Do Waivers Really Protect You From Legal Action?

While waivers are a necessary precaution, it is rare that they cover you completely. In fact, even if a rider signs a waiver, it does not guarantee that legal action cannot be taken.

For example, in a recent case, a 14-year old girl fractured her rib and ruptured her spleen when a horse she was riding started to gallop and she fell off. Before riding, the girl had signed a waiver saying that she was an experienced rider and assumed all of the risks of riding. After the accident, the girl sued the horse owner, claiming that she was an inexperienced rider and therefore should have been given a calmer horse to ride.

The case made it to trial, and the verdict was in favor of the girl. The jury awarded $73,000 to her, which included $53,000 for pain and suffering.

The moral of this story is: If you're a riding instructor, boarder, trainer or breeder, you need to find out how much coverage is enough for you. Markel can inform you about your risks and responsibilities -- and make sure you have enough coverage with a Commercial Equine Liability Policy.