Maine Injury Lawyer Blog

A recent skiing accident on Sugarloaf Mountain killed a man as he headed to the hospital in the back of an ambulance, according to Bangor Daily News. The accident happened after the 41-year-old skier hit a tree at roughly 3:30 p.m. as he was making his way down the Lower Timberline Trail. He died just a few hours later.

Our Bangor ski accident attorneys understand that skiing is a recreational sport many residents take part in for fun. Unfortunately, there are many serious and fatal injuries sustained in the winter activity, many of them preventable. Take the accident that happened last December, for example. You may remember this incident, when high-speed winds contributed to an accident on a Maine ski chair lift that caused skiers to fall 30 feet after the double-chair lift's cable derailed. According to CBS News, eight skiers were injured and others were trapped for hours. Inspectors with the Maine Board of Elevator and Tramway Safety said that the lift was in fact up to safety code, but was in line to be replaced and was known to be vulnerable to strong winds.

Skiing and Snowboard Statistics from the National Ski Areas Association:

-Average number of fatalities a year over the last 10 years: 40.6

-In 2009/2010, there were 38 people who died.

-Twenty-five of the deaths were skiers and thirteen were snowboarders.

-There were more than 10 million skiers and snowboarders in 2008.

There are a few simple ways that skiers and snowboarders can help to reduce risks of injury or death while skiing. If you enjoy hitting the snowy, white hills, please review the following safety tips. Consider sharing them with friends and family members to help to increase their safety, too.

Skiing Safety Tips:

-Wear a helmet. It isn't mandated, but it is recommended by the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and the National Ski Patrol (NSP).

-Get your exercise. You'll have more fun and be safer on the slopes if you're in good physical shape. Exercise before you plan on hitting the hills.

-Make sure you have the proper ski equipment. Get your gear from a ski shop or a ski resort. It's extra important to make sure that your boots fir properly and that your bindings are properly adjusted.

-You're urged to wear a helmet.

-Be ready for the weather by wearing layers of clothing. Bring an extra pair or mittens or gloves, in case the first pair gets wet.

-If you're not a veteran skier, get some ski lessons from a professional before heading out.

-Wear ski goggles.

-If you feel tired, take a break.

-Be sure to eat and drink plenty. Skiing burns a lot of energy.

-Always ski with a buddy so you can look after each other.

-Know your limits. Never try a ski trail that's above your skill level.

-Always follow the rules of the slope and never go off trail. Trails are marked for a reason and trail closures are to help reduce the risks of injury.

-Remember that skiers who are in front of you, and below you, on the trail have the right-of-way.

Continue reading "Bangor Skiing Accident Leads to Death" »

As reported in the Portland Press Herald on December 28, 2010

CARRABASSETT VALLEY -- A chair lift derailed in high winds at Maine's tallest ski mountain Tuesday, sending screaming skiers plummeting as far as 30 feet to the slope below and injuring several of them.

The Sugarloaf resort in Carrabassett Valley, about 120 miles north of Portland, said about six people were injured when five chairs fell an estimated 25 to 30 feet. The resort's ski patrol evacuated the lift, which had passed an inspection.

None of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, the resort said. The injured were treated and taken to hospitals. About 220 people were on the lift at the time, and inspectors were headed to the scene.

Rebecca London, one of the skiers who tumbled to the snow, told The Associated Press that she had a soft landing because the mountain had not groomed the new-fallen snow underneath the lift. Her face hit the retaining bar, but her goggles spared her from serious injury, she said.

Most of the skiers who fell appeared to be stunned but OK, she said, and the ski patrol was on the scene within minutes to begin treating the injured. London said she wasn't hurt badly enough to go to a hospital.

Jay Marshall, hunkered down in a cold wind while on a lift next to the broken one, said that his lift was moving but that the broken one was not.

There was a "loud snapping noise" after the lift restarted, he said, then screams.

"The next thing I know, it was bouncing up and down like a yo-yo," he said. Some skiers tumbled from their chairs.

Gideon Hacker, a skier from Princeton, N.J., said he saw at least one person taken off the mountain in a gurney pulled by a snowmobile. He said Sugarloaf workers used a pulley device to lower skiers to safety.

Jill Gray, a spokeswoman for Franklin Memorial Hospital about in Farmington, about 45 miles from the mountain, said that one person was taken there and flown to Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Another person was being treated in Franklin's emergency room, she said, and the hospital expected to receive five more patients. She did not give details on the injuries.

At the time of the accident, high winds were buffeting Maine a day after a blizzard swept across the region.

The National Weather Service has no wind sensors near Sugarloaf, but a weather balloon launched in Gray, in southern Maine, showed winds of 40 mph at 1,000 feet Tuesday, a weather service meteorologist.

It's unclear whether the accident was wind-related or mechanical. The spillway chair lift was properly licensed and inspected, said Doug Dunbar of Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation.

Ski resort chair lifts fall under the jurisdiction of the department's Board of Elevator and Tramway Safety, and two inspectors were being sent to Sugarloaf, Dunbar said. The Maine Emergency Management Agency was sending a representative, as well, a spokeswoman said.

At 4,237 feet, Sugarloaf is Maine's second-highest mountain after Mount Katahdin.

Based on this report it appears that people were injured by a faulty chair lift, or a lift that was being operated in unsafe conditions. It is important that an investigation take place as soon as possible before potentially critical evidence is destroyed by time. For example, statements should be taken from all of the witnesses to the lift's collapse. An analysis will also be necessary of who was responsible for the maintenance and safety of the lift. The personal injury specialists at Peter Thompson & Associates have handled thousands of similar claims and recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. We specialize in providing excellent customer service and quick results. For more information, contact Peter Thompson & Associates at 1-800-917-1784 or read more on our website www.Peter-Thompson-Associates.com on our personal injury practice page.