In This Article, We Are Going to Know 3 Things To Know Before Signing Accident Waiver and Liability Forms
You’ve probably been in the situation before: you’re about to take part in some sort of activity or event, and then the paperwork comes out. What you’re likely looking at are some accident waiver and liability forms.
This is paperwork that companies put out to ensure they aren’t legally responsible for any injuries or incidents that occur while you participate in the event. You’ll likely see these before doing things such as white water rafting, ax throwing, or basically any kind of activity that involves a degree of risk.
What should you know before you sign on the dotted line? Read on and we’ll walk you through the basics.
3 Things To Know Before Signing Accident Waiver and Liability Forms
- Language Matters
If you can, take a few minutes to read over the information being presented to you. You should be able to get a sense of who is liable in various circumstances during your participation in this particular activity.
The langue used in the waiver that you’re preparing to sign should be as clear and unambiguous as humanly possible. You are not being given the opportunity to negotiate this contract, so by law, it needs to be abundantly clear as it possibly can be.
Later, if it can be proven that the language of the agreement was unclear, an injured individual might be able to sue the company.
- Expected Standard of Care
Most accident liability waivers are intended to cover accidents and mistakes that happen under the umbrella of operations that a company provides. However, there are some instances where an injury might still fall onto the shoulders of the company.
Despite your signing of an accident liability waiver, the company in question still has a legal right to provide you with a reasonable and expected standard of care.
If it can be proven that the company acted completely without reason and care in regards to your safety? And that this lack of care resulted in your injuries? That could still result in a lawsuit, accident waiver, or not.
- The Power of Your Signature
It’s important that you understand what your signature on the bottom of a safety liability waiver means. This is a legally binding contract.
The moment that you sign on the dotted line, you are waiving some of your rights. You are releasing the service provider from the liability that they would normally need to uphold in order to do business with you.
That’s a lot of power! So you really need to think before you sign. Once your signature is on the piece of paper (or on the virtual display, in some cases) it can be hard to take it back. Make sure you really feel confident about the activity you are about to participate in before signing any kind of paperwork.
Understanding Accident Waiver and Liability Forms
There are many activities you may choose to participate in that would require the use of accident waiver and liability forms. It’s important, however, to ensure you understand the ins and outs of these forms before signing.
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