Powerfibers 8 Report post Posted January 13, 2011 I want to rent ice for ten weeks over the summer for my son's team and friends. It is not an official organizational/team event, but the coaches are all on board. Everyone will be asked to pay their share and will get practice jerseys. I will not be making a profit. I have the rink and all that set up, but I am wondering what if any sort of liability I might have if someone were to get hurt? My brother-in-law attorney says that it is not any different then if I rented Chuck E Cheese and someone got hurt. As long as I am not purposefully negligent by allowing really bad things to happen on ice, it should be no big deal. I am assuming all kids are USA Hockey insured, but does that matter? What am I missing? I appreciate the help, and I know others have probably done this many times. I just don't want to do something stupid. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
watchgreat 4 Report post Posted January 13, 2011 Read the paperwork you sign when you rent ice. All the answers are there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shotty 7 Report post Posted January 13, 2011 in canada, when you rent a facility, participants are covered for up to $1.5M excluding any injuries sustained by participation. if you are looking for additional coverage for while the kids are participating, there are a great number of providers that do it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chadd 916 Report post Posted January 13, 2011 Ask your brother in law to draw up a waiver. That said, people can sue for any reason they want and some really sketchy ones end up going to trial. The question is if you can afford to defend yourself from a nuisance lawsuit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nickerjones 8 Report post Posted January 14, 2011 Ask your brother in law to draw up a waiver. That said, people can sue for any reason they want and some really sketchy ones end up going to trial. The question is if you can afford to defend yourself from a nuisance lawsuit.And if it is a kid that gets hurt it wont matter if you have a waiver or not. A lawyer will argue that a parent can not sign away the kid's rights . I only know this bc a parent sued a ballpark I umpired at and this was the basis of the argument, so I was told. The kid won the lawsuit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chadd 916 Report post Posted January 14, 2011 Doubt USAH will cover it under their insurance. You may want to talk to K&K or others about liability insurance.Unless the event is USAH sanctioned, they probably won't.And if it is a kid that gets hurt it wont matter if you have a waiver or not. A lawyer will argue that a parent can not sign away the kid's rights . I only know this bc a parent sued a ballpark I umpired at and this was the basis of the argument, so I was told. The kid won the lawsuit.There's always an excuse for a waiver not applying in every case where there is a waiver, some courts accept those excuses, others don't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hermans 9 Report post Posted January 14, 2011 one rink in the GTA has an extra $15 in their price and that gives extra coverage. Ask your rink if they can do this too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wrangler 157 Report post Posted January 14, 2011 I want to rent ice for ten weeks over the summer for my son's team and friends. It is not an official organizational/team event, but the coaches are all on board. Everyone will be asked to pay their share and will get practice jerseys. I will not be making a profit. I have the rink and all that set up, but I am wondering what if any sort of liability I might have if someone were to get hurt? My brother-in-law attorney says that it is not any different then if I rented Chuck E Cheese and someone got hurt. As long as I am not purposefully negligent by allowing really bad things to happen on ice, it should be no big deal. I am assuming all kids are USA Hockey insured, but does that matter? What am I missing? I appreciate the help, and I know others have probably done this many times. I just don't want to do something stupid. Thanks.You can check your contract with the rink, their insurance policy, and the USA hockey insurance policy, as has been suggested, for coverage. But you went to the right place to start with, for the question of liability. You asked a local lawyer. That's where you get legal advice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Powerfibers 8 Report post Posted January 14, 2011 Thanks everyone. I appreciate the issues you raised, and I will follow up on them. The rink is run by the local community center, and I know the center's director well from baseball. We carry tons of insurance for our baseball park/league, etc. I will go straight to him and then get a waiver drawn up as well. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silverclrk 0 Report post Posted January 14, 2011 Thanks everyone. I appreciate the issues you raised, and I will follow up on them. The rink is run by the local community center, and I know the center's director well from baseball. We carry tons of insurance for our baseball park/league, etc. I will go straight to him and then get a waiver drawn up as well. Thanks.You could also purchase a personal umbrella policy from your insurance agent in NJ with my compnay they run about 200 for a million in coverage for liability. You can always get around the waiver of liability with a good lawyer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wrangler 157 Report post Posted January 14, 2011 You can always get around the waiver of liability with a good lawyer.Depends on facts, circumstances, and the local law. A lawyer in the area is always the best resource for this stuff. He can draft a waiver, and tell you what it's worth in court. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chadd 916 Report post Posted January 15, 2011 Depends on facts, circumstances, and the local law. A lawyer in the area is always the best resource for this stuff. He can draft a waiver, and tell you what it's worth in court.Assuming that is an area where that particular lawyer has experience.Thanks everyone. I appreciate the issues you raised, and I will follow up on them. The rink is run by the local community center, and I know the center's director well from baseball. We carry tons of insurance for our baseball park/league, etc. I will go straight to him and then get a waiver drawn up as well. Thanks.I would check into having the rink offer the program instead of doing it yourself. If the payments from each kid go go the rink, it would technically be their event and mostly their liability. At that point you would likely be covered as the instructor as well.And all of this is for the one in a million case where they decide to sue, but it's worth the effort if you like your house. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wrangler 157 Report post Posted January 15, 2011 Assuming that is an area where that particular lawyer has experience.I would check into having the rink offer the program instead of doing it yourself. If the payments from each kid go go the rink, it would technically be their event and mostly their liability. At that point you would likely be covered as the instructor as well.And all of this is for the one in a million case where they decide to sue, but it's worth the effort if you like your house.Part of the lawyer's responsibility is determining his competence in the area of law. And if he screws up, you've got his malpractice policy for additional protection.As to your suggestion, like the others, I'll reiterate -- run it by a lawyer, that's what they do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Powerfibers 8 Report post Posted January 15, 2011 Thank you guys for the continuing advice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
