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by impossiblefork 269 days ago
Here in Sweden contracts are a specific thing, otherwise it's not a contract, so agreeing to conditions that can be changed by the other party simply isn't a contract and therefore is just a bullshit paper of very dubious legal validity.

I know that some things like this are accepted in America, and I can't judge how it would be dealt with. I assume that contracts between companies and other sophisticated entities are actual contracts with unchangeable terms.
2 comments
mindcrime 269 days ago
I know that some things like this are accepted in America

Not really. Everything you said about contracts above applies to contracts in America last time I checked. Disclaimer: IANAL, my legal training amounts of 1 semester of "Business Law" in college.

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impossiblefork 269 days ago
In theory yes, but you also have this stuff where people agree to get medical treatment and the price isn't specified.

This would be a non-contract in Swedish law, for example.

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mindcrime 269 days ago
One thing about the US, is how we handle settings where one could conceptualize a contract as being needed, but where it would be way too inefficient and impractical to negotiate, write out, understand, and sign, a written contract. In those cases, which includes things like retail sales, restaurants, and may other cases, the UCC or Uniform Commercial Code[1][2] applies. Not sure offhand if that relates to the medical example or not, but I expect that at least some similar notion applies. So there are binding laws that cover these transactions, it's just not done the same way as a "full fledged contract".

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Commercial_Code

[2]: The UCC also covers other things, but these cases are a lot of what it's best known for.

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watwut 269 days ago
Knowing medical prices up front would be entirely possible and practical. In most situations, you should be able to sign contract up front.
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adastra22 269 days ago
It is also illegal in USA, although that only changed recently.
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mikeyouse 269 days ago
Yeah, I’ve signed dozens of contracts for services and some are explicit in the way you expect but a lot of software or SAAS type contracts have flexible terms that refer to TOS and privacy policies that are updated regularly. It’s uncommon that any of those things are changed in a way that either party is upset with so companies are generally okay signing up and assuming good faith.
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