Good safety information came out of the NSAA Fall Forum at Mt. Washington. Most important is Documentation. It could be years before a law suit gets to court. You will be asked to produce such seemingly unimportant information as:
- The wording on the back of the injured person’s ski ticket
- Trail report for that day
- Weather conditions
- Who opened the trail that day and what was done to it up to the time of the incident
- Names of all witnesses and contact information such as a copy of their drivers license.
- Pictures of trail signs and loading and unloading signs for the lift or lifts the injured may have taken.
- Remember a person has two years after reaching their 18th birthday to bring suit. Does your patrol keep records that go back 16 or more years? (for an injured 4 year old)
This is just a short list, talk with your risk manager about other things your insurance company might suggest. Remember if it isn’t written down and legible, it did not happen.
