Vancouver is known worldwide for being a bustling metropolis on the ocean, just a stone’s throw away from some of the best ski hills in the world.  This is one of the reasons Vancouver was chosen to host the 2010 Winter Olympics.  While there are dozens of individual mountains on the North Shore alone, the most well-known are: 

• Cypress Mountain
• Grouse Mountain
• Mount Seymour

And these are only the ski hills closest to Vancouver.  All in all, there are 38 different mountains in British Columbia with ski resorts which offer downhill or cross-country skiing, snowboarding, sledding and a variety of other winter sports activities for their patrons to enjoy. 

This has caused British Columbia to be a tourist destination from all over the world and especially, as those from Vancouver will know, a place for young Australians to come spend some time working on the mountains and experiencing snow.

However, winter sports activities aren’t always fun in the snow.  As the recent trial of Gwyneth Paltrow has gripped the attention of the media we are reminded that downhill skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports can result in serious injuries and sometimes even death.

How Dangerous Can Skiing or Snowboarding Be?

How dangerous can downhill skiing and snowboarding really be?  The answer is quite dangerous.  There are many ways to get injured on a ski hill and not all of them involve another skier.  You could be caught in an avalanche, take a wrong turn and go off a cliff or some other long fall, run into a tree or rock, fall into a tree well and get buried by snow, collide with other skiers or snowboarders, injure yourself getting on or off a chair lift, have a snowmobile accident, or get lost in the backcountry.  The list goes on and on.

Over the years people have grown more aware of the potential danger of downhill skiing and snowboarding in Vancouver, and while back in the 80s and 90s it would be a rare sight to see a skier or snowboarder wearing a helmet, nowadays the rare sight is to see someone on the mountain without a helmet on.  So how can you keep yourself safe on the ski hills?

Accidents On Vancouver’s Mountains

There are many common sense ways to ensure you remain safe on the slopes, the most obvious being don’t head out by yourself.  Always make sure you have a ski partner with you.  If you’re off on your own and something bad happens there will be no one to help you and no one to get help.

Another way to remain safe is to make sure you recognize your limits and stick to them.  If you are only just starting to ski or snowboard do not go straight for the black diamond runs.  Take your time and only do runs that meet your skill level.  If you’re sticking to the runs that you’re able to handle, wearing the appropriate gear and following the rules and using proper technique, you’ll be ahead of the game when it comes to staying safe on the slopes. 

Injuries While Snowboarding or Skiing When Someone Else is Negligent     

No matter how safe you are, sometimes accidents are unavoidable.  If you are the cause of the accident, then hopefully you have health and/or disability benefits you can rely on. 

If someone else caused the accident and you were injured, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, any out-of-pocket expenses and lost wages.  However, whether or not you can get compensation for injuries suffered on a ski hill due to the negligence of another really depends on how and by whom you were injured.  

If your injury was caused by the negligence of the Mountain and its employees, you might be out of luck.  Most, if not all, ski mountains have waivers and warning of risk signs posted prominently in and around the entry/ticketing area to the ski hills.  In fact, most ski passes have waivers written on them. 

These waivers and notice of risk signs can serve to protect a ski mountain and its employees and/or contractors from any and all liability.  This protection can extend not only to the inherent dangers of the sports themselves but to any negligent behaviour exhibited by a mountain or its employees and/or contractors, even gross negligence.  

Ski accidents in Vancouver

If an accident was caused by another skier or snowboarder, that’s a different matter altogether as there is no waiver with them and they are responsible for their actions. 

As to how to know if the other party is at fault in an accident, Ben Tarnow, a personal injury lawyer in Vancouver says, “While there is no legislation that governs ski hill accidents, the general rule is that the person ahead of you on the run has the right of way and it’s your responsibility to keep control of yourself and your equipment.  So if you or your equipment runs into someone or obstructs a trail and causes an injury, you would be liable for that injury”.

Most homeowners and renter’s insurance have umbrella policies that cover negligence and third-party claims.  These policies will respond to ski hill accidents but in order to access them you need to make sure you get the correct information about the person who caused the accident. 

While the mountain will usually have first aid/ski patrol take down the details of parties involved in a ski hill accident, it’s important you get the contact information of the person that caused the accident otherwise you may not be able to bring a claim.   

If you have been injured in a winter sports accident you should contact a lawyer that specializes in skiing & snowboarding accidents right away.

We hope you found this guide on accidents in Vancouver’s mountains useful.