Snowmobiling Is Supposed To Be Fun, Not Deadly
There is no better way to enjoy a fresh new snow fall than on a snowmobile. Sadly though, since the New Year began, there have been numerous catastrophic injuries and deaths due to snowmobile accidents. In just one week, there has been at least five snowmobile related deaths.
On Friday night, a 44-year-old Methuen man suffered massive internal injuries and was killed when his snowmobile fell on top of him as he was trying to ride up a 12-foot-embankment along the Merrimack River. The same day, in the Village of Nunda, Anna Masters suffered a traumatic brain injury after being thrown from her snowmobile, and 41-year-old Kelly Strohmeier was ejected from her snowmobile after it hit a rut, killing her.
Last weekend a 62-year-old Concord, New Hampshire man was killed in a snowmobile crash in Gilford. On Monday, Ryan D. Anderson, 32, of Hall Road, Cassadaga, hit a snow bank, causing his snowmobile to go airborne and throwing Anderson from the snowmobile into a tree.
Even the most experienced snowmobile drivers are not safe from catastrophic injuries or death. Many times, while on a snowmobile trail, the operator will encounter deadly obstacles if the trail was not properly maintained. Drivers can quickly come up on fallen tree branches, debris, gloves, hats, scarves and other items on the designated trails that cause the driver to have to quickly turn to avoid the debris or have the debris jam the snowmobile, causing a sudden stop, and ejecting the driver. If the trail was not properly maintained, the driver can hit a rut, causing a loss of control of the snowmobile and ejecting the driver causing serious injuries. Some drivers can be ejected into a nearby lake or stream causing hypothermia or drowning. Some snowmobile trails do not have a fence or barrier up to protect drivers that had to veer off the trail due to debris and the driver plunges down a mountain or steep hill causing catastrophic injuries or even death.
In addition to the obstacles on the snowmobile trails, experienced snowmobile drivers have also become victims of product defects or faulty equipment. Many injuries are due to defects in the helmet design, head lamp failures, glove failures, mechanical failures, break failures, power failures, goggle failures or product recalls. Despite wearing all of the appropriate protective gear, they still sustain traumatic brain injuries, spine fractures, paralysis, face injuries, broken necks, severe snow burns, hypothermia, and even death due to design defects.
Since 1979, the experienced Philadelphia wrongful death, product liability, premises liability, and negligence law firm of Reiff & Bily has aggressively represented clients and their families who have been injured or killed in snowmobile related accidents. Effective January 1, 2011 the Reiff & Bily law firm has joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm in Philadelphia who since 1958 has been awarded over $2 billion dollars on behalf of their clients and have hundreds of millions and multi-million dollar verdicts, settlements, and awards to their credit. Please contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com for a free, no obligation consultation.
