Liability limitation

Definição

Liability limitation restricts, by contract, the amount and types of damages a party must compensate. This is done through a financial cap, exclusion of consequential loss, a time bar on claims, or a combination of these. Under Dutch law such limitations are generally valid between businesses, but a court may set one aside where relying on it would be unacceptable by standards of reasonableness and fairness, or in cases of intent or gross negligence.

Exemplo

An IT supplier caps its liability at the annual contract fee and excludes all consequential damages such as lost profit.

Porque é um risco para a empresa

A liability cap that looks reasonable when a contract is signed can become grossly inadequate when an incident actually occurs, leaving you holding losses far beyond what you can recover. Accepting a poorly worded cap without checking whether it covers all damage categories means consequential losses such as lost profit or business interruption may be entirely excluded. Businesses that manage a large portfolio of supplier contracts risk inconsistent cap levels, with some contracts carrying exposure that dwarfs the contract value.

Como gerir

• Before signing, identify which categories of loss you could actually suffer and check whether each is covered or excluded by the cap.
• Negotiate a cap level that reflects the realistic downside of a failure, not just the annual contract fee.
• Check whether your counterparty's professional indemnity or cyber insurance covers the losses the contractual cap does not.
• Keep a record of the agreed cap level in each contract so you can benchmark exposure across your portfolio at renewal.
• Review cap levels whenever contract scope, fees or risk profile change significantly, as the original figure may no longer be appropriate.

Referências jurídicas

• BW 6:248 Dutch Civil Code: reasonableness and fairness Direito neerlandês
• BW 6:95 Dutch Civil Code: extent of damages Direito neerlandês

Salvo indicação em contrário, as referências remetem para o direito neerlandês (Burgerlijk Wetboek, o Código Civil neerlandês); os instrumentos da UE, como o RGPD, aplicam-se em toda a UE. Esta é informação geral, não constitui aconselhamento jurídico. Outras jurisdições tratam estes conceitos de forma diferente. Verifique o texto em vigor e a sua situação com um advogado qualificado.