Every martial arts gym needs a liability waiver to protect themselves. Here’s a free sample martial arts liability waiver template to download (in PDF & Word format).
In this article we’ll briefly explain why you need a legal liability waiver for your martial arts gym, and provide you with a free PDF and Word sample template for download.
Downloads
1. Member Liability Waiver
What Is It?
A liability waiver is typically a one or two page document in which new martial arts gym members acknowledge the risks of participating in martial arts training at your gym, the member (and their heirs) agrees to not sue you, your employees or your gym for injuries (or even death) which might occur because of those risks, and typically the member agrees to waive any claims they might have.
Often, a good waiver also includes a couple of other things, like making it clear that the member needs to communicate, in writing, any physical or mental limitations in their ability to fully participate before they start training. And it should have the member agree to any gym rules, that the gym isn’t responsible for lost property, etc.
What You Need To Know
A well drafted liability waiver is perhaps the most essential risk mitigation document any martial arts gym can have. So much so, we built signing and storing one for every member into the SimpleGym platform to make sure our customers get one on file for every member, every time.
Generally, waivers are very effective in preventing lawsuits against your gym for injuries. There are a few tips to make them more effective…
- Make sure it’s well-drafted. Some states require very specific language to make a liability waiver effective, so check with a local attorney.
- Make sure it’s comprehensive. There’s a reason attorneys list ten things in contracts when it seems like just one would suffice. They are trying to prevent lawsuits from every angle.
- Make it clear and voluntary. Courts don’t like to enforce waivers when the language is ambiguous or the person seems pressured into signing.
- Make signing a waiver a required part of joining the gym, so that there are no exceptions. People can sign, or they can find another gym.
- Make sure the document is titled in a clear and unambiguous way with normal font size.
- Get liability waivers signed well before problems arise. You don’t want to be passing around a waiver after the injury has occurred. It looks bad, and it’s legally far less effective. Make the liability waiver part of all new member and guest signups.
Where To Get One:
Note on using our copy: Consider having an attorney look it over to make state or business specific tweaks to better suit your gym.
Disclaimer & Terms of Use
Prior to using these forms, please consult with an attorney or other expert knowledgeable in the laws of the applicable jurisdiction and the specific intended use of those forms.
All forms available for download through SimpleGym are general in nature; are not based on the laws of any specific state or other jurisdiction but rather general principles of law applicable throughout the United States; and should only be used after first consulting with an attorney or other expert knowledgeable in the laws of the applicable jurisdiction and the specific intended use of those forms.
This article is intended for informational purposes only. Neither SimpleGym LLC, nor its author, offer, nor intend to offer, professional or legal advice. Consult with your attorney for individualized professional advice suited to your unique gym’s needs.