Wear Your Helmet!

Michael Myers

Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 580

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Head injuries constitute only 5-15% of all injuries from ski and snowboard accidents, yet are the primary cause of serious disabling injuries and death. There are approximately 10 fatalities per year in Colorado from accidents on the ski slopes, and among the fatally injured that we have studied head injury was the cause of death in 87.5%; none were wearing helmets.

Wearing a helmet should be a no-brainer. It's easier to regulate temperature with a helmet than a hat. Helmets retain goggles during falls. Helmets also save lives and prevent traumatic brain injuries. Virtually all top skiers and snowboarders wear helmets. But, despite all of these compelling factors, less than 25 percent of recreational skiers and snowboarders use them.

Always stay at the scene of an accident until the ski patrol arrives. Make sure that the patrol takes down the names and addresses of all persons with knowledge about the accident. Ask the patrol to check the identification of the the at-fault skier or snowboarder. Homeowner's and renter's insurance policies will provide coverage for injuries sustained in collissions between skiers and snowboarders. If you are injured in a skiing accident, make sure to contact an experienced personal injury attorney.

There is simply no justification for not wearing a helmet. And there is no excuse for allowing children to ski or snowboard without them.

More information appears in the following article: Helmets Reduce Injury Rates