A Colorado jury has awarded $12.4 million (£9.7 million) to a woman who was paralysed after falling from a ski lift at a Vail Resorts property when she was 16. Annie Miller suffered a shattered vertebra and permanent paralysis after plunging 30 feet from the Paradise Express lift at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in March 2022.
The jury found Vail Resorts partially liable for the incident, ruling that lift operators failed to stop the chairlift when Miller did not load properly. The case, which went to the Colorado Supreme Court, established that liability waivers do not protect ski resorts if they violate state safety laws or regulations.
Miller’s attorney, Brian Aleinikoff, said the verdict sends a message that ski areas must follow safety rules. Vail Resorts said it disagreed with the decision but wished Miller strength in her recovery. The initial $21 million award was reduced due to shared liability and state caps on damages.
Miller, now 20, is studying music and psychology at the University of Tulsa. The case is seen as a landmark for skier safety in the US.
