Oregon Ski Area Sued for $4.6 Million in Child Injury Case

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Hoodoo, OR — A $4.6 million lawsuit filed against Hoodoo Ski Area is the latest flashpoint in Oregon’s snowballing liability insurance crisis, putting resorts statewide under fresh pressure.

The case, filed in Linn County Circuit Court on behalf of a 4-year-old girl, alleges that Hoodoo staff removed a rope barrier roughly 30 minutes before closing in March 2021, allowing skiers to enter a terrain park mid-run. According to the complaint, this change in skier flow directly contributed to a collision in which another skier struck the child, causing a concussion and multiple broken bones.

Attorneys from Johnson Johnson Lucas & Middleton, P.C. (Scott C. Lucas, Shane P. Davis, and Kevin A. Yolken) argue the accident would have been prevented had the rope barrier remained in place and guests had been forced to enter the terrain park only through the designated top entrance, where safety signage and warnings were posted.

The girl has undergone several surgeries since the crash and likely faces more in the future. Medical bills are reportedly exceeding hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Hoodoo Ski Area has not yet issued a public statement on the lawsuit.

Related: Oregon Ski Resorts in Crisis After Liability Bill Fails

The lawsuit is more than just one family seeking justice — it’s the latest domino in a series of consequential cases that have reshaped how ski resorts and action-sports facilities operate in Oregon.

Since the Oregon Supreme Court’s landmark 2014 Bagley v. Mt. Bachelor decision, which struck down broad liability waivers, resorts have scrambled for legal protection. Hoodoo, which was sued only twice in the decade before Bagley, has faced five lawsuits in the years since, settling two and winning two others.

And it’s not just Hoodoo. Ski areas from Mt. Hood to Mt. Ashland are reporting increased litigation, creating one of the riskiest legal climates for recreation operators anywhere in the West.

Earlier this year, Safehold Special Risk — one of just two insurers covering Oregon ski areas — announced it was exiting the state entirely, citing the legal environment as the reason. That leaves only MountainGuard writing policies for resorts in Oregon.

The result? Rising premiums, less stability, and fears that one more major claim could make ski-area liability coverage impossible — or unaffordable — to obtain.

Andrew Gast, general manager of Mt. Ashland Ski Area, testified during a legislative hearing that the risk is existential:

Lawmakers tried to address the crisis this year with Senate Bill 1196, which would have restored ski-area liability waivers for ordinary negligence while preserving the ability to sue for gross negligence or reckless conduct. The bill had bipartisan support but failed to make it to a vote before the session closed in June.

Supporters argued the measure would bring Oregon in line with other Western states, where recreation industries operate under more predictable legal frameworks. Opponents countered that it would weaken consumer protections and limit access to justice for those seriously injured.

The Hoodoo case stands as a test for the future of the state’s ski industry. On one side is a family seeking accountability and reparations for a life-altering injury. On the other is an industry that warns cases like this could make ski operations financially untenable, risking closures that would devastate mountain towns, local economies, and Oregon’s $15 billion outdoor recreation sector.

If lawmakers don’t find a solution, ski area operators warn that the next few winters could be even more turbulent.