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Why Do I Need to Read Before I Sign?

Posted by Jonathan Krems | Oct 13, 2022 | 0 Comments

In this week's Freedom Friday blog and email newsletter, I want to talk about a topic that should come up more often, and that's regarding contracts.  Any time you're given a contract or a waiver (which is a type of contract) which you're asked to sign, you need to read it before you sign.  Many consumers and even small business owners receive contracts every day, and they sign what they probably consider a “boilerplate” document, without even reading it.  Have you ever purchased a product, such as software or a piece of hardware for your computer, like a printer, and you've been asked to agree to (or accept) the terms and conditions?  Most people will scroll down and accept the terms and conditions without reading them.  Most consumers won't bother reading the terms and conditions, or the contract, before they sign.  However, as a small business owner, you need to read before you sign.  In today's Freedom Friday blog and email newsletter, I'm going to answer the question, “Why do I need to read before I sign?”

In Oklahoma, when you sign a document like a contract or a waiver, you are presumed to have read the document and understand its contents.  With a few exceptions in certain circumstances, which are beyond the scope of this article, you will be bound by what you signed, whether you read it or not.  This is why you need to read the contract or the document before you sign it, and if you don't understand the terms and conditions, you should ask someone to explain the contract or document to you.  At Liberty Legal Solutions, LLC, we offer contract review and/or document review services for a flat fee, depending on the number of pages of the document.  Many times we are sent a document when it is too late, and the prospective client is needing a solution because the other party has breached the contract, and the prospective client is looking for a solution in the way of how to recover their loss, get their money back, etc.

For example, if you hire someone to build a house, you will likely need to sign many contracts.  If you're a general contractor working on that new house for a customer, you'll likely need to sign a contract with your subcontractor.  If you're a subcontractor, then you should be signing a contract with your general contractor.  This is all very important, because everyone deserves to get paid, and the customer wanting a new home wants their house done.  However, if you don't read that contract before you sign it, you might be agreeing to terms that are unfair to you, and then you are bound to those unfair terms.  This is why it is critical to read before you sign that contract or that document, and if you don't understand the terms of the contract, contact a lawyer to help you understand what you're signing before you sign and commit to those terms.

Thinking about starting a small business?  Or maybe your small business is having issues with contracts, leases, business partners, collection issues, or experiencing other barriers to growth?  Please contact me at [email protected] to schedule a FREE strategy session.

For more information about Liberty Legal Solutions, LLC, please visit our website at http://www.libertylegalok.com/

About the Author

Jonathan Krems

Jonathan is the Founder and Managing Attorney of Liberty Legal Solutions, LLC, a law firm dedicated to building, protecting, and defending the business and personal interests of our clients in Oklahoma.  Jonathan's primary practice areas are business law, contracts and agreements, business liti...

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