You are Bound by the Contracts you Sign
People often need an attorney because they have been injured or have been harmed in some way. Sometimes those harms are physical and sometimes those harms are more of a business matter, such as when a contract has been breached.
We’ve often heard people say “don’t sign a contract if you haven’t read it,” but how many of us actually read (and understand) the contracts we sign? We are faced with contracts in so many areas of our lives. If we buy something that costs a lot of money, we sign a contract (e.g. buying a house, renting an apartment, buying a car). We also sign contracts when we want to do something (e.g. joining a gym, participating in a sport, etc.). And, of course, we sign contracts when we obligate ourselves to a debt (e.g. credit cards, mortgages, lines of credit, loans).
If you sign a contract, you will be held responsible for fulfilling your obligations under that contract, even if you don’t know or understand what is in the contract and even if you didn’t read it. Don’t assume that “they won’t sue me” or that some term of the contract won’t be enforced. Instead, assume that all terms of the contract will be enforced against you.
So, next time someone asks you to sign a contract, be sure that you read it thoroughly. Ask questions about the parts you don’t understand. And decide whether it is really worth it to obligate yourself to the promises you are making in the contract.
