Alberta Ski Resort Injury Lawyer

Calgary Lawyer Explains Liability for Skiing and Snowboarding Accidents

Video Transcript:

Steve Grover: 

Skiing and snowboarding accidents unfortunately do happen in this kind of area of the country, given the location of the ski hills, and how many people go out and ski.

Molly Hendrickson: 

Can you receive compensation, if you're injured at a ski resort? We're gonna talk to lawyer Steve Grover about that on today's Ask The Lawyer. Steve, nice to see you. Thanks for joining us.

Steve Grover: 

Hi, Molly. Nice to see you. Happy New Year. Hopefully everything's going well in 2023 for you.

Molly Hendrickson: 

And right back at ya. First off, can you tell us about your experience assisting people who have been seriously hurt by skiing or snowboarding accidents?

Steve Grover: 

Yeah, obviously, living in Calgary, Alberta, we're about an hour away west of probably the most gorgeous part of North America in my opinion. And there's Banff, and there's The Big 3 Ski hills in that region of area called Banff. There's Mount Norquay, there's Sunshine Village, and then there's Lake Louise. Growing up here in Calgary, not only was I a motorcyclist, but I was an avid skier, and then when snowboarding became popular, I got into snowboarding. Obviously, the painting behind me, we have the Three Sisters Mountain from Canmore. So skiing and snowboarding accidents unfortunately do happen in this kind of area of the country, given the location of the ski hills and how many people go out and ski.

Molly Hendrickson: 

Can you talk a little bit about some of the main ways you've seen people hurt on the slopes in preventable accidents?

Steve Grover: 

Yeah, I mean, sometimes, back in the '80s and '90s when they used to have T-bar lifts, there's a lot of T-bar accidents. Those are product liability claims. I've seen some accidents where ski-lift chairs have collapsed, and people have fallen from the sky down to onto the ski hill. Unfortunately, sometimes there's erratic skiers that are having fun, and they hit an innocent party, and unfortunately, accidents happen, like anything in life. In Banff and in the Kananaskis area, also near Calgary, there's a couple ski hills. Unfortunately, when you get a number of people together on a high-impact speeding sporting event that's very enjoyable, unfortunately, accidents do happen and people do get injured.

Molly Hendrickson: 

So in Alberta, do ski resort operators have a responsibility to their customers to ensure their safety?

Steve Grover: 

Yeah, I mean, any of the ski resorts out here, obviously they're running a business. There is a responsibility on the Occupiers Liability Act to make sure that the ski-lift chairs are running properly, the runs are properly groomed. Also, there could be accidents that happen in ski lodge, one of the stairwells is broken going into ski lodge, and someone falls down and injuries himself or herself, there obviously could be injuries arising to liability for the ski resorts.

Molly Hendrickson: 

So if a person is hurt at a ski resort in Alberta, but they're from another part of Canada, where should the case be brought?

Steve Grover: 

Well, first of all, living in Calgary and knowing that this is probably the best ski area in the world, I recommend everyone come to Alberta to ski in Banff. And unfortunately, if you are injured in a ski or snowboard accident in Alberta, our office can gladly represent that person, even if they're from Ontario or Florida. Obviously, if they're injured in Banff or another ski resort in Alberta, the jurisdiction to sue would be in the province of Alberta. We do have a lot of out-of-province and out-of-country people we represent. So anyone can gladly reach out to our office, and we can help them in the lawsuit here in Alberta.

Molly Hendrickson: 

So, Steve, what advice do you have for skiers, especially experienced ones?

Steve Grover: 

Well, generally, skiing is such a great sporting activity. It's a hobby. I grew up on skis since I was five years old. I used to go every weekend out to Banff and ski Saturdays and Sundays. But experienced skiers, just be aware of what you're doing. Be aware that there are beginner snowboarders or skiers out there. You just can't go crazy and tuck all the way down the hill and then hits somebody. But my advice is go out and have a fun time. It's a great sport to enjoy. It's a family sport that everyone can go out and enjoy. It's outdoors. You've got beautiful scenery, especially in and around the Rocky Mountains here near Calgary. But just be aware of what you're doing. Just ski responsibly. And the other thing is don't ski and drink. If you go into the lodge and you want a beer, don't have three or four beers, because you have to be cognizant of what you're doing, especially skiing or snowboarding.

Molly Hendrickson: 

Alright, Steve, you've teased us with the skiing and snowboarding there, so now we're just waiting on our invite.

Steve Grover: 

Okay, thanks. Well, anytime you're up in Banff, let us know and we'll gladly show you the ski resorts up here in Banff, and you'll have a great time up here.

Molly Hendrickson: 

Alright. Thanks for joining us. It's nice to see ya. That's gonna do it for this episode of Ask The Lawyer. My guest has been Steve Grover. If you wanna ask him about your situation, call the number on the screen. Thanks for watching. I'm Molly Hendrickson for Ask The Lawyers.

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