10/17/95
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Snowboard Product Liability Release form Upheld by Court


	Superior Court for the State of California handed down a 
precedent setting decision with respect to snowboarding release of 
liability forms. Defendants Burton Snowboards, Ski Shop Santa Cruz, 
and Andy Whitman were dismissed from the lawsuit, Goodkind v. 
Burton Snowboards, et al., due to the sole fact that the decedent, son 
of the plaintiff, signed a "Retail Snowboard Equipment Purchase, 
Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims and Assumption of Risk 
Agreement". The signed agreement, which was produced in court, 
persuaded the judge's decision that the plaintiff's claim's were 
invalid since the decedent, by signing the release assumed all 
product liability risks involved in the sport of snowboarding.

	This lawsuit Goodkind v. Burton Snowboards, et al., addressed 
one of the most pressing issues in the snowboarding industry--
product liability. The release of liability form is the only instrument 
acting as a preventive measure from financially destructive lawsuits. 
In this case the liability release successfully extricated Burton and its 
retailer and set precedent for future cases. It has also spared the 
defendants from many weeks of drawn out jury trial. The dismissal 
decision sends a serious message to the snowboarding industry -- 
manufacturer distributor, and retailer -- and it has huge implications 
which will deter consumers from filing frivolous lawsuits against 
manufacturers distributors and retailers. Burton has designed its 
product liability release form to help its retailers. This form is 
available to manufacturers and non-Burton dealers as reference 
document for creating their own product liability release form The 
whole industry stands to benefit from a cohesive and consistent 
approach to liability release policies.

For Further Information: Contact Nancy Burton Snowboards 
Marketing Department