Premises LiabilityDoes Signing a Waiver Really Prevent Me from Suing a Business?

October 30, 2017by Aaron Allison

A Buda father is considering a lawsuit against iPlay, a South Austin amusement center that offers inflatable recreational indoor activities. The father’s son was bouncing in the back of an inflatable castle when he fell through a 2-foot hole onto the concrete floor underneath the castle. The son started screaming and when his father found him, he was visibly shaken and unable to walk.

The father then went to the front desk to express concern about the hole, and the workers allegedly told him that they were unaware of the hole and would not have known until a parent told them something was wrong with the equipment. The son was rushed to the hospital and given a CT scan. No internal bleeding was discovered, but the child suffered a serious concussion.

The father signed a waiver upon entry to the amusement center. Does that mean he is unable to pursue litigation against the owners?

Can You Sue Even If You Sign a Waiver?

It may come as a surprise, but signing a waiver does not mean you lose your right to sue for damages. A waiver is simply an acknowledgement of possible harm. It does not mean you cannot sue if negligence leads to your injury. There is no legal document that you can sign that allows someone’s negligence to cause you injury without you being able to seek recovery.

If you sign a waiver but suffer injury, you should discuss the incident with a personal injury attorney. To have a strong premises liability claim in Austin, you must be able to prove that your injury occurred on someone else’s property because the land or property owner failed to act reasonably to prevent or fix hazardous conditions. A personal injury attorney can assist you in identifying all potential negligent parties and holding them accountable for your pain and suffering.

Aaron Allison

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Aaron Allison

Aaron Allison, a second-generation personal injury lawyer from Austin, follows in the footsteps of his father, who founded their firm in 1978. Admitted to practice by the Texas Supreme Court, the Federal Court for the Western District of Texas, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court, Aaron brings extensive legal expertise to his clients.

Specializing in personal injury cases, Aaron offers a distinct advantage for Texas workers injured on the job. With Texas workers' compensation laws leading many attorneys to avoid these cases, Aaron is one of only 40 lawyers among 95,000 in Texas who represent injured workers in straight workers' compensation cases. His firm continues to provide dedicated support for those suffering catastrophic work injuries, maintaining a proud tradition of advocacy spanning decades.