Every business owner needs to have insurance to protect themselves if something happens on the premises. Along with this, certain professions need liability waivers if an injury, physical or mental, may occur. This includes gyms, doctors’ offices, and individuals like life coaches. The waiver serves many purposes, which you can discuss in depth with your Seattle business lawyer.
Life Coach Licensing
The federal or state government regulates most professions. Life coaches, however, have no standard licensing meaning anyone can declare themselves one. While this makes it easy to start a business, it makes it difficult to protect yourself. Without these regulations, you lack protection. There is not an overseeing board to oversee grievances or accusations such as wrongdoing, neglect, or incompetence. When you are beginning your Seattle business setup, the liability waiver then covers this.
Purpose of Liability Waiver
The liability your Seattle business litigation lawyer writes uses clear and concise language. This ensures your average client will have no trouble understanding what is stated and agreed upon. The waiver, in general, releases the life coach from any grievances that may occur because of treatment. You may, for example, find the person needs help you are not qualified to offer. Once you tell him this, the client may try to sue you for improper care or charges dating back to your first session. The liability waiver protects this from occurring, saving both time and money a court battle could cost.
Liability Waiver in Washington State
Only 44 states utilize liability waivers with Washington being one. It uses a moderate interpretation of the contract, which means it is not as strict or word for word as other states. If your business deals with minors, you may ask a parent to sign the waiver. While this step offers some protection, in Washington it is not always upheld. The majority of states are still battling whether a parent can sign away rights for minors. Along with assuming an exemption of your company, the waiver also serves as an assumption of risk for your client. The language used while writing this is extremely important and needs to be precise. It is for this purpose you should consult a Seattle business lawyer.
There are a number of pitfalls you can run into while constructing your liability waiver. As a life coach, it is even more difficult because there are no universal standards set up. This is why it is important to obtain the opinion of a professional Seattle business lawyer at the very least. It can help ensure your waiver will be on that stands up in court if a situation necessitates it.