Our Family Has Given A Voice To The Injured For Over 50 Combined Years
Winter sports are meant to be one of the best ways to experience the outdoors during the colder months. The adrenaline rush can be incredible. Yet, for many people, accidents happen. While anyone who gets on the back of a snowmobile may think they are taking on a risk, the reality is that there could be other parties responsible for their injuries and losses.
In New Jersey, you generally have two years from the date of a snowmobile accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This timeframe is established by the New Jersey statute of limitations for personal injury claims. If you were injured in a snowmobile accident, contact the New Jersey personal injury attorneys at Goldstein & Goldstein, LLP to discuss your case with an experienced snowmobile accident lawyer. Let us find out who caused your accident and injuries.
The Rise in Winter Sports Accidents
It is not uncommon to hear about wintertime accidents. Snowmobile accidents, though seemingly less common than car accidents, are still highly dangerous and life-changing incidents. A recent snowmobile accident that resulted in the death of a New Jersey policeman demonstrates injuries and fatalities can happen to anyone. Snowmobiling is a popular activity for plenty of reasons, but when those who provide snowmobiling opportunities fail to ensure safety, someone besides the driver could be negligent. With the guidance of a winter sports injury lawyer, you can learn more about what caused your accident.
Common Causes of Snowmobiling Injuries
Many factors can contribute to snowmobile accidents. Unlike a traditional car accident or even a rideshare accident, there is often less investigation by law enforcement to find out what really occurred. If you were injured in a snowmobile crash, seek a lawyer’s guidance to dig into what could have occurred in your case. Some of the most common causes of snowmobiling injuries include:
- Driver inexperience or recklessness: This remains a common cause of injuries, especially for new operators who do not recognize the risks they face.
- Alcohol or drug impairment: Operating a snowmobile under the influence is just as dangerous as operating any other vehicle under such circumstances. Impairment makes it harder for a victim to react to changing conditions.
- Equipment malfunction: Equipment used for snowmobiling, including the vehicle itself, could be faulty, break down, and cause serious injuries when accidents happen.
- Poor trail maintenance: While trails are often snow-covered, they should still be clearly marked to help operators avoid preventable high-risk situations. If the trail is particularly dangerous, warnings or even blockages are necessary to keep people safe.
- Collisions: Reckless engagement using a snowmobile may cause serious injury and even risk to the life of others who collide with the operator. Additionally, collisions with obstacles that are not properly marked could also cause serious injuries.
Types of Injuries
Snowmobiling injuries range widely depending on whether the operator is thrown from the vehicle, the overall rate of speed, and the conditions of the trails. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Fractures to the legs, arms, facial bones, skull, and other bones
- Crushing accidents, often resulting in serious injuries, including internal organ damage
- Head trauma, including skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries, some of which can result in partial or full paralysis
- Internal bleeding, often leading to life-threatening internal organ and blood vessel damage
Victims suffering these injuries have the right to pursue snowmobiling injury compensation if they can prove the other party is liable for their injuries.
Who May Be Liable in a Snowmobile Accident?
When you work with a snowmobile accident lawyer, we explore all areas of potential negligence. The objective is to fully understand all parties that could be responsible for your injuries by looking at the cause of the accident and the factors leading up to it. Some examples of who may be responsible include:
- Other riders: If another rider engages in negligent behavior that causes the accident, the rider could be responsible for your injuries and losses.
- Snowmobile rental companies: Companies that rent out faulty equipment or any equipment not fully explained could be responsible for injuries, including instances where they fail to provide proper training.
- Property owners: Property owners who allow others to operate on their land and fail to maintain the trails or provide warnings of risks could be held liable.
- Manufacturers: If defective components of the snowmobile or any other gear used on a trail fail due to a defective component, the manufacturer could be responsible.
These examples of potentially at-fault parties are often a good starting point for victims. However, when it comes to snowmobiling personal injury legal action, we strongly recommend that our legal team complete a full investigation. The goal is to fully understand all parties that could be held accountable.
Steps to Take After a Snowmobiling Accident
If you are hurt in a snowmobile accident, take the following steps to protect your rights to compensation:
- Seek medical care immediately! If you are on another person’s property, call the police to allow them to investigate the incident fully.
- If you do not call the police to the scene, report the incident to them later through an accident report. Filing a police report ensures that documentation starts and evidence is collected.
- Speak to witnesses. Get any information from witnesses possible, but most importantly, obtain their name and contact information.
- If it is safe to do so after the accident, take photos of the area and the accident.
- Do not speak to the insurance company until you speak to our legal team.
How Goldstein & Goldstein, LLP Can Help?
As an experienced personal injury law firm in New Jersey, our legal team is ready to fight for you. We have built a solid reputation for our clients with over 50 years of combined experience in personal injury law. We are compassionate to you and aggressive in providing advocacy in your case. As a family-run firm, we personalize the support we offer and treat you like one of our own. Contacting us is risk-free, and you pay no fees unless we win your case.
Winter’s End Does Not Stop Justice With the New Jersey Personal Injury Attorneys at Goldstein & Goldstein, LLP
Were you injured in a snowmobile accident? Act quickly after your accident to speak to a snowmobile accident lawyer. Let us begin working to preserve evidence, document your medical injuries, and file lawsuits within the required timeline. Contact our New Jersey personal injury attorneys at Goldstein & Goldstein, LLP now at 973-675-8277 or complete our online form to learn how we can help you during a free consultation. Located in East Orange, New Jersey, we proudly serve clients in the surrounding areas.
