Judge Denies Dartmouth College Request in Ski Death Case

A federal judge has denied a request by Dartmouth College to rule in its favor on a lawsuit over the death of a student in a 2004 skiing accident.

Christina Porter was in an introductory skiing class to fulfill her physical education requirement at Dartmouth when she skied down a slope into a tree, dying nearly a year later of complications from head injuries. Her parents sued Dartmouth, seeking more than $20 million in damages.

Dartmouth has said it was not responsible. It recently asked Judge Paul Barbadaro to rule based on an equipment rental and liability release agreement Porter signed. Dartmouth said the agreement relieved the college from any liability. Barbadaro disagreed, saying the document doesn’t specifically identify Dartmouth or inform a renter that he or she is relieving Dartmouth of liability