The Geneva Finger Lakes Times reports today on a snowmobile accident last Friday in Farmington, Wayne County. Here’s what happened: Two snowmobilers were operating their sleds in an open field. One of the snowmobilers turned his sled into the path of the other, causing the second to be thrown, and his snowmobile to turn over onto his left arm, fracturing the two bones in his forearm. The accident happened in a field north of Green Road at about 6:00 pm. The injured snowmobiler was taken to FF Thompson Hospital in Canandaigua.
I recently blogged about the dangers of snowmobiling and how to minimize the risks associated with the sport. Snowmobile accidents don’t just “happen”; snowmobilers make them happen by negligent, careless driving. Here, depending on the facts, either one or both of the snowmobile drivers are to blame for this accident. From the facts as reported, it would seem that the snowmobiler who turned his sled into the path of the other would be legally liable for the accident.
Snowmobilers who use their snowmobiles off their own property are required to have liability insurance on their snowmobile. I hope that the at-fault driver here had insurance on his sled so that the other driver, with the help of a New York snowmobile accident lawyer, can tap into it to cover his medical expenses, any lost wages, and also get some compensation for his pain and suffering.
Fortunately, the injuries here do not appear serious. But as I wrote about in another recent blog, snowmobile accidents often do produce serious, and even fatal, injuries.
Keep safe. Follow good snowmobiling safety rules.