What Are the Most Common Ski Lift Injuries?

Colorado ski resorts draw enormous crowds every winter. In the 2023/2024 season alone, Colorado ski areas logged nearly 14 million visitors, one of the highest totals on record. Recent years have seen an average of over 60 million skiers and snowboarders visiting resorts nationwide. Nearly all of those guests ride chairlifts, gondolas, or other passenger tramways.

Ski lifts are statistically very safe. An article from Summit Daily found that there are only an average of 14 fall-related ski lift injuries every year. This means that, since 2014, there have been 149 falls from chairlifts in Colorado’s ski country, with at least 55 involving children. In the 2023/2024 season, 18 serious chairlift injuries were reported at the High Country resorts in our state.

Falls are not the only risk posed by ski lifts. Mechanical failures, sudden stops, and improper securement can also cause injury. When these things happen, the consequences can be devastating.

Far more than ruining an idyllic ski day, ski lift injuries can result in excessive medical expenses, missed work, long recoveries, and a lifelong fear of engaging in winter sports. When you or someone you love suffers an injury at a ski resort, talking to an experienced lawyer can help you understand your rights and begin the process of securing the compensation you deserve.

Talk to a Colorado Ski Lift Injury Lawyer for FREE

If you or someone you love were hurt while loading, riding, or unloading on a ski lift, you may be entitled to compensation for hospital bills, lost wages, and more. Call Burg Simpson at 303-792-5595 to schedule a FREE consultation with one of our Colorado ski lift injury attorneys and let us help you understand your rights, your options, and how best to proceed with your claim.

The Most Common Ski Lift Injuries in Colorado

Data shows that mechanical failures are extremely rare. The vast majority of chairlift falls are tied to passenger behavior or loading/unloading issues rather than catastrophic equipment failure. However, when resorts fail to train lift attendants properly, ignore weather conditions, or allow unsafe loading practices, they may bear responsibility for any ski lift injuries that follow.

Some of the most common ski lift injuries, and their causes, include:

Falls from Heights

Falls from a moving or stopped chair are among the most serious ski lift incidents. These can happen when:

• A child or small adult slides out of a chair with or without the bar lowered
• A rider is not properly seated during loading
• The chair swings in high winds
• Riders horseplay, turn around, or otherwise behave unsafely

These falls often result in spinal cord injuries and vertebral fractures, traumatic brain injuries, pelvic, hip, and femur fractures, and internal organ damage.

Loading and Unloading Injuries

Ski lift injuries can occur at the loading ramp or in the unloading area. Common scenarios include:

• A rider being knocked down by an incoming chair
• Skis or boards getting tangled
• Children not being assisted properly
• Chairs moving too fast for beginners

These incidents can cause knee and leg injuries, shoulder dislocations and rotator cuff tears, wrist and arm fractures, and facial injury and dental trauma.

Stranding and Evacuation Injuries

Lift breakdowns do not always cause direct impact injuries, but they can still be dangerous. Riders may be stranded in freezing conditions while ski patrol works to restart the lift or perform rope evacuations. Recent high-profile evacuations in Colorado have involved dozens to hundreds of passengers at a time.

Potential injuries in these situations include:

• Frostbite and hypothermia
• Exacerbation of existing medical conditions
• Injuries during evacuation

Catastrophic Malfunction Injuries

While rare, mechanical failures of chairlifts and gondolas can be catastrophic. They often involve multiple serious injuries and, in some cases, death.

Catastrophic failures may lead to:

• Paralysis and life-altering spinal cord injuries
• Complex orthopedic injuries
• Multiple fatalities

What Are Some Long-Term Consequences of Ski Lift Injuries?

Some ski lift injuries might heal with little to no complications. Others, however, can have a profound impact on your physical, emotional, and financial health.

The physical consequences of a ski lift injury might include:

• Chronic pain
• Permanent mobility limitations
• Neurological issues

The emotional consequences of a ski lift injury might include:

• PTSD, depression, and anxiety
• Loss of enjoyment in life
• Fear of engaging in preferred activities

The financial consequences of ski lift injuries can create problems that exacerbate both physical and emotional struggles. These include:

• Emergency transport and hospital bills
• Surgery and inpatient rehabilitation
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Medications and medical equipment
• Adaptive home modifications
• Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity

A traumatic brain injury or serious spinal cord injury can easily result in hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in lifetime costs. When your injury is the result of someone else’s negligence, be that an individual or a large and powerful corporation like Vail Ski Resorts or Alterra Mountain Company, you have every right to hold those responsible for your harm to full account.

When to Call a Ski Lift Injury Attorney

Not every bruise in the loading corral requires legal action. However, you should consider speaking with a ski lift injury lawyer if:

• You fell from a chairlift or gondola.
• You were struck by a chair.
• A child in your family was injured.
• You were injured during a lift evacuation.
• You were stranded in dangerous conditions.
• You believe lift attendants were distracted, poorly trained, or ignored risks.
• You suspect the resort was cutting corners on maintenance or lift operations.
• Your injuries required emergency care, surgery, or time away from work.

There are certain laws in Colorado, including the Colorado Ski Safety Act and the Passenger Tramway Safety Practice Act, that clarify that the negligence of a ski area operator in the use or operation of ski lifts is not an ”inherent risk of skiing.” However, showing that your injury was related to operator or resort negligence is never an easy task. Having a ski lift injury attorney on your side helps to ensure liability is properly established, and your right to seek fair compensation is protected.

Why Choose Burg Simpson for Your Ski Lift Injury Claim?

Victims of ski lift injuries are often pitted against powerful ski resorts, their insurers, and a web of corporate entities and equipment manufacturers. Having a law firm that has the resources and experience to fight back is essential. With nearly 50 years of experience, Burg Simpson is that firm.

We offer:

• Knowledge of Colorado Ski Laws. Our lawyers understand Colorado ski laws and how they apply to injury claims.
• Proven Results. We have secured billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for victims of serious injury.
• A Trial-Ready Legal Team. Our award-winning lawyers and support staff are prepared to take your case as far as necessary in our pursuit of justice.
• Personal Attention. To us, you are not just another case, you are an individual deserving of respect, dignity, and fair and full compensation.

Your experience matters. Your life matters. This makes our goal simple. We are Good Lawyers. Changing Lives.®. We work to hold those responsible for your injury accountable while we fight to secure the compensation you deserve.

Contact a Colorado Ski Lift Injury Lawyer at Burg Simpson Today

If you or a loved one has suffered a ski lift injury anywhere in Colorado, we are here to help. We will investigate your claim, identify what went wrong, pinpoint who can be held liable, and fight for the recovery you need to move forward.

Use our online contact form or call our Denver office today to schedule your FREE and confidential case review. We represent victims of ski lift injuries from the Front Range, Rocky Mountains, Eastern Plains, and Western Slope. A national firm with several local offices, we also represent people from other states who were injured while visiting Colorado resorts and ski areas.