Does agreeing to the release in the Dq Treat franchise agreement constitute an admission of liability?
Dq_Treat Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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- No Admission of Liability. It is specifically understood that by reason of agreeing to this Release, the parties hereby released admit no liability of any sort and have made no representations as to liability, and it is further expressly understood and agreed that this Release shall not be construed as an admission of liability on the part of the parties or anyone else. This Release is freely and voluntarily executed by the undersigned, without any duress or coercion, and after they have carefully and completely read all of the terms and provisions of this Release and have had an opportunity to review the same with counsel.
Source: Item 17 — The following paragraph is added to the end of Item 17 of the Disclosure Document: (FDD pages 70–378)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Dq Treat FDD, agreeing to the release within the franchise agreement does not constitute an admission of liability. The franchise agreement states that by agreeing to the release, none of the released parties admit any liability. Furthermore, the agreement specifies that no representations as to liability have been made, and the release should not be interpreted as an admission of liability on the part of any party.
This clause protects both the franchisee and Dq Treat from the implication that settling a claim or agreeing to a release is equivalent to admitting fault or wrongdoing. This is a standard provision in settlement agreements and releases to ensure that parties can resolve disputes without creating a legal precedent or admission of guilt.
The FDD emphasizes that the release is executed freely and voluntarily, implying that the franchisee has carefully reviewed the terms, understands the provisions, and has had the opportunity to seek counsel. This further reinforces the understanding that the franchisee is not being coerced into admitting liability by agreeing to the release.