“Ski Buddy” sued!!!!! 

“Ski Buddy” sued after tourist dies on heli trip  
When on a heli trip, you are supposed to be paired up for safety. Should you be able to sue your partner if something goes wrong?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ski-buddy-sued-in-heli-ski-death-1.2448605

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/b-c-ski-buddy-lawsuit-worries-calgary-skiers-1.2450782

A widow whose husband died in a fall while backcountry skiing in southeastern B.C. says his “ski buddy” is responsible for his death, a B.C. Supreme Court heard Monday.

Elizabeth Kennedy’s husband, Mark, participated in a heli-skiing trip arranged by mountain guide company Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing in January 2009.

The group was skiing on a remote mountain north of Revelstoke, B.C., when Kennedy, who signed a release waiving the company from any liability, fell in a tree well — a hole created when deep snow accumulates around the base of a tree.

Elizabeth Kennedy is now suing another skier in the group, a British tourist named Adrian Coe.

According to court documents filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Kennedy says Coe was her husband’s “ski buddy” and was therefore obligated to stay close to him, keep him in sight, and assist or alert guides and other skiers if he observed his buddy in need of assistance.

The documents allege Coe failed to perform his duties as a “ski buddy” and therefore delayed the search and possibly a chance to rescue and revive Mark Kennedy.

‘Ski buddy’ responds

But court documents filed in response to the civil claim say Coe and Kennedy were paired up for “the purpose of skiing forested portions” and that the area in which Kennedy fell into a tree well was not forested, but had small trees that were just visible above the snow.

Coe says he was paired with Kennedy without any consultation and that he alerted guides as soon as he noticed Kennedy was no longer with the group, shortly after Coe and the other skiers arrived at the bottom of the run.

The documents allege Kennedy had been on heli-skiing trips with the same operator at least four previous times and that he was well aware of the terrain and the risks involved with such an activity.

In addition, the documents allege Kennedy’s death was not caused by his fall into a tree well, but by “some type of fatal or near fatal medical distress, likely a cardiac arrest.”

Seeking compensation

Kennedy was a successful trial lawyer in Colorado before his death. His wife, Elizabeth, has been given half the assets in his will amounting to more than $18 million.

Her civil case is seeking compensation for the loss of her husband’s future earnings.

The trial is expected to continue until Dec. 13.

Haha wow, she really wants to get paid doesnt she.

By the sounds of this she is gunna end up spending the $1.8million in lawyers fees and end up with nothing.

She has 18 million. Either way i dont see her winning.

Not sure what to think about this.  Was the buddy a prick for not watching over the other guy, or was it an unreasonable expectation?

Either way, the wife sounds pretty mean and greedy.

I reckon it’d be pretty hard to be watchin someone else for 100% of the time?????

And especially when you’ve paid good money to play in powder, plus the added element of only just meetin your new “buddy” that mornin!!!!!

I think the guy did what was asked of him, by notifyin the guides that the guy was missin, as soon as he could!!!!!

How’s the poor lady gonna manage to get on with the rest of her life with a measly 18 Mill?????

Maybe we should have a whip around?????

A very unfortunate situation, but it wasn’t the buddy’s fault. Regardless of how careful you are, accidents can happen. We don’t have all the information either so it’s impossible to pass judgement on anyone. Maybe the tour company is partially at fault. Did they prepare their clients enough in case of this type of accident? Were they equipped with a whistle? Were they told what to do if trapped in a tree well?

Yeah I dare say we don’t have all the details. I’m inclined to think it’s an unreasonable ask by the tour company to supervise other skiers except maybe to a basic level.  Then again, I don’t know anything about back-country etiquette.  In SCUBA diving you dive with a buddy, but I think there are varying degrees of effectivness depending on who you’re with.