Colorado Accident Lawyers

Colorado offers joggers, hikers, skiers, snowboarders, and bicyclists a virtual wonderland of outdoor activities to enjoy the state’s untarnished beauty. Recent laws, however, remind us of “caveat emptor” or the “buyer beware” aspect of Colorado recreation.

Just because a person is on foot and enjoying the land does not absolve him or her of responsibility. A Colorado accident lawyer would point out that skier collisions, lift behavior, falls or accident on the slopes do not necessarily mean that the management or property owner is at fault. For the so-called Ski Act, passed during the 1990’s, skiers need to understand that an injury does not necessarily mean a lucrative settlement. One of the points to the law is that skiing is inherently dangerous; donning those skis means the person has accepted responsibility for any potential danger. Colorado laws have thus separated the ski resort owner from frivolous or devastating lawsuits. At the same time, they protect a major state livelihood.

Resort owners are not without responsibility, however. An accident lawyer, like a Colorado personal injury lawyer, could protect either side of the debate should a ski collision, lift accident, equipment malfunction, or ski school incident occur. The lawyer could never overlook the potential for design or manufacturing flaws either.

A challenge for the Colorado property owner is protecting himself when the public access to his land. Should the person be a trespasser then clearly the owner is not culpable. However, if the person is a hired contractor or a guest, then the owner must assume responsibility for his or her safety. For anything recreational, the same owner is protected by the Recreational Use statute which, much like the Ski Act, assumes that the visitor has assumed responsibility for his or her own safety.

Of all the landowners not subject to prosecution, it is the federal government which waives all responsibility for property or recreational hazards. No lawsuit may be waged against the American government unless it agrees that federal employees had been negligent.

In Colorado, the statute of limitations expires after two years; any lawsuit must be filed before that date.