A contract is an act by which one party obligates another to give, do or not do something (Article 1105 Civil Code). Within this covenant, pacts, clauses and conditions may be established that are agreed upon by the contracting parties.
In short, this is the legal instrument on which an accord between two parties is drawn; the conditions of the accord may be of the labor type, civil, commercial, etc.
Problems arise when said contract can be used against you and provokes negative consequences, which can lead to losses and legal battles, because of involuntary redaction errors or unconscious omissions committed by the person that draws up the contract.
Following are recommendations to avoid setbacks: 1. Participate in the negotiation and in setting conditions that the accord will establish, or preferably go through a suitable legal professional. 2. Carefully read the content of said contract. You must comprehend the reach of the terms of the agreement. If you feel unsure of fully understanding the rights and obligations that you are contracting, it would be ideal to request the services of a lawyer to go over the document. 3. Be sure to sign your last name on the bottom of each page to avoid, whether it be by error or omission, or even fraud, that part of the signed document be removed or altered. 4. And, lastly, it is always important to keep an original of the contract signed by all parties.
By Attorney Rina Ríos
