Snowboarder Sues Vail Resorts-Owned Store After Eye Pops Out in Crash

California man files lawsuit over defective Oakley goggles and Salomon helmet that allegedly caused permanent vision loss.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A California man named Duncan McDonald is suing a Westminster outdoor gear store owned by Vail Resorts, as well as over a dozen companies connected to Oakley and Salomon, after his eye popped out of its socket when he crashed while snowboarding at Keystone Resort in 2024. McDonald's attorneys claim the Oakley goggles and Salomon helmet he was wearing were "defective and unreasonably dangerous" and lacked proper safety features, leading to his catastrophic facial injuries and permanent vision loss.

Why it matters

This lawsuit highlights ongoing safety concerns around winter sports equipment and the potential liability for manufacturers and retailers when their products fail to protect users from serious injuries. It also raises questions about equipment standards and oversight in the outdoor gear industry.

The details

According to the lawsuit, Duncan McDonald was snowboarding at Keystone Resort on February 24, 2024, wearing Oakley ski goggles and a Salomon helmet, when he caught an edge and fell face-first into the snow. The impact caused his right eyeball to pop out of its socket, and he sustained orbital facial fractures that resulted in permanent vision loss. McDonald's attorneys allege the Oakley goggles and Salomon helmet were "defective and unreasonably dangerous" due to design flaws that made catastrophic injuries more likely, including the goggles' narrow, stiff frame and lack of adequate padding, as well as the helmet's lack of a brim or other safety features to protect the face.

  • On February 24, 2024, McDonald was injured in the snowboarding crash at Keystone Resort.
  • On February 26, 2026, McDonald filed the lawsuit in 17th Judicial District Court.

The players

Duncan McDonald

A California man who is suing Vail Resorts-owned Epic Mountain Gear and over a dozen companies connected to Oakley and Salomon after sustaining catastrophic facial injuries and permanent vision loss in a snowboarding crash at Keystone Resort.

Epic Mountain Gear

A Westminster, Colorado outdoor gear store owned by Vail Resorts that is named in the lawsuit.

Oakley

A company that manufactures ski goggles, which are alleged to have been "defective and unreasonably dangerous" in the lawsuit.

Salomon

A company that manufactures ski helmets, which are alleged to have "lacked design features that would provide protection to a user's head, face, and eyes during an accident" in the lawsuit.

Vail Resorts

The parent company of Epic Mountain Gear, the Westminster outdoor gear store named in the lawsuit.

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What they’re saying

“The goggles were 'defective and unreasonably dangerous' because their narrow, stiff design, which did not have adequate padding, made catastrophic injuries likely.”

— Duncan McDonald's attorneys

“The Salomon helmet 'lacked design features that would provide protection to a user's head, face, and eyes during an accident where the face impacted the snow,' including a brim to absorb or deflect the impact and other safety features.”

— Duncan McDonald's attorneys

What’s next

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and an unspecified sum of money for damages, including pain, suffering and emotional distress.

The takeaway

This case highlights ongoing safety concerns around winter sports equipment and the potential liability for manufacturers and retailers when their products fail to protect users from serious injuries. It also raises questions about equipment standards and oversight in the outdoor gear industry.