public coming on the land against unreasonable risk of “physical harm” only. Physical harm does not include economic loss.
The court concluded: “Our review of the decisions from other jurisdictions indicates that, absent a special relationship or undertaking, there is no duty to protect another’s litigation interest.”
The court then looked at the duties of the ski patrol, which do not include the power to detain or apprehend. “Moreover, even if the ski area had a duty to identify, it would have only a limited ability to enforce that duty against an uncooperative skier.”
The main concern of defendant’s ski patrol employees is and should be to give emergency medical assistance, remove the injured skier safely from the mountainside, and obtain necessary medical care. We are reluctant to dilute these critical, emergency duties with a responsibility to pursue and identify another skier.
The plaintiff argued that the statements in the employee manual that establish procedures on how to deal with ski accident create a duty.
These procedures include completing an accident reporting form, obtaining names and addresses of witnesses to the accident, obtaining witness statements and recording observations at the accident scene. Plaintiff argues that these provisions amount to the voluntary assumption of a duty to investigate accidents, particularly skier collisions.
However the court did not agree with this argument.
…we do not believe that the manual provisions show the assumption of this responsibility. The manual makes clear that the investigatory responsibilities placed on employees are for the protection of defendant with respect to suits against it.
So Now What?
Ski Patrollers are the most over worked and underpaid (or volunteer) people on the slope. The last thing you want is to do is to turn the patrol from care givers to cops.
Make sure that no one interprets anything you have or do as an obligation or duty. No employee should be identified, unless they have a badge, to identify people on the slopes causing harm. Your marketing material should explain the law, but make sure you do not imply you can or will do anything else. Make sure your employee manuals and training do nothing more than explain the law. You can ask for identification. You can remove lift tickets and season passes. You cannot do anything more than take back your property. If you feel the need to do more, than call for lawful assistance.
No one on the slopes has the authority to detain, apprehend or arrest another person, unless they have a badge.
Don’t turn the people on the slope who are loved by all, ski patrollers, into people on the slope skiers and boarders should be wary of.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
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