Liabilityhigh Risk Severity

Limitation of Liability (LoL)

Without this clause, a minor bug or delayed deliverable could trigger a lawsuit demanding millions in lost customer revenue or business interruption damages. It acts as the ultimate shield for your business.

Plain-English Definition

A Limitation of Liability clause caps the maximum financial exposure either party can face in a lawsuit and disclaims indirect, punitive, and consequential damages (like lost profits).

Standard vs. Protective Language

Compare typical counterparty-favored phrasing against our attorney-approved balanced alternative.

Typical Aggressive LanguageFavor: Counterparty
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL EITHER PARTY BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR LOST REVENUES, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT. NEITHER PARTY'S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY SHALL EXCEED THE TOTAL FEES PAID OR PAYABLE IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.

⚠ Often leaves you exposed to uncapped liabilities or third-party indemnities without defense control.

LegalGPT Safer SubstituteRecommended
In no event shall either party's aggregate liability under or related to this Agreement exceed the total fees paid by Customer to Provider in the twelve (12) months preceding the incident. Neither party shall be liable for indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages (including lost profits or business interruption), regardless of theory of liability.
Balanced mutual liability & defense control

Dangerous Red Flags in this Clause

If you spot any of these phrases or omissions in your contract, pause and propose counter-language immediately:

Missing limitation of liability clause altogether (creating unlimited legal exposure)
Uncapped liability for simple breach of confidentiality or data protection
One-sided caps where the vendor is capped at $100 but the customer has unlimited recovery
Excessively narrow exclusions that fail to exclude lost profits and consequential damages

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the standard monetary cap in commercial contracts?

For software, consulting, and service contracts, the standard cap is the total fees paid or payable by the client under the contract in the preceding 12 months.

What are consequential damages?

Consequential (or indirect) damages are financial losses that do not flow directly from the breach itself, but from the downstream consequences—such as lost sales, reputational harm, or lost investors. A proper LoL clause disclaims these entirely.

Agreements Containing This Clause

Commercial and employment contracts where the Limitation of Liability (LoL) is routinely included and negotiated.

Related Companion Clauses

When redlining this provision, review these related clauses to prevent unintended liability shifts.