'The big print giveth and the fine print taketh away.' (Tom Waits) You have almost certainly signed a disclaimer at some point. A waiver before a trail run, an indemnity form before a bungee jump, a clause buried in a brochure. Businesses rely on these documents to limit their exposure when things go wrong. A 2026 Supreme Court of Appeal judgment is a sharp reminder that a disclaimer is only as good as the process behind it, and that courts will not lightly allow a company to

' You must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour.' (Lord Atkin in the groundbreaking 1932 House of Lords decision that found a soft drink manufacturer liable for a consumer’s shock and illness after she discovered a decomposed snail in the remains of her ginger beer.) A simple burger night turned into an ordeal for a diner who swallowed a 'needle-like object' hidden in her meal. The High Court

'The minute you read something that you can’t understand, you can almost be sure that it was drawn up by a lawyer.' (Will Rogers, cowboy...