Would you be better off with a disclaimer in your marketing materials, invoices or on your web site? Are you providing products or services but need to make sure that you are not held liable or responsible for misuse? Many home business owners never realize that they would be better off with some legal counsel and verbage until it is too late, while others might go along for years before realizing that disclaimers would make things run smoother. You might also be surprised at all the little ways that you should be getting permission or having a disclaimer (using photos of people on your web site, testimonials, etc.). Is now the time to get up-to-date on your home business disclaimer savvy?
First of all, my disclaimer is that I am not an attorney and I am not providing legal advice for all you business owners here! Instead, I want to stimulate you to look over your home business operations and if you think you might need some disclaimers, you should contact a legal representative or an attorney to help you figure out what you should say and where and how to say it.
If you use testimonials or photos of your customers and clients in your materials or on your web site, you may need a written disclaimer or signed permission. You might also need to look at any claims, promises, and other “things” that you provide in your business to see if you are claiming something that you could be held liable for if it didn’t work out. When in doubt, again, seek legal counsel to make sure that all your bases are covered. It is far better to get your disclaimers in order before you need them than to have to learn this one from the hard knocks of experience.
Also: Make Sure People Know What They Are Getting Into