Arizona is a state full of beautiful scenery with a diverse terrain that allows one to travel from the hottest desert floor to the cool mountain pines in just a few hours. It’s also a big draw for winter visitors and recreation enthusiasts from all over the U.S. and Canada.
The local population enjoys going up north to enjoy fishing, camping, and cooling off in the numerous mountain lakes and streams. However, with so many people camping in the wilderness or enjoying the beauty of Arizona in a recreational vehicle, enjoying nature can be a risky endeavor.
Campgrounds, summer camps, and recreational vehicles all come with their own liabilities and hazards. If someone’s negligence caused an accident that resulted in your injuries, you may be able to pursue compensation for damages with help from the Phoenix camping accident lawyers of Zanes Law.
Camping Accident Liability in Arizona
You may wonder what kind of camping accidents can result in legal action. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, people may have acted negligently and can be held liable. Summer camps, campgrounds, and private landowners have an obligation to maintain safe conditions for visitors.
RV owners, ATV operators, boat owners, and recreational hunters also have obligations under the law to behave in a manner that protects the safety of others. Camping involves many activities, and all of them can be dangerous when they are not enjoyed responsibly.
The federal government and land bureaus are also held to certain standards of liability. However, when you’re injured on government-owned property, pursuing a claim can be more complicated—but it is possible. A camping accident lawyer can review the details of your case and help you to understand your legal options.
For a free legal consultation with a camping accidents lawyer serving Phoenix, call 866-499-8989
Camping Accidents and Negligence
Some injuries happen because the property owner or another person did not take care to ensure the safety of others. Some examples are:
Poorly Maintained Facilities
If you pay to attend a summer camp or use campground facilities such as a KOA or other privately owned facility, they are responsible for maintaining a certain level of safety. Slippery showers, broken picnic tables, or other hazards can cause injuries that private campground owners could be held liable for.
Property owners must keep their facilities in a reasonably safe condition. They could be liable for accidents that:
- Are not so obvious that a reasonable person would have avoided it.
- The management knew about or should have reasonably known about
- Are not identified with proper warning signs
Failure to Warn
Property owners and government agencies need to take the proper steps to warn campers of known hazards. While the act of camping comes with inherent risks, the campsite owners or maintenance providers can be held liable for certain accidents.
Signs are usually posted to warn campers of things like broken picnic tables or hazardous areas where walking or sleeping are not safe. If the property owner knows of such a hazard and does not warn people of the dangers, they could be liable. A camping accident lawyer in Phoenix can help you to determine liability.
Negligent Behavior of Another Person
Other people can cause injuries and camping accidents. For instance, other campers could bring a dog that isn’t leashed. They still have a responsibility to leash the dog and take appropriate steps to prevent a dog bite or attack against another person.
Someone could be playing with the campfire and cause you to suffer burn injuries. They may be drinking and behaving recklessly and cause you to become injured in some other way. There are countless ways to get hurt while camping, but if another person is the cause of the accident, they should be held responsible.
Phoenix Camping Accident Lawyer Near Me 866-499-8989
Government-Owned Land Liability
State-owned lands and National Forestry Service properties are immune to many claims of liability. Since there are always risks when enjoying the great outdoors, it would be impossible for these government entities to be held liable for every injury on public-use land.
Arizona’s Recreational Use Statute (A.R.S. § 33-1551) defines the laws governing public lands and liability. The law provides that:
A public or private owner, easement holder, lessee, tenant, manager or occupant of premises is not liable to a recreational or educational user except on a showing that he/she/it was guilty of wilful, malicious, or grossly negligent conduct.
However, they do retain responsibility for the maintenance of the campgrounds and other areas designated for public use and enjoyment. In some cases, the government may be held liable for accidents on public land.
A camping accident attorney in Phoenix can review the details of your case to help you determine if there are legal grounds for a case.
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Waivers of Liability
When you visit a campground or recreational site, you may be asked to sign waivers acknowledging the hazards you might encounter and releasing the owner from liability.
However, a waiver doesn’t necessarily mean you have no chance of winning a personal injury lawsuit. The circumstances of your accident and the language of the waiver will help your camping accident attorney determine whether you have a claim.
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Contact a Phoenix Camping Accident Law Firm Today
Dangerous animals, slippery camp shower floors, falling trees, and uneven terrain are all dangers that you might expect when you go camping. But you should not be held responsible if someone’s negligence caused your injury.
Learn more about your legal rights and your options after a camping accident with a free case evaluation from Zanes Law. Contact us today to find out how our Phoenix camping accident attorneys can help.
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