Colorado Chair Lift Injury Lawyers | SkiJustice | Ski Lift Injuries
Chairlifts are a necessary part of skiing, and riders depend on resorts to operate and maintain them safely. When a chairlift malfunctions, when loading or unloading procedures are unsafe, or when operators fail to follow required safety rules, injuries can happen quickly with little or no warning.
For many years, ski resort liability waivers prevented most claims involving lift injuries. That changed with the landmark Colorado Supreme Court decision Miller v. Crested Butte (2024). The Court ruled that resorts cannot use waivers to block claims involving violations of Colorado safety statutes such as the Skier Safety Act and the Passenger Tramway Act. This decision strengthened the rights of injured guests and allowed juries to hold resorts accountable when they violate mandatory safety laws. Ms. Miller ultimately prevailed at trial with a twenty million dollar verdict against Vail Resorts.
SkiJustice and its attorneys have long been leaders in chairlift injury litigation in Colorado. Joseph Bloch secured a punitive damages award against Vail Resorts in Aarons v. The Vail Corporation, Inc., which remains the only case in Colorado where a jury awarded punitive damages against the company. Trent Ongert also argued a chairlift injury case before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, where the justices described liability waivers as distasteful and urged Colorado lawmakers and the Supreme Court to reconsider the broad immunity that ski areas once enjoyed.
Chairlift injury cases involve detailed investigation, technical knowledge, and a deep understanding of Colorado’s ski safety laws. If you were injured while loading, unloading, or riding a chairlift, you need attorneys who know how to analyze lift operations, evaluate resort conduct, and challenge improper use of liability waivers.
If you’ve been injured on a chair lift due to the ski resort’s conduct, you need an attorney who understands the complexity and nuance of this area of the law, and who has a proven track record against the ski resorts. SkiJustice is here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced chairlift injury attorney who will review your claim and explain your legal options.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What did the Miller v. Crested Butte decision change for chairlift injury claims?
For many years, ski resort liability waivers prevented most chairlift injury claims. In Miller v. Crested Butte (2024), the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that resorts cannot use waivers to block claims involving violations of Colorado safety statutes, such as the Skier Safety Act and the Passenger Tramway Act. The decision strengthened the rights of injured guests and allows juries to hold resorts accountable when they violate mandatory safety laws.
2. What are the most common causes of chairlift injuries?
Chairlift injuries can happen quickly, with little or no warning. They often occur when a chairlift malfunctions, when loading or unloading procedures are unsafe, or when operators fail to follow required safety rules. Riders depend on resorts to operate and maintain lifts safely, so injuries that happen while loading, riding, or unloading may point to a failure by the resort to meet those responsibilities.
3. How much have juries awarded in Colorado chairlift injury cases?
According to SkiJustice, Ms. Miller prevailed at trial with a twenty-million-dollar verdict against Vail Resorts. In a separate case, Aarons v. The Vail Corporation, Inc., attorney Joseph Bloch secured a punitive damages award against Vail Resorts, which the firm says remains the only Colorado case in which a jury awarded punitive damages against the company. Results depend on the facts of each case.
4. Why choose a chairlift injury lawyer with Colorado courtroom experience?
SkiJustice attorneys have long been leaders in chairlift injury litigation in Colorado. Trent Ongert argued a chairlift injury case before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, where the justices described liability waivers as distasteful and urged Colorado lawmakers and the Supreme Court to reconsider the broad immunity that ski areas once enjoyed. That experience can help when a resort relies on a waiver to defend a claim.
5. What does a chairlift injury lawyer investigate?
Chairlift cases involve detailed investigation, technical knowledge, and a deep understanding of Colorado’s ski safety laws. An attorney can analyze lift operations, evaluate the resort’s conduct, and challenge the improper use of liability waivers. Whether you were hurt while loading, unloading, or riding, the goal is to determine whether the resort failed to follow required safety rules. SkiJustice can be reached at (970) 926-1700.
