Wise Customers Always Read The Fine Print
Venturing out into the great beyond this long Victoria Weekend? Is the Thule packed full of musty sleeping bags and the fixin's for S'mores? Perhaps instead, the allure of a commercial outfitter was simply too much to resist. You signed the papers, cut the cheque, and now, the adventure-of-a-lifetime lies in wait.
Wise customers always read the fine print, and as a recent article in Outside magazine demonstrates, that adventure-of-a-lifetime might not be the only thing that lies in wait; some of those liability-release waivers pack quite the punch. As the articles states, the liability-release waiver is a "binding contract that leaves you powerless". If you refuse to sign on the dotted line, you'll be roasting those S'mores over a hibachi in your backyard. Sign, incur injury and file suit and the results are about as fruitful. Apparently judges toss out 90% of recreation-based lawsuits.
For example, "damages caused by a wild creature in its natural habitat" are often unrecoverable (think shark bites). And if you are white water rafting, you'll likely be asked to sign a waiver acknowledging the risk of not only falling into the water but knocking heads with your seatmate. The bottom (dotted) line is that waivers are all about assuming acknowledgment of risk especially where the risk is beyond anyone's control.
Have a happy (and safe) long weekend!
David M. Smith - Click here for more information on David Smith.
