Skiing accidents are a common occurrence in Connecticut, particularly at popular resorts like Mohawk Mountain, Ski Sundown, and Mount Southington. As the sport grows in popularity, so do the number of accidents involving skiers and snowboarders. While many incidents result from the inherent risks of skiing, such as collisions or falls, others may involve negligence by resort operators or fellow skiers, raising questions about liability and the bar to recovery in lawsuits.
In Connecticut, ski resorts typically benefit from a degree of legal protection due to the state’s assumption of risk doctrine. Skiers are generally considered to have voluntarily assumed the inherent risks of the sport when they choose to participate, including the possibility of collisions, falls, and equipment failure. This can make it difficult for injured parties to recover damages in lawsuits unless they can prove negligence or reckless conduct beyond these accepted risks. Most resorts have guests sign liability waivers which can add another obstacle to pursuing such a claim.
There is a bar to any recovery for any injury that is caused by a hazard that is inherent to the sport. For a claim to be viable, the cause of the injury needs to be outside the scope of what is “inherent” to the sport. See C.G.S. § 29-212.