Former Stevens Pass, WA, Employee Files Lawsuit Against Vail Resorts Following Catastrophic Ski Lift Fall A former Stevens Pass, WA, employee has filed a lawsuit against parent company Vail Resorts after she fell off a chairlift in 2022. The Herald Net reports that Miroslava “Mirka” Lewis fell approximately 30 feet from a ski lift and collided with a tree, resulting in severe injuries. According to the complaint, Lewis endured devastating injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, collapsed […] SnowBrains | June 8, 2023 0 Comments
Family of Man Asphyxiated on Vail, CO, Chairlift Reaches Rare Settlement in Wrongful Death Lawsuit The family of a man who died on a Vail Mountain, CO, chairlift in February 2020 has settled its lawsuit with Vail Resorts. Jason Varnish, 46, of New Jersey, died of positional asphyxia when his clothing got caught and entangled on the chairlift on 13th February 2020. He could not breathe due to his coat and tight clothing around his […] Industry News SnowBrains | March 27, 2023 0 Comments
Gwyneth Paltrow to Stand Trial This Week for Alleged Hit and Run Incident at Deer Valley Resort, UT Hollywood A-Lister Gwyneth Paltrow will stand trial in Park City, UT, on Tuesday over an alleged hit and run ski accident at Deer Valley Resort, UT, in 2016 that left a man with life-changing injuries. In the 2019 lawsuit, retired optometrist Terry Sanderson alleges that on Feb. 26, 2016, Oscar-winning actress Paltrow was skiing “out of control” and that she hit […] Industry News SnowBrains | March 20, 2023 1 Comment
Alterra Mountain Co. Ordered to Pay $18 Million to Ikon Pass Holders for Closing Resorts Due to COVID The pandemic cut the ski season short in March 2020. You were there—you remember. Parent company of the Ikon Pass, Alterra Mountain Company, shut down its mountains across the nation as state-mandated lockdowns became the new norm. However, Ikon Pass holders were unhappy and, in April 2020, filed a case to recoup the cost of the lost days skiing. In […] Industry News SnowBrains | February 14, 2023 3 Comments
Vail Resorts Ordered to Pay $2.25 Million to Woman for Injuries Sustained at Employee Party A former Park City, UT, resident has been awarded $2.25 million from Vail Resorts after suffering injuries during a Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) employee social party, reports KPCW. The amount was $1 million more than the woman was seeking. Related: Mother Files Lawsuit Against New York Resort After Teen Son Dies in Skiing Accident Amy Herzog was an employee at […] SnowBrains | November 21, 2022 0 Comments
Mother Files Lawsuit Against New York Resort After Teen Son Dies in Skiing Accident The mother of a Syracuse, NY, teen, who died following a February 2022 incident at Bristol Mountain in Western New York, is suing the ski resort. According to Syracuse.com, Lisa Cuomo, of Manlius, filed court papers that her 15-year-old son Christain was killed after accessing a dangerous Olympic-sized ski jump. In the complaint filed in the state Supreme Court in […] Industry News Nick DeRiso | October 4, 2022 2 Comments
Family of 9-Year-Old Boy Who Died at Mt. Bachelor, OR, is Suing the Resort The family of a 9-year-old boy who died in a skiing accident in January 2021 is filing a lawsuit against Mt. Bachelor, OR. Brecken Boice, from Tacoma, was near the summit of the mountain when he crashed around 2 pm. Ski patrol responded to the injury and took him to Mt. Bachelors First Aid Clinic, where further lifesaving care was given. […] Industry News SnowBrains | August 4, 2022 4 Comments
Man Sues Bass Pro Shops for $5 Million Over $12 Pair of Socks A Missouri man is suing Bass Pro Shops for $5 million for not honoring their lifetime guarantee on a pair of socks. The RedHead Lifetime Guarantee All-Purpose Wool Socks are the product in question. The Bass Pro Shops website currently states that the product has either been removed or is no longer for sale. The socks sold for $11.99. Another […] Industry News Brent Thomas | July 25, 2022 0 Comments
Mt. Hood Skibowl, OR, Bans Mountain Biking After Losing $11.4-Million Lawsuit to Man Paralyzed on Double-Black Diamond Run Mt. Hood Skibowl, OR, has announced that mountain bike operations will be suspended this summer after losing a lawsuit to a man paralyzed in an accident at the resort in 2016. “In light of a recent unprecedented plaintiff verdict in a mountain biking lawsuit against Mt. Hood Skibowl, we have made the difficult decision to suspend all mountain bike operations […] Biking CycleBrains | May 10, 2022 13 Comments
Alpine Meadows, CA, Settles 2 Lawsuits Following Inbounds Avalanche Death in 2020 Two lawsuits against Alpine Meadows ski area following the death of a skier in an inbounds avalanche in 2020 have been settled, the SF Chronicle reports. The slide occurred at 10:16 am on January 17th, 2020 in the area between Scott Chute and Promised Land near Scott Chair at Alpine Meadows within an open area of the resort. Alpine Meadows had reported […] AvyBrains | April 13, 2022 1 Comment
Family of Man Killed in Avalanche Pursue Legal Case Against Airbag Manufacturer The family of a Colorado man killed in an avalanche near Silverton, CO two years ago is dropping the lawsuit against the guide and school, and the search and rescue team. They will continue to pursue the case against the manufacturer of the airbag he was wearing at the time for wrongful death, reports Jason Blevins with the Colorado Sun. The […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 21, 2021 5 Comments
British Prince Sells $24-Million Swiss Ski-Chalet to Pay Off $9-Million Lawsuit Prince Andrew, the younger brother of Prince Charles and ninth in line to the British throne, is selling his $23.7 million ski resort chalet in Switzerland to settle a lawsuit accusing him of not paying the $9 million still owed. Related: British Prince Facing Legal Action For Unpaid $8.4-Million Swiss Ski Chalet Bill Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, bought the […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 28, 2021 0 Comments
First Lawsuit Against Austrian Government for Handling of Ischgl Ski Area Covid-19 Outbreak Begins Friday The first of potentially thousands of lawsuits against the Austrian government regarding the handling of the covid-19 outbreak at Ischgl ski resort in March 2020 will begin on Friday. The widow of Hannes Schopf, 72, an Austrian journalist who died with covid-19, is suing the Austrian government for €100,000 for responding too slowly to the threat of the virus, The […] Industry News SnowBrains | September 16, 2021 0 Comments
Do Waivers Grant Ski Areas Complete Immunity From All Lawsuits? It May Appear That Way in Colorado Do waivers grant ski areas complete immunity from all skier injury-related lawsuits—even the ones where it’s the ski area’s fault? It may appear that way in Colorado. The Colorado Supreme Court will not hear a case that questions the use of waivers at ski areas to protect themselves from lawsuits filed by injured skiers. According to The Colorado Sun, attorneys […] Industry News Martin Kuprianowicz | September 9, 2021 0 Comments
Colorado Supreme Court Denies Appeal in Lawsuit Against Vail Resorts for Inbounds Avalanche Death The family who lost their son to an inbounds avalanche at Vail Resort, CO, have been denied an appeal by the Colorado Supreme Court, the Colorado Sun reports. The decision ends their almost 10-year fight after losing the initial court case in 2018 and subsequent appeal to the Colorado Court of Appeals in 2020. Ingalls and Conlin filed their original […] Avalanche AvyBrains | August 19, 2021 0 Comments
Ski Helmet Maker Smith Files Lawsuit Against Competitor Anon In recent years ski helmets have seen a flurry of innovation that has helped prevent or decrease the severity of head injuries. One of the most notable advancements is introducing integrated rubber films that help spread out and dampen impacts to a rider’s head. Founded in 2010, one of the first companies to patent this technology, Koroyd, partners with various […] Industry News Lucas Gauthier | July 20, 2021 0 Comments
Lawsuit Against Alterra Mountain Co. Over Shortened Ski Season to Continue, Colorado District Court Judge Decides The pandemic cut ski season short in March of 2020. You were there—you remember. Parent company of the Ikon Pass, Alterra Mountain Company, shut down its mountains across the nation as state-mandated lockdowns became the new norm. Ikon Pass holders said they were owed a refund for not getting to ski the entire season. Alterra disagreed. So Ikon Pass holders […] Industry News SnowBrains | July 15, 2021 0 Comments
Man Launches $10-Million Lawsuit Claiming Forrest Fenn Kept His $2-Million Treasure to Himself A year ago, one lucky treasure hunter solved a decades-old riddle and discovered the whereabouts of the $2-million treasure chest buried by Forrest Fenn. However, Frenchman Bruno Raphoz is now suing Forrest Fenn’s estate for $10 million, claiming the treasure was moved AFTER after he solved the riddle that would lead him to the loot first, and that Fenn actually kept it […] SnowBrains | July 6, 2021 2 Comments
Judge Rules Skier Seriously Injured in Drunk Hit and Run Incident at Aspen, CO, Can Also Pursue Punitive Damages A judge ruled Wednesday that the victim of a ski hit-and-run incident can pursue punitive damages against the drunk skier accused of hitting him. The victim, who was skiing at Aspen Highlands, CO in 2020, managed to identify and locate the man who allegedly hit him by becoming an internet sleuth and trawling through Instagram images from the day of the […] Industry News SnowBrains | June 28, 2021 0 Comments
Man Fails to Sue Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY For Suffering ‘Catastrophic’ Leg Injuries After Hitting Tree Stump In January 2017, Thomas Standish and his fiancée, Meghan Keiter, were skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY. There had been 45″ of fresh snow in the four days leading up to their arrival. While skiing off-piste, in an unmaintained area, Standish collided with a six-and-a-half-foot tree stump covered with snow, causing ‘catastrophic’ injuries to his right leg. He suffered […] Industry News SnowBrains | May 25, 2021 2 Comments