Whether you’ve just opened a brand-new tattoo parlor, or you’ve been in a successful business for several years, you can still be at risk of a tattoo lawsuit if something goes wrong. That’s why it pays to have tattoo shop insurance, which can protect you from some of the most common lawsuit types, no matter how frivolous those suits might be. Here’s some additional advice on how to avoid beginner tattoo mistakes, so your business can remain profitable and relatively free of lawsuits.
Check Your Consents
Every client must sign a consent form before you ink them, it’s part of the procedure of running a tattoo shop. The consent form informs the customer of the many risks they are assuming when getting a tattoo. It exempts the artists and businesses from liability in many instances where there is a tattoo gone wrong. But are your forms good enough?
Sometimes tattoo artists are surprised to learn that their client consents are not worth the paper they’re printed on. This is because the consent form is too broadly written in some cases. In other cases, your state’s liability laws may have changed after you had an attorney draft your consents.
Here’s a way to avoid this mistake. You likely paid a contract attorney to write the client consent form that you use. Have a different attorney review it, and not just any attorney. Take your consent form to a personal injury lawyer, which is the type of attorney that will most likely bring a lawsuit against you if a client decides to sue. Ask a personal injury lawyer if your consent form could use improvements, like filling in any gaps or if there are any ways you can improve your practices to avoid a lawsuit. It’s also a great idea to have your consent form reviewed annually, in case there have been any changes to state law that went into effect.
Check Your Procedures
Sometimes when a business runs smoothly for a while and is making money, it can seem like things are on autopilot. You’ve got tattoo artist insurance, you have a steady stream of clients, you’re renting chairs to guest artists and everything seems to be going smoothly. This doesn’t mean you can ever become lax when it comes to procedures, which is where mistakes can sneak into the process and open you up to a lawsuit. Here are some things to review on a periodic basis to avoid the biggest tattoo mistakes:
- Are you and your artists checking IDs of every client, to ensure that they’re old enough for a tattoo?
- Are you educating clients on tattoo aftercare? This is one of the best ways to avoid a tattoo lawsuit. Clients who don’t properly care for their tattoos are more likely to get sick or infected and try to put the blame on your business.
- Do your guest artists bring their own equipment and inks? While this can be a cost savings to your business, who do you suppose is liable if a guest artist brings a bad batch of ink into your shop? (Spoiler alert: You are liable!)
- Do you have a regular equipment sanitation procedure and does everyone know it and rigorously follow it?
Contact Marine Agency for Tattoo Insurance
- Ensure that client consents are well written to protect against a lawsuit
- Review consents annually in case of changes to state liability laws
- Review sanitation and client education procedures regularly to stay on top of your game (and stay lawsuit-free)
Tattoo insurance from Marine Agency is a great way to protect your parlor in the event of a lawsuit. Contact Marine Agency today at 800-35-MARINE for a strong tattoo artist insurance policy that will keep your business safe.
