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The family of a teenager is suing Mt. Hood Ski Bowl and a Clackamas County man, claiming the man drunkenly landed his snowboard on the boy, causing permanent damage.
The May 13 lawsuit, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, alleges that Jeffery Reichlein was drunk when he tried to jump off a small cliff on a beginners slope and hit Eric Stinson in the neck, back and head as Stinson was trying to get up after a fall on Dec. 19, 2010.
The suit says that Reichlein was spotted racing "other snowboarders, 'whooping' and 'hollering' throughout the resort, traveling at clearly excessive speeds that were well outside the limits of his abilities" before he hit Stinson.
According to the case, he was snowboarding and doing tricks on "green" trails—those designated for beginning skiers and snowboarders.
The case says "Reichlein's conduct was unreasonable, especially in a 'green' area, given the significant chance of severe physical injuries that would result from a collision with inexperienced skiers and snowboarders."
The suit alleges that Reichlein was visibly intoxicated before and at the time of the collision, but Ski Bowl staff made no attempt to stop serving him alcohol or to stop his reckless behavior.
The family says that Stinson suffered severe and permanent injury, including brain damage, spinal trauma and nerve damage. They don't give his age in the suit but they do say he is a minor over the age of 14.
The case says the Stinson family has paid $75,000 in medical expenses since 2010, and that medical expenses will continue to increase throughout the rest of Stinson's life.
The family is asking for $1.18 million in damages.
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl did not return any of WW's calls. The attorney for the Stinson family, Corey Tolliver of Folawn, Alterman & Richardson, also did not immediately return a call for comment.
WWeek 2015