Driving a snowmobile in the snowy mountains of Colorado is one of the most popular winter activities for many people, including entire families. However, these motorized sleighs can reach significant speeds and, when the operator loses control or is hit by another vehicle, there can be serious consequences. Being hit or trapped in a 450-pound snowmobile can cause severe injuries that may have lifelong consequences. If you were involved in a snowmobile crash and you believe someone's negligence caused your injuries, you should contact a personal injury attorney at Firouzbakht Law Firm to analyze your case and explain your legal options to you.
It is important to understand that not all snowmobile accidents entitle you to file a personal injury claim. In some cases, no person is actually responsible for your accident. In others, you may have caused it due to inexperience or careless driving. However, you have the right to know whether you have a case and you may recover your medical bills and other economic and non-economic damages.
Snowmobiles may appear simple devices, easy to operate by anyone. In reality, the law bars children under the age of 10 to drive a snowmobile. Also, drivers are required not to exceed 20 mph (more on the legal provisions for using snowmobiles later in this article). These two legal requirements indicate that lawmakers know that snowmobiles can be dangerous, leading to injuries that cause severe or catastrophic injuries.
Here are just a few of the potential dangers of driving a snowmobile:
Looking at the statistical data collected by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are not just theoretical dangers, but very real ones. Thus, between 2017 and 2018, 16 people lost their lives in a deadly snowmobile accident in Colorado.. As for injuries, most of these were caused to:
Thus, an injured party may walk away from a snowmobile crash with a broken arm, but may also suffer severe crush injuries, spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injury.
The Colorado Revised Statutes section 33-14-120 thru 33-14-118 set various regulations for persons who own and operate snowmobiles. The most important legal stipulations are:
Also, snowmobile operators and owners are obliged to report any accident that caused:
Why do snowmobile collisions happen? As we hinted above, some accidents are caused by inexperienced drivers or reckless driving. However, there are many other contributing factors, and they determine whether a person or a business is liable for your injuries.
Thus, the most common causes of a snowmobile crash in Colorado are:
Depending on the ultimate cause of your accident, an experienced personal injury lawyer will identify the correct parties against whom you may file a personal injury lawsuit.
In the aftermath of a snowmobile accident, you are in pain and confused. You don't know how severely injured you are and what to do next. Your first priority, of course, is to look after your health and that of other injured persons (if any). Here are the most important things you should do, in order:
You should call 9-1-1 and ask for an ambulance. It is a good idea to have precise geolocation services turned on your cell phone, allowing first responders to locate you quickly. If the EMTs recommend you to go to hospital, accept the ambulance ride. You will need the medical report as proof that you were injured in the snowmobile crash, and not at a later date, in an unrelated incident.
As we explained above, you are required by law to report a snowmobile collision that resulted in significant property damage, bodily injury or death. You can notify one of the following law enforcement authorities:
Although the authorities may send a team to investigate your accident (especially where a wrongful death or severe bodily injury occurred), you should also collect your own evidence. Personal injury attorneys rely a lot on photos, videos and notes taken by their client at the crash scene, while their memory is still fresh.
As time goes by and you undergo various treatments (sometimes at medical providers in a different city or even state), your memories of the accident will fade, being replaced by the constant worry of getting better.
Unfortunately, no insurance company includes snowmobiles in driver's liability insurance or homeowners' insurance. The snowmobile owner should purchase separate insurance coverage, however it is not mandatory in the state of Colorado.
It does not mean that you may not recover some of your damages if the other party is not insured. You may file a personal injury lawsuit at a later date. Also, if the cause of the accident is a malfunctioning snowmobile, there are two possibilities:
Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. Thus, you should not worry about the upfront fees you may have to pay. An experienced lawyer will usually know from the initial consultation whether you have a case. In many situations, you are eligible to seek compensation, and the lawyer will present to you all the legal options you have.
However, you must be completely truthful and leave out no fact or circumstance related to the accident. If you sue a person or business, their lawyer will also investigate the case, and these elements will come to light and will be used against you.
At Firouzbakht Law Firm we fight aggressively on behalf of our clients. We have the law on our side and we seek the maximum compensation you are entitled to receive. We believe that any person or business should be held accountable for their negligence and compensate their accident victims.
We encourage you to contact us as soon as possible after a snowmobile accident and schedule a free case review: (720) 547-2211!
