Although the law varies by state—which is a good example of why you need to hire a lawyer—if a loved one dies on the slopes because of a negligent skier, snowboarder, or ski resort operator, there typically are two actions available to those left behind: a wrongful death claim and a survival claim. A wrongful death claim seeks compensation for the survivors of the deceased skier or boarder, and may typically be brought by the decedent’s spouse, children, and/or parents. The types of damages recoverable include loss of income, loss of companionship, loss of consortium, mental anguish, etc. A survival claim, on the other hand, seeks compensation for the pain and suffering experienced by the decedent from the time of injury until the time of death, as well as any corresponding lost wages, medical expenses, funeral expenses, and/or property damages. Survival actions may be filed by the executor or administrator of the deceased skier’s estate, and any recovery becomes part of the estate.