Disclaimer

A disclaimer is generally any statement intended to specify or delimit the scope of rights and obligations that may be exercised and enforced by parties in a legally recognized relationship.

A disclaimer may specify mutually agreed and privately arranged terms and conditions as part of a contract; or may specify warnings or expectations to the general public (or some other class of persons) in order to fulfill a duty of care owed to prevent unreasonable risk of harm or injury.

Some may vary depending on the specific context and parties involved, while other types of disclaimers may strictly adhere to a uniform and established set of formalities that are rarely or never modified, except under official authority.

Some of these formal disclaimers are required pursuant to industry regulation, qualification for protection under a safe harbor, and other situations where the exact wording of a particular clause or document may be dispositive in the event of a legal dispute.

(See e.g., Product liability, Toxicity class, Rule against perpetuities, Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act.)

In law, a disclaimer is a statement denying responsibility intended to prevent civil liability arising for particular acts or omissions.

Warnings or disclaimers contained in signs may, by a slightly different legal analysis leading to the same result, allow the person who would otherwise be responsible to rely on the defense of consent.

By virtue of the Act, a business cannot use a contract term or a notice to exclude or restrict its liability for negligence causing death or personal injury.

Disclaimers often concern public safety or business relationships, or, as shown here, may be of a personal nature. Publishing disclaimers is an attempt to provide constructive notice to possible claimants.
Sign on bridge with a warning "Use at own risk"
Disclaimer of liability for "equine professionals" ( Indiana )