What Is a Snowmobile Accident?
Snowmobiles are classified as motorized snow vehicles – rather than as all terrain vehicles – and they are designed to glide over snow and ice on front skis that are propelled by a continuous track. Snowmobiles not only make travelling over difficult terrain possible but also offer an exhilarating experience that makes them extremely popular across Canada. Public Health Ontario reports that hospitalizations and visits to the ER are common in relation to snowmobile use, and the most frequent causes are falling off of or being ejected from the snowmobile. These are both closely followed by accidents in which the snowmobile rolls over.
Snowmobile accidents refer to any incidents in which there is accidental impact. Such accidents often leave the machines themselves damaged, cause one or more people to be injured, or both. The surest way to help you stay safe out there when you’re on your sled includes taking all the following precautions:
- Carefully assessing the risks involved, which can be more serious in the frigidly cold winter months
- Obeying all posted speed limits on the trails.
- Knowing your own abilities and skill level and refraining from pushing them
- Sticking to the trail and riding on the side designated for you
- Keeping your snowmobile well maintained and knowing its capabilities
- Always riding in single file when you’re on the trails
- Never riding alone.
- Leaving ample distance between your sled and the one ahead
- Exercising caution when cresting hills and coming into corners
- Passing with extreme caution
- Slowing down in response to poor visibility, including at night
- Remaining aware of your surroundings and staying alert to the trail ahead of you
- Always carrying an emergency pack that includes a first aid kit, water, snacks, and a means of communication
- Always wearing a helmet
- Avoiding frozen bodies of water – snowmobile riders experience a heightened risk of drowning, and death can occur quickly in ice-cold water
Causes and Types of Snowmobile Accidents in Ottawa
Statistics Canada reports that impairment by alcohol or drugs is the number one cause of snowmobile crashes, and it is involved in 55 percent of all these dangerous accidents. Excessive speeding and riding in low visibility conditions, such as in bad weather or after dark, are other common culprits. Often, more than one factor plays a pivotal role in any given accident.
Injuries and Damages from Snowmobile Accidents
The injuries you suffer in a snowmobile accident can be life threatening. When you’re out on your snowmobile, you have nothing but your safety gear to protect you from the impact of an accident, which raises the stakes considerably. While your accident will be specific to the circumstances involved, some of the most common injuries include:
- Broken bones, which are slow to heal, extremely painful, and can lead to long-term complications
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which have a strong emotional component that make recovery more challenging
- Spinal cord injuries, which – when severe – can leave victims permanently paralyzed
- Serious cuts and burns, which are closely associated with infections and disfiguring scarring
- Internal injuries, which can be difficult to detect early on and can become even more dangerous in the meantime
- Soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash, which can lead to chronic pain and to serious limitations related to range of motion
- Limb loss and other catastrophic injuries
Regardless of the kind of snowmobile injury you suffer, you need a trusted personal injury lawyer on your side.
Steps to Take After a Snowmobile Accident
If you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence in a snowmobile accident, there are several important steps that it is in your best interest to take, including:
- Obtain the medical attention you need right away.
- Take your doctor’s instructions and advice very seriously.
- Attend all followup appointments for medical treatment, tests, and care.
- Work closely with a snowmobile accident lawyer from the start.
- Look to your lawyer to communicate with the insurance rep on your behalf and to skillfully negotiate a settlement that fairly covers your legal damages – or losses
Having the professional legal counsel of a focused snowmobile accident lawyer backing you up is one of the most important steps you can take in the wake of a snowmobile accident.
How to Protect Your Rights
In order to protect your rights after a snowmobile accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you’ll need to file a snowmobile accident claim. If you weren’t seriously injured, you’ll file your claim with your own no fault policy that you are required to carry if you ride anywhere other than on private property. This no fault system is designed to speed up the claims process, but the coverage is not as complete.
If, on the other hand, you were seriously injured as a result of negligence on the part of another driver, you can seek compensation for all the following losses by filing a personal injury lawsuit against them:
- Medical expenses – such as for rehabilitation treatment and follow-up care, including related medical bills that you may face in the future
- Lost wages, including any losses that relate to the trajectory of your career
- Your physical and emotional pain and suffering, which can be overwhelming
Snowmobiling across beautiful frozen surfaces in the clear, crisp air is hard to resist, but if you’ve been injured in a violent accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, obtaining the appropriate amount of compensation is key to your recovery. Your lawyer will work tirelessly throughout the legal process to help ensure that your rights are upheld and that your losses are covered fairly.
Liability for Snowmobile Accidents
Liability for a snowmobile accident comes down to who is responsible for causing the accident, which is established in accordance with the evidence. Common examples include:
- The testimony of eyewitnesses
- Any photos or videos captured at the scene by other riders or bystanders
- Physical evidence, such as the sled marks and the manner in which the vehicles collided
- The accident report – as applicable
- The testimony of expert witnesses in professions relevant to the physics of the accident
- Accident recreation models that highlight how the accident happened
The Importance of Hiring a Snowmobile Accident Lawyer
It is difficult to overstate how important hiring a seasoned snowmobile accident lawyer can be in relation to the outcome of your claim. Snowmobile accidents tend to be very serious accidents, and the legal intricacies can be difficult to navigate. Your accident lawyer will leave no stone unturned in their efforts to afford you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’re in good legal hands.
Why Choose Our Snowmobile Accident Lawyers Ottawa
The accomplished Ottawa snowmobile accident lawyers at Burn Tucker Lachaîne welcome the chance to build a strong claim on your behalf, to fight for your rights, and to pursue the compensation to which you’re entitled. In short, we care about you and your claim, so please don’t delay contacting or calling us at 613-233-6898 to schedule a free consultation and learn more about what we can do for you today.
March 6, 2025 
