According to court documents, back in 2015 Bozeman attorney John Meyer was skiing at Big Sky Resort when he and a friend accidentally skied into a closed area of the resort. After ski patrol told the two the area was closed, Meyer said he skied over a steep slope and hit a hidden cat track, which ejected him from his skis.

Meyer broke several ribs, an arm and a shoulder. The incident left him in the hospital for about a month, including several days in an induced coma. The Fairfield Sun Times reports Meyer filed a lawsuit against Big Sky in 2018 for $50 million, alleging that the accident was caused by the resort’s negligence in marking closed or out-of-bounds areas.

That case finally went before a jury earlier this month and they dismissed the lawsuit finding the injuries were caused by the “inherent dangers and risks of skiing” and not the resort.  Meyer said he was quite disappointed:

“I was going to take the money from any jury verdict and basically purchase health care for employees at Big Sky. I think that it’s important for people to know that Big Sky is putting its profit over its own employees and if anybody says differently, they’re going to sue you. I think people need to think twice about going to ski at that resort.”

Big Sky Resort President and COO Taylor Middleton issued a statement that verdict upheld the Montana Skier Statute, which says that there are inherent risks when skiing that are accepted by the skier:

“We are gratified that the court has upheld this standard of personal responsibility, and happy that John Meyer has recovered and has returned to work and an active lifestyle of skiing and climbing.”

 

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