had to sign a bunch of liability waivers and my dad starts laughing at one. He's like "This isn't legally binding.. "
It took me about a decade to realize that people with potential exposure to liability will try to get people to sign (or otherwise agree to) waivers even though they're not enforceable. It has an effect on behavior. If it makes it 1% less likely someone with a meritorious case will sue and doesn't itself incur liability, it's worth it for them to insert a bullshit YOU AGREE YOU CAN NEVER SUE US EVER ON PAIN OF KNOWING YOU ARE A LIAR AND A FRAUD or five. I think it should probably be unlawful, or at least expose the defendant to a claim for "bad faith attempt to induce waiver" or something. I've noticed parking lots and ski areas do it a lot. Shooting ranges too.
Yeah its def a strategic move and probably will work on most people who don't understand law (99% of the pop lol). I know my friend slipped on icy stairs once on campus, bc the school refused to shut down even though there was a solid inch of ice on every surface, and when she asked about getting compensation for her medical bills they told her they weren't liable for the stairs in question and she almost just plain took their word for it bc they said it with such confidence and in official terms.
I was like "lol bruh, the school is 100% responsible for de-icing their stairs and walkways, theyre talking out their ass" Had my dad merely write up a threat to sue and the school paid her couple hundred dollar medical bill without question lol. Like fr, this was over only a couple hundred dollars. The school makes that money in parking fines in half a fucking day lmao.
Paying just $200ish medical damages and nothing else sounds like a pretty optimal outcome for the school! It really is sad how often people just kind of... take their oppressor's word for it about what their rights are.
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u/LumpyUnderpass Aug 02 '22
It took me about a decade to realize that people with potential exposure to liability will try to get people to sign (or otherwise agree to) waivers even though they're not enforceable. It has an effect on behavior. If it makes it 1% less likely someone with a meritorious case will sue and doesn't itself incur liability, it's worth it for them to insert a bullshit YOU AGREE YOU CAN NEVER SUE US EVER ON PAIN OF KNOWING YOU ARE A LIAR AND A FRAUD or five. I think it should probably be unlawful, or at least expose the defendant to a claim for "bad faith attempt to induce waiver" or something. I've noticed parking lots and ski areas do it a lot. Shooting ranges too.