Premier New England Trial Attorneys
Recreational Liability

 We are proud to serve clients throughout New England.

Recreational Liability in New England

Defending Clients Since 1983

Well-known and respected organizations and companies look to Melick & Porter, LLP for our specialized knowledge and experience in successfully defending recreational lawsuits. Our clients include youth and community organizations, ski resorts, golf courses, tubing parks, alpine slides, skating rinks, athletic facilities, amusement parks, campgrounds, boating and canoeing operators, and mountain biking facilities. Our attorneys have successfully defended organizations against claims of negligent supervision, coaching, refereeing, and facility management. We have secured defense verdicts in catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death claims.

Whether you run a ski resort or coach a sports team, you can rely on our recreational liability lawyers for effective representation.

What Are Recreational Accidents & Injuries?

Recreational activities include sports and activities that require a certain amount of labor, which is why it is common for the facilities that offer them to face personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Popular recreational activities include snowboarding, hiking, hunting, camping, ziplining, and boating.

Recreational activities often pose a risk of injury. Although most injuries sustained during recreational activities are accidental, some injured individuals may file claims against facilities alleging negligence. Common injuries that individuals cite in their claims include strains or sprains, broken bones, burns, exposure to toxins, head and brain trauma, and death.

Common Types Of Liability Cases

Recreational liability cases can affect everyone from coaches and teachers involved in team sports, to owners of facilities such as amusement parks and golf courses. Recreational liability cases may also include allegations of product liability, sexual abuse, and wrongful death.

Common types of recreational liability cases include:

  • Negligence in team sports, including basketball, baseball, and football
  • Water-related injuries such as drowning from activities at tubing parks and amusement parks
  • Insufficient supervision of activities including sports practices and pool activities
  • Negligence of ski resorts, hotel pools, and athletic facilities
  • Faulty rental equipment at athletic facilities and ski lodges

Business owners may have prepared for these types of claims by requiring athletes or participants to sign waiver or release forms. However, many waivers contain flaws that claimants and lawyers use to strengthen their cases. Melick & Porter can review your waivers and update them as needed.

Also Providing Services In Product Liability Cases

Our sports and recreation work includes defending companies in product liability cases. We have represented manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of sports equipment, including snowboards, recreational tramways, skis, ski bindings, climbing equipment, and bicycles.

Offering Trusted Counsel On Liability Prevention

Our attorneys regularly counsel sports and recreation companies and organizations on how to avoid or minimize their liability risks. We routinely draft participation forms and release agreements, and we have successfully enforced such releases signed by adults and minors.

Furthermore, we help improve our clients’ safety policies and procedures as well perform streamlined accident investigations. If you are facing a recreational liability claim, need to update your participation forms or release agreements, or are looking for assistance with an accident investigation, Melick & Porter, LLP should be part of your team.

Our recreational liability lawyers are proud to serve clients throughout New England.

Nationally-Recognized & Award-Winning Trial Attorneys

  • Steven M. Banks Photo
  • Brian C. Davis Photo
  • Matthew B. DiMario Photo
  • Shannon M. Doherty Photo
  • Douglas L. Fox Photo
  • Christian H. Hinrichsen Photo
  • William L. Keville Jr. Photo
  • Carolyn M. Miller Photo
  • Marissa K. Palladini Photo
  • Kurt A. Rocha Photo
  • Lauren C. Roche Photo
  • Steven M. Banks Photo
    Steven M. Banks

    Partner

    Steve is a Partner practicing from Melick & Porter’s office in Southbury, Connecticut. Steve began his career and honed his legal skills at a successful boutique firm in Danbury. Steve currently handles all aspects of civil litigation, from pre-litigation counseling, analysis and strategy to pleadings and discovery, to dispositive motion practice, trial advocacy and pre-trial/post-trial proceedings. He focuses his practice on premises liability, general liability, property disputes/land use, workers’ compensation, and product liability. He has extensive litigation and courtroom experience defending claims in Connecticut and New York.

  • Brian C. Davis Photo
    Brian C. Davis

    Partner

    Brian is a partner in Melick & Porter's Boston office. He focuses his practice on defending individual and corporate clients in complex civil litigation matters including general liability, hospitality and restaurant litigation, entertainment and sports litigation, construction litigation, and transportation litigation. He is admitted to the state and federal court of Massachusetts.

  • Matthew B. DiMario Photo
    Matthew B. DiMario

    Partner

    Matt is a Partner in the General Liability and Professional Liability practice groups. He is admitted to practice in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts, as well as the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island and regularly represents insurance carriers, their policy holders and self-insureds in state and federal court. Matt is a skilled litigator who has successfully represented clients on a wide range of insurance defense matters.

  • Shannon M. Doherty Photo
    Shannon M. Doherty

    Partner

    Prior to joining Melick & Porter, Shannon spent two years working as a Law Clerk to the Justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court. Shannon’s experience includes counseling and defending clients in all facets of recreational, products, construction, and general liability litigation in both federal and state courts. 

  • Douglas L. Fox Photo
    Douglas L. Fox

    Of Counsel

    Doug provides counseling and trial advocacy for the sports and entertainment industry and counts among his clients some of the premier sports and entertainment franchises in Massachusetts. He has extensive experience defending claims arising out of activities at NFL and MLB events, concerts, triathlons, marathons, hockey rinks, dance clubs, and commercial trucking.
  • Christian H. Hinrichsen Photo
    Christian H. Hinrichsen

    Partner

    Christian has extensive experience in complex litigation matters, including bench and jury trials, arbitrations, administrative proceedings, and mediations. His corporate counseling includes risk assessment and contract review. He is admitted to the state and federal courts of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Christian's practice has earned him selections as a “Massachusetts Super Lawyer.”

  • William L. Keville Jr. Photo
    William L. Keville Jr.

    Member

    Bill is a seasoned trial attorney with extensive trial experience and successful verdicts defending clients in construction, complex product liability, premises liability, dram shop, transportation and sports and recreation matters. He represents product manufacturers, contractors, shopping malls, restaurants, major real estate developers, property owners, condominium associations, resorts and ski areas.

  • Carolyn M. Miller Photo
    Carolyn M. Miller

    Partner

    Carolyn is a partner at Melick & Porter's Boston office. Carolyn joined the firm in 2014, after having worked at another Boston insurance defense firm for over five years. Carolyn has extensive experience in defending individual and corporate clients in a wide variety of complex multi-party construction-related matters, including personal injury, wrongful death and breach of contract claims in the state and federal courts of Massachusetts.
  • Marissa K. Palladini Photo
    Marissa K. Palladini

    Associate

    Marissa is an Associate in Melick & Porter's Boston Office. Her practice focuses primarily on defense of civil matters involving general liability, premises liability, construction law, recreational liability, and transportation law.

  • Kurt A. Rocha Photo
    Kurt A. Rocha

    Partner

    Kurt is a Partner in the firm's Rhode Island office.  His practice encompasses premises liability, personal injury defense, and insurance law. He is admitted in three jurisdictions: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, as well as the United States District Courts for the District of Rhode Island and Connecticut.

  • Lauren C. Roche Photo
    Lauren C. Roche

    Associate

    Lauren is an associate in the firm’s Boston office. Lauren’s practice focuses primarily on the defense of complex general liability, premises liability, liquor liability, sexual abuse litigation, personal injury, construction, and employment law matters.

What Sets Us Apart

  • Client-Centered Approach
  • Well-Qualified & Accomplished Firm
  • Nationally Recognized Super Lawyers®
  • Seasoned Litigators & Appellate Attorneys
  • High-End Legal Representation
  • Track Record Of Client Success