Jim Chalat, a Colorado attorney with over 30 years experience whose practice focuses on personal injury, and particularly ski accident law, recently sat down with us and provided answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about ski accident law.

Question: Is the language on a ski lift ticket enforceable?

Answer: It's totally irrelevant, purely self-serving and generally has no effect whatsoever. The daily lift pass is different from a season pass in which you sign a waiver. Season pass waivers may be enforceable. For that reason, I never buy a season pass - no matter how cheap it is.

Question: How do weather conditions affect liability?

Answer: People need to be prepared for that weather. People need to be prepared with adequate clothing to meet the weather conditions which are forecast.

Question: What advice would you give skiers or snowboarders on avoiding injuries?

Answer: First, wear a helmet. Helmets reduce the risk of injury and save lives - particularly for children. Second, arrive in good physical condition. Third, make sure that your equipment is up to date, well maintained and properly adjusted. One of the detriments of shaped skis and the advances of skiing technology is that people feel as though they're able to ski faster without much training. Inexperienced skiers traveling at high speed do not have the skills to avoid collision, recover from near falls or save themselves from injury.

Question: How are ski accident attorneys compensated?

Answer: Typically, clients hire us on a contingent basis. The contingent fee is the ordinary person's key to the courthouse. Experience, dedication to our clients, skill in the courtroom and a track record of seven figure settlements and verdicts sets our firm apart from the rest. We provide a free initial consultation with an experienced attorney - not a paralegal - to answer questions and discuss legal options.

If you've been injured in a skiing or snowboarding accident, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer whose practice focuses in this area of the law to discuss your situation, evaluate your options and find out more about potential damages. Consultations are free, without obligation and are strictly confidential.