Coeur d’Alene Snowmobile Accident Lawyer

Snowmobiling is a common sport that many enjoy in Idaho during the winter months. Unfortunately, accidents commonly occur, and many of them result in catastrophic if not deadly injuries. Snowmobiles go at high speeds and have few safety features to protect operators.

If another person’s reckless or careless conduct caused you harm, consider working with a Coeur d’Alene snowmobile accident lawyer at our firm. Our knowledgeable attorneys are familiar with these cases and could help you put together a comprehensive claim for damages.

Common Injuries After a Snowmobile Crash

It is not uncommon for one snowmobile to crash into another, causing injuries to all passengers. Injuries can also occur from snowmobiles overturning or colliding with stationary objects such as rocks or trees. Some of the more common injuries individuals suffer from snowmobile wrecks include:

• Whiplash, spinal cord damage, and paralysis
• Broken bones
• Amputations
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Soft tissue damage
• Crushing injuries
• Death

These injuries all could result in devastating personal and financial losses. Therefore, it is important to work with our compassionate Coeur d’Alene lawyers who take into consideration the long-term impact a snowmobile accident could have on your life.

Collecting Compensation After a Snowmobile Crash

Proving another person is responsible for your snowmobile wreck requires substantial evidence of fault and damages. Evidence may include accident reports, witness statements, and medical documents.

With help from a snowmobile crash attorney in Coeur d’Alene, you could potentially recover compensation for property damage, medical bills, lost wages, and prescription costs. You could also recover for pain and suffering, decreased quality of life, and loss of consortium. If a snowmobiler passes away from the accident, their surviving family members could recover compensation through a wrongful death claim.

Potential Obstacles to Recovery in Coeur d’Alene

After successfully proving a claim in civil court, a jury will calculate economic damages using all the available documentation. Evidence including medical bills, proof of lost wages, and future earning potential help establish the financial losses sustained from the accident. In addition to recovering out-of-pocket expenses and other objectively verifiable monetary loss, an injured person is also entitled to recover non-economic damages. This category of damage includes pain, suffering, inconvenience, disability, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of activities of daily living.

However, Idaho does apply a damage cap to non-economic damages, including pain and suffering. Therefore, under Idaho Code § 6-1603, the maximum recovery amount was originally capped at $250,000, but adjusts annually for inflation.

Time Limit to File a Civil Claim

After suffering an injury because of a person’s careless actions, there is a time limit in which legal action must be taken. Per Idaho Code § 5-219, you must file your lawsuit within two years of the snowmobile accident. If you do not file your case within this time, your right to do so, including your right to recover damages, will likely be lost. As such, it is imperative to speak with our Coeur d’Alene lawyers as soon after your snowmobile crash as possible to preserve your right to compensation.

Contact a Snowmobile Accident Attorney in Coeur d’Alene for Help

If you were a driver, passenger, or innocent bystander who sustained injuries due to a negligent snowmobile operator, you have options. State laws are in place to ensure that people who suffer injuries because of another’s negligence can collect compensation to cover their injuries and losses.

However, you have a limited amount of time to file, so it is essential you do not hesitate to obtain legal representation. Call our office today to schedule a consultation with a Coeur d’Alene snowmobile accident lawyer.