A 41-year-old man named Joel V. was killed after a snowboarding incident in Wrightwood, San Bernardino County, on Wednesday morning, February 7, 2024.

According to the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, the fatal incident occurred around 10:45 a.m. at Mountain High Resort.

Reports indicate that the 41-year-old snowboarder lost control and went airborne before slamming into the base of a chairlift tower.

The victim lost consciousness and was immediately transported to the bottom of the slope, where he was given life-saving measures. Joel V. was declared dead at about 11:39 a.m.

Family members of the victim claim that the bases of some chairlift towers have inadequate protective padding.

The authorities have not released further information about the cause of the fatal collision.

Award-winning Premises Liability Injury Attorneys in San Bernardino County

If you or a loved one suffered injuries or was wrongfully killed on someone else’s property, you must obtain legal advice from a premises liability law firm.

Our team of experienced premises liability attorneys led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., boasts extensive expertise in handling cases involving injury victims harmed on others’ properties. We will guide you in securing compensation for your premises liability claim.

You can rely on our award-winning San Bernardino County premises liability injury attorneys at Arash Law to protect your rights and effectively represent you in court proceedings, if necessary. Our firm has recovered more than $500 Million for California clients.

If you want to speak with one of our lawyers, please call (888) 488-1391 or fill out the “Do I Have a Case?” form.

What To Do After a Premises Liability Accident

If you are harmed on another party’s property, it’s important that you take action as soon as possible to preserve your right to compensation. Steps to take include:

• Notify the property owner. You must notify the property owner of your accident and your injuries as soon as possible in order to initiate the claims process. You should file a written report with the property owner, manager, supervisor, etc., and ask for a copy of this report.
• Gather evidence. If you are able to do so at the time that your injury occurs, gather any relevant evidence at the scene. This includes pictures of the dangerous condition, names of any eyewitnesses, and a description of what you were doing when the accident occurred. The more evidence that you have, the easier your case will be to prove.
• Get medical care. If you fail to seek medical care immediately after your accident, you may have a hard time proving that any injuries you’ve suffered—and for which you are demanding compensation—are related to the accident on another’s property. Getting medical treatment not only improves your chances of a better recovery but it will also be useful as invaluable evidence in a premises liability claim.
• Contact a lawyer. Do not assume that just because you got medical care and filed an accident report, the property owner will go ahead and offer you compensation for your injuries; property owners and their insurers are not eager to pay out settlements unless they are forced to. Working with a premises liability attorney can improve your chances of recovering the settlement amount that you deserve. As soon as you call Arash Law and the team led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq., we will begin building your claim, working with interested parties, calculating your damages, and negotiating your settlement.

I HAD AN ACCIDENT

Fatal Premises Liability Accident Statistics

Premises liability claims hold property owners responsible for inadequate maintenance. According to the National Ski Areas Association, the number of ski accidents in the season of 2022–2023 is higher than the 10-year averages recorded from 2013–2023.

Within the United States, 46 deaths and 53 catastrophic injuries occurred in ski areas in 2021. The primary cause of skiers’ and snowboarders’ deaths and injuries is object collisions, particularly with trees, as well as the snow surface itself.

NSSA also reported that victims of catastrophic injuries are in the 16–20 age group, while most fatalities are in the 51–60 age group.