Hazardous Recreational Activities
Imagine yourself on your day off, participating in your favorite recreational activity, on public property. Whether it’s mountain biking, kayaking, off-road motorcycling/four-wheeling, surfing, or water skiing, what is your recourse should you sustain an injury by participating in that activity?
Generally speaking, the Government Code of the State of California provides that neither a public entity nor a public employee is liable to 1) any person who participates in a hazardous recreational activity, including any person who assists the participant, or 2) any spectator who knew or reasonably should have known that the hazardous recreational activity created a substantial risk of injury to himself or herself, and who voluntarily participated in that activity. California Government Code, Section 831.7 defines the hazardous recreational activity as a recreational activity conducted on property of the public entity that creates a substantial, as distinguished from a minor, trivial, or insignificant risk of injury to a participant or a spectator. The Government Code also defines those hazardous recreational activities as the type of activities described herein, including but not limited to mountain bicycling, cross-country and downhill skiing, kayaking, off-road motorcycling and four-wheeling, surfing, water skiing, body contact sports, and other types of activities. “Body contact sports” is defined as those where it is reasonably foreseeable that there would be rough bodily contact with one or more of the participants.
The Government Code of the State of California generally places the risk of injury upon the participant in these described activities. There are some exceptions to the general rule that neither the public entity nor the public employee is liable for injury, with some of those exceptions including failure to warn of a known dangerous condition; charging fees for participation in the specific hazardous recreational activity; and recklessness or gross negligence by the public entity that is a substantial factor in causing the injury.
The Government Code of the State of California is a minefield to plaintiffs, requiring specific knowledge and skills by attorneys familiar with the California Tort Claims Act. The attorneys at Heiting and Irwin possess that familiarity and knowledge of the Government Code of the State of California, including the claims presentation requirements and immunities of the potentially liable public entity and public employees. If you have a claim for injury or damages, whether it be against a public entity or public employee, or any other injury claims, we at Heiting and Irwin offer free initial consultations and are interested and available to discuss your claim. Please contact our offices at 951-682-6400 for a free consultation.
