Snowmobile Accident Liability in Illinois

 Posted on December 15, 2020 in Accident Liability

Illinois winters offer a variety of recreational opportunities including skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. While snowmobiles can be an exciting and fun mode of transportation, snowmobile accidents can cause serious injuries. If you or a loved one were harmed in a snowmobile accident, you may wonder who is legally responsible for the accident. Often, the question of liability in a snowmobile accident hinges upon negligence. If your snowmobile accident was caused by the negligent actions of another party, you may have a valid personal injury claim. You could be entitled to damages.

Snowmobile Injuries Caused by Negligence

Thousands of snowmobile accidents happen in the United States each winter. It is estimated that accidents involving snowmobiles result in 14,000 injuries and 200 deaths each year. Snowmobile accidents can lead to fractures, internal organ damage, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and other catastrophic injuries. These injuries may leave a snowmobile accident victim disabled or disfigured for the rest of his or her life. Many snowmobile accidents are preventable. Some snowmobile accidents are caused by snowmobile drivers who are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Other times, driver inexperience or inattention causes an accident. Snowmobile accidents may also be caused by poorly maintained trails or paths. Manufacturing defects within the vehicle itself may also be to blame for an accident.

Determining Who is Liable for a Snowmobile Accident

If another party’s negligent or illegal actions caused your accident, you may be entitled to damages. However, you and your attorney will need to prove that the party’s actions were negligent and that this negligence led to your injuries. The liable party may be the company that designed, manufactured, or sold the snowmobile. Liability may also fall to the owner of the snowmobile or the party who was in charge of keeping the vehicle maintained. Another snowmobile driver, a driver of another type of vehicle, or the owner of the property on which you were riding may also be liable for your accident. It is possible that you share liability for your own accident. Fortunately, Illinois is a modified comparative negligence state. This means that you may still be able to recover damages even if you share fault for the accident.

Contact a Waukegan Snowmobile Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in a snowmobile accident caused by negligence, you could be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, property damage, and more. Contact a Lake County snowmobile injury attorney at Salvi & Maher, L.L.C. to discuss your case. Call our office today at 847-662-3303 and schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12671482/#:~:text=Each%20year%20snowmobile%20accidents%20produce,the%20leading%20causes%20of%20accidents.&text=Similar%20to%20motor%20vehicle%20accidents,the%20leading%20cause%20of%20death.