The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

A chair lift accident at Devil's Head Resort in Merrimac, Wisconsin resulted in the hospitalization of twelve skiers and snowboarders. Three of the twelve suffered serious injuries, although none are in critical condition.

The accident occurred last night at around 7 pm when the chair lift suddenly stopped and then started going backward. It took some time before the lift operators were eventually able to stop the lift. Many skiers panicked and decided to jump off the lift, often from distances as high as 25 feet off the ground, in order to avoid a catastrophic accident. Several skiers remained trapped on the lift for almost two hours before rescuers were able to complete the chair lift evacuation.

It is currently uncertain whether the chair lift malfunction was caused by a product defect or negligent maintenance of the equipment. Devil's Head Resort plans to conduct a more thorough investigation today, since it was difficult to determine what went wrong in the dark last night.

If the accident is determined to be the result of negligent maintenance of the chair lift equipment, Devil's Head Resort may face several premises liability lawsuits from the injured skiers. However, if the accident was the result of a product defect, the chair lift manufacturer will most likely be liable for damages in a defective product lawsuit .

If you have suffered an injury caused by the negligent actions of another, the experienced personal injury lawyers at The Cochran Firm can help you receive the compensation you deserve.

Please contact us today to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients nationwide.