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Learn about typical types of winter travel injuries and who may be liable.

Winter Vacation InjuriesThe holiday season typically involves a lot of travel, both to be with family and to enjoy a little “me” time on a relaxing vacation. Unfortunately, your vacation could be spoiled by an injury. But, you can limit the impact of the injury on your future by responding promptly with the help of a personal injury attorney who can help you get compensation.

Here are some examples of possible types of injuries you might encounter on your winter vacation.

Winter Slip and Fall Accidents

If you plan to travel away from sunny southern California, you may encounter unfamiliar winter weather. This is true even if you just head up into the nearby mountains. One common type of accident that can happen in winter conditions is a slip and fall or trip and fall accident. If you take a fall on the ice or on slippery snowmelt, you might have a case for compensation against the property owner. Property owners—such as stores, restaurants, and hotels—do have a duty of care to their patrons that entails keeping sidewalks and entryways reasonably safe.

Winter Sports Accidents

If you have been injured while skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling, the personal injury liability situation may be a bit murkier. Many adventure companies require you to sign a waiver before participating in a winter sport that clearly states they are not responsible if you hurt yourself. Additionally, adventure companies are not expected to guard against every possible hazard—especially when removing the hazard would ruin the fun of the sport or activity.

Hotel Accidents

When traveling, you may be spending a lot of time at hotels, where there can be ample opportunity for accident and injury. For example, the hotel might have failed to maintain railings or furniture in safe condition, they may have inadequate lighting or bumpy floors that contribute to tripping accidents, or they may have leaky plumbing that creates a slip and fall accident risk. In any case, it is important to notify the hotel promptly if you have suffered an injury on the premises. This ensures the injury gets documented and referred to their insurance company for initial settlement negotiations.

Cruise Ship Accidents

If you plan on taking a cruise this holiday season, you need to be aware of the fact that cruise ships are a whole different world when it comes to personal injury law. There are many restrictions involved, particularly regarding in what jurisdiction the claim may be brought and when the claim must be filed. In general, there is a 1 year statute of limitations on cruise ship injuries. However, many cruise lines put even stricter limitations in the fine print on their tickets, so that injured passengers actually have to notify the cruise line of their intent to sue in writing within 3 to 6 months of the accident.

Need Help?

If you do end up getting injured on vacation, do not neglect to consult an experienced personal injury attorney. Fernando D. Vargas is an expert in premises accident claims and he will be happy to review your case during a free initial meeting.