Legal Question in Personal Injury in Michigan

Re: Horseriding injury

Yes it is true! we have a statute called the Equine Activity Liability Act - that limits the civil damages against a horse professional for injuries or death to a rider. However, there are exceptions to the limitation of liability that still permit a person to prevail in a suit for injuries sustained if their case meets one of the expceptions. As a rider myself, without knowing more facts I cannot say whether you are barred from recovery or entitled to recover under EALA. If you would like to discuss this further don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Kindest Regards,

Geoff Lahn (734) 944-2269

Re: Horseriding injury

The Equine Activity Liability Act provides that a person injured or killed cannot recover from from personal injury resuling "from an inherent risk of an equine activity." MCL 691.1663

"Inherent risk of an equine activity" is defined as "a danger or condition that is an integral part of an equine activiy, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

(i) an equines propensity to behave in ways that may result in injury, harm, or death to a person on or around it.

(ii) the unpredictability of an equine's reaction to things such as sounds, sudden movement, and people, other animals, or unfamilar objects.

(iii) a hazard such as a surface or subsurface condition.

(iv) colliding with another equine or object."

So, if your accident was the result of normal equine activity, you cannot recover from the owner for your injuries. However, if the owner knew or should have known about a dangerous condition of the horse (like a horse that throws everyone off, maybe with a name like "widowmaker") you might have a case.

The details of the accident are important.

Don Darnell

734/544-7676