Does the Southern Steer franchisee's indemnification obligation extend to claims related to violations of data privacy laws?

According to the 2025 Southern Steer Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee's indemnification obligations do extend to claims related to violations of data privacy laws. The franchisee must indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified parties for damages resulting from claims that include, without limitation, a violation of any data privacy laws.

This means that if a Southern Steer franchisee violates data privacy laws, they are responsible for covering any damages, losses, or expenses incurred by the franchisor or related parties as a result of claims arising from that violation. This could include legal fees, fines, settlements, and other costs associated with defending against or resolving the claim.

In addition to data privacy laws, the franchisee's indemnification responsibilities also extend to breaches of security, regardless of whether an indemnified party is required to take any action under any state or federal law, and failure to comply with the PCI DSS and/or other information security standards required by Southern Steer. However, the franchisee is not obligated to indemnify the indemnified parties for any damages attributable to, arising out of, from, in connection with, or as a result of any gross negligence or intentional misconduct by the indemnified parties.