Hi all,
When putting together a group trip, is it best to have the group members sign liability release waivers?
This question came up recently in a discussion and I thought I'd post here for your input. (I'm not trained as a lawyer...)
I know that most of the caves I go into require a waiver be signed to protect the cave owner. If I were to pay a guide to take me into a cave, they would make me sign a waiver. So, if I take a group of non-caver friends caving, is asking them to sign a waiver a good idea or a bad idea?
Some have told me that asking them to sign a waiver may actually imply that I have a responsibility for the trip (hence the need for a liability waiver) -- which I don't want.
On the other hand, what happens if someone gets hurt or worse? Am I legally exposed? Does having a waiver mitigate my liability?
Thanks for any input,
Ari