Injured Surfboarder’s Claim Denied Because He Assumed the Risks of His Injury

By James H. (Jim) Moss, Senior Writer No crumple zones, no skid marks, and nothing from the accident was left for the court to rely upon other expert witnesses in a surfing collision. California never let go of the assumption of the risk as a defense for sports and recreational injuries, even when all other states were merging assumption of the risk into comparative negligence. The California Supreme Court, recognizing problems with that merger issued Knight v. Jewett, 3 Cal. 4th 296; 834