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Australian snowboarder loses lawsuit alleging Grouse Mountain left him quadriplegic

Jason Apps with his friends after the accident. Instagram/Jason Apps

Jason Apps has been snowboarding since he was 14.

Yet the well-known Bega, Australia native thinks Grouse Mountain’s jumps are too dangerous.

According to a B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit filed on June 7, 2017, lawyers for the 23-year old alleged the North Vancouver ski resort was negligent in designing its snowboard terrain park and did not sufficiently warn the public about the potential risk for serious injury.

Apps was snowboarding in March 2016 when he went off an XL jump in the terrain park and fell.

He is now a quadriplegic, with no movement in his legs, hands, or wrists.

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He relies on an electric wheelchair, and as of 2017 court documents, needs help with personal care, most meals and domestic tasks.

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But on Thursday, Justice Catherine Murray ruled Apps had signed the terms and conditions on a liability form at the time of the accident, waiving the mountain of responsibility.

Apps also worked at Whistler Blackcomb handing out waivers, so he knew what he was signing, Murray wrote in her decision.

In the ruling, Apps admitted he knew he was signing a waiver of liability, but didn’t read it.

There also was a notice on the ticket booth warning mountain users of the risks that come from using jumps.

Apps is now expected to pay all court costs to Grouse Mountain.

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