...zwingend gehaftet wird

English translation: insofar as [party] is not strictly liable for

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:...zwingend gehaftet wird
English translation:insofar as [party] is not strictly liable for
Entered by: Kirsten Bodart

11:41 Jun 23, 2013
German to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law: Contract(s) / General Terms and Conditions
German term or phrase: ...zwingend gehaftet wird
Die Haftungsbeschränkungen gelten nicht soweit bei Schäden an privat genutzten Sachen nach dem Produkthaftungsgesetz oder in Fällen des Vorsatzes oder groben Fahrlässigkeit oder der Verletzung wesentlicher Vertragspflichten oder des Fehlens zugesicherter Eigenschaften für vertragstypische vorhersehbare Schäden zwingend gehaftet wird.

I am struggling to understand the grammar here. I think I follow the bulk of the sentence but then the extra verb at the end confuses me! Here's my attempt:

Limitations to liability do not apply to damage to privately used items under the German Product Liability Act, to cases of gross negligence or wilful intent, to violation of essential contractual obligations or to absence of demonstrably warranted properties...

..the foreseeable damages for which strict liability has been set out in the contract?


I'm a technical translator and this is the last bit of some pretty standard AGBs for a client's website. But as I'm not particularly well versed in legal translation, any suggestions to improve this monster of a sentence are appreciated!
Angela Malik
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:55
insofar as [party] is not strictly liable for... under the present contract/agreement
Explanation:
I would turn the sentence active and include the party whom this clause applies to. It reads better than the passive and is clearer because you've got the essence of the sentence in the beginning.
I think Kim's suggestion of 'strict liability' is not a bad one, provided you include the contract/agreement you are dealing with.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2013-06-24 10:42:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

No 'under the present contract/agreement' should be there. I was too hasty there. The party here would be strictly liable for damage to objects used for private purposes under/in acc. with the Product Liability Act or in all those other cases.
Selected response from:

Kirsten Bodart
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:55
Grading comment
Thanks for your quick help!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5...
sinefre (X)
4insofar as [party] is not strictly liable for... under the present contract/agreement
Kirsten Bodart
3..properties of foreseeable losses [which are]inherent to this contract and thus mandatorily covered
sinefre (X)
Summary of reference entries provided
Strict liability
Kim Metzger

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


52 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
..properties of foreseeable losses [which are]inherent to this contract and thus mandatorily covered


Explanation:
If I break it down, the sentence reads like this:

Die Haftungsbeschränkungen gelten nicht soweit
- bei Schäden an privat genutzten Sachen nach dem Produkthaftungsgesetz, oder
- in Fällen...
... des Vorsatzes oder
... grobeR Fahrlässigkeit (grammar!) oder
... der Verletzung wesentlicher Vertragspflichten oder
... des Fehlens zugesicherter Eigenschaften für vertragstypische vorhersehbare Schäden

This bit "zwingend gehaftet wird" reads like the remnant of an incomplete 'copy and paste/delete' act.

However, if you change it to something like what follows, it might make more sense:
"Die Haftungsbeschränkungen gelten nicht soweit [...] in Fällen [...] des Fehlens zugesicherter Eigenschaften für vertragstypische vorhersehbare Schäden, für die (bereits) zwingend gehaftet wird."
--> in the sense that another agreement or clause is in place that covers all and any foreseeable damage/losses.

Does this help you at all?

sinefre (X)
Germany
Local time: 21:55
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
...


Explanation:
Kirsten is right; it's just a comma that is missing to make sense.

By adding the comma before soweit, the remainder of the sentence states what shall not be covered by the limitations to liability.

sinefre (X)
Germany
Local time: 21:55
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

22 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
insofar as [party] is not strictly liable for... under the present contract/agreement


Explanation:
I would turn the sentence active and include the party whom this clause applies to. It reads better than the passive and is clearer because you've got the essence of the sentence in the beginning.
I think Kim's suggestion of 'strict liability' is not a bad one, provided you include the contract/agreement you are dealing with.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2013-06-24 10:42:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

No 'under the present contract/agreement' should be there. I was too hasty there. The party here would be strictly liable for damage to objects used for private purposes under/in acc. with the Product Liability Act or in all those other cases.

Kirsten Bodart
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:55
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks for your quick help!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)




Reference comments


13 hrs
Reference: Strict liability

Reference information:
I'm not sure if "strict liability" is a reasonable equivalent of "zwingend haften," but it has been used by others here.

Strict liability
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/german_to_english/law_patents/2506...
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/german_to_english/law_patents/2479...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strict_liability

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 1256
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search