December 22, 2011—The investigation continues into the death of a 7-year-old boy at a Tahoe ski life.  John Henderson, a member of the resort’s ski team, fell 52 feet from the ski lift at Sugar Bowl, succumbing to his injuries on Tuesday.

Henderson suffered head trauma from the fall, the cause of which has yet to be determined.  Members of the Sugar Bowl Ski Patrol are in the process of interviewing witnesses and examining evidence to try to reconstruct the causes of the ski accident.  Henderson was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.  The boy was known to be an expert skier and was a member of the Sugar Bowl Ski Team.

I want to offer my sincere condolences to the child’s family and fellow team members as they struggle to cope with this terrible tragedy.

Ski Accident Statistics

The National Ski Areas Association estimates that 40 fatalities occur each year in relation to skiing.  Most of these accident involve skiers who strike trees or other objects while skiing at high rates of speed, although some accidents, such as this one, involve ski lifts.  Because ski lifts travel so far above the ground, any falls can be dangerous or even fatal.  Safety equipment is required on ski lifts, and should be inspected regularly to ensure continued safety.

What Caused This Accident

The causes of this accident have not yet become clear.  The child was wearing protective headgear and was an experienced skier, so it is unlikely that he fell from the ski lift from fear or inexperience.  It is possible that some of the equipment, such as the safety bar, was defective, but further inquiry will be needed to establish the exact cause of the accident.

A qualified personal injury attorney should investigate the reports which arise from this accident to determine liability issues.  A professional personal injury lawyer will always assess various possibilities for liability before making a recommendation as to how to pursue a lawsuit.

Liability Issues

The liability in this case may be difficult to determine, as witness statements will be crucial in determining what happened on the ski lift.  However, if the lift equipment was defective, it is clear that the company and the ski resort may be liable to some degree.

Human behavior may also play a role in this accident, so it will be important to determine exactly what was happening at the time of the accident between the victim and any other people present.  Any horseplay or dangerous behavior could also be grounds for liability.