Please read these Terms of Service (the “Agreement”) carefully. Your use
of the Service (as defined below) constitutes your consent to this Agreement.
PT on Demand is a fitness platform that utilizes the Healthy Posture System video
library to guide those without an active injury or active pain condition through the Healthy Posture System.
The Healthy Posture System is a series of neutral spine based functional fitness workouts. The
Healthy Posture System was created by a physical therapist to help clients prevent posture related
musculoskeletal injuries. PT on Demand is not a medical platform. PT on Demand has a referral
relationship with Physical Therapy on Demand. Physical Therapy on demand refers clients that have
successfully completed the Physical Therapy on Demand injury management programs to the PT on Demand
Platform for home based maintenance. PT on Demand is designed only for clients that do not have an active injury or active pain condition. The PT
on Demand platform combines online tele-fitness coaching services with access to the Healthy Posture System
video library with the sole intent of progressing clients to the level of the Healthy Posture System that
matches the clients stated fitness goals.
This Agreement is between you and PT on Demand (“PT on Demand” or
“we” or “us”) concerning your use of (including any access to) the online services
that PT on Demand makes available for use through applications in different platforms such as, but not
limited to, web application, mobile application, connected equipment integration and application
(collectively, together with any software, web pages, cloud services, content, and other materials and
services available therein, and successor service(s) and app(s) thereto, the “Service”). This
Agreement hereby incorporates by this reference any additional terms and conditions posted by PT on Demand
through the Service, or otherwise made available to you by PT on Demand.
By using the Service, you affirm that you are of legal age to enter into this
Agreement, or, if you are not, that you have obtained parental or guardian consent to enter into this
Agreement. Please note that separate requirements may apply to a minor’s use of any PT on Demand
Service.
If you are an individual accessing or using the Service on behalf of, or for the
benefit of, any corporation, partnership or other entity with which you are associated (an
“Organization”), then you are agreeing to this Agreement on behalf of yourself and such
Organization, and you represent and warrant that you have the legal authority to bind such Organization to
this Agreement. References to “you” and “your” in this Agreement will refer to both
the individual using the Service and to any such Organization. Please note that use of the Service by or on
behalf of any Organization may also be subject to additional terms made available by PT on Demand from time
to time, which are hereby incorporated by this reference into this Agreement.
By using the Service, you are also agreeing (i) that you have read and understood our
Privacy Policy which sets out how we collect, process and use your information; and (ii) to our Medical
Disclaimer. Please read these Terms carefully before you start to use the Service. We recommend that you
print a copy of these Terms for future reference. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the
Service.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE AGREEMENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY PT on Demand IN ITS SOLE
DISCRETION AT ANY TIME. When changes are made, PT on Demand will make a new copy of the Terms of Service
available at the Site and within the Application and any new supplemental terms will be made available from
within, or through, the affected PT on Demand Service. We will also update the effective date at the top of
these Terms of Service. If we make any material changes, we will provide notice of such material changes on
the Site and if you have a Subscription with us, we will also attempt to notify you by sending an email at
the last e-mail address you provided to us in your account registration. Any changes to the Agreement will
be effective immediately for new users of the Service and will be effective for existing users upon the
earlier of (a) the effective date at the top of these Terms of Service and (b) your consent to and
acceptance of the updated Agreement if PT on Demand provides a mechanism for your immediate acceptance in a
specified manner (such as a click-through acceptance), which PT on Demand may require before further use of
the PT on Demand Service is permitted.
- GENERAL
- This document was last updated on December 12, 2024.
- By using our Site and Services, you are agreeing to these Terms and
representing that you are at least 13 years old and that if you are between 13 years and 18 years old,
your legal guardian has reviewed and agrees to these terms and is happy for you to access and/or use our
Site and Services.
- PT on Demand reserves the right to amend or change these Terms at
any time without notice. By using the Site and Services after any changes have been posted, you agree to
any new terms.
- We may suspend, restrict or terminate your account and your access
to our Site and Services with or without notice if we believe that you have breached these Terms.
- HEALTH DISCLAIMER
- THE PT on Demand SERVICE OFFERS HEALTH AND FITNESS INFORMATION AND
IS DESIGNED FOR EDUCATIONAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR
GENERAL PRACTITIONER BEFORE BEGINNING A NEW FITNESS PROGRAM. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THIS INFORMATION AS
A SUBSTITUTE FOR, NOR DOES IT REPLACE, PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. IF YOU HAVE
ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT WITH A PHYSICIAN, GENERAL
PRACTITIONER OR OTHER HEALTH-CARE PROFESSIONAL. DO NOT DISREGARD, AVOID OR DELAY OBTAINING MEDICAL OR
HEALTH RELATED ADVICE FROM YOUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU MAY HAVE READ ON THE PT
on Demand SITE OR HEARD ON THE PT on Demand SERVICE. THE USE OF INFORMATION PROVIDED THROUGH THE PT on
Demand SERVICE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.
- Do not engage in PT on Demand workouts if your physician or medical
provider has instructed you not to engage in an exercise program. You should stop your workout and
contact your physician if you experience any of the following symptoms: overheated, dizziness, fainting,
fatigue, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
- Research developments may impact the health and nutritional advice
that appears on the Service. No assurance can be given that the information contained on the Service
will always include the most recent developments.
- PRIVACY POLICY
- Your submission of information through the Service is governed by PT
on Demand’s Privacy Policy, located at PT on Demand’s website (the “Privacy
Policy”). You represent and warrant that any information you provide in connection with the
Service is and will remain accurate and complete, and that you will maintain and update such information
as needed.
- LICENCE
- Subject to your compliance with these Terms and for so long as you
are permitted by us to access the Site and use the Services, PT on Demand grants you a limited,
non-transferable, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, revocable licence to access the Site and use the
Services for your own personal, non-commercial purposes. This licence includes the right to download the
PT on Demand’s app and view any text, graphics, images, music, software, audio, video, works of
authorship of any kind, and information or other materials that are posted, generated, provided or
otherwise made available through the Site and Services.
- Except as expressly permitted by these Terms, you will not copy,
reproduce, modify, redistribute, sell, transfer, create derivative works from, decompile, reverse
engineer, or disassemble the Site, Services or any content or materials within them, nor will you take
any measures to interfere with or damage the Site or Services.
- INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
- You acknowledge and agree that all copyright, trademarks and all
other intellectual property rights in the Products, Site and Services and all material or content
supplied as part of the Products, Site and Services will remain at all times vested in us or our
licensors. You are permitted to use this material only as expressly authorized by us in accordance with
these Terms. All rights not expressly granted by PT on Demand in these Terms are reserved.
- AVAILABILITY
- We cannot guarantee that you will have uninterrupted access to the
Site and our Services at all times. While we will make all effort to avoid it, access may be disrupted
from time to time due to necessary maintenance, technical issues, network and system overloads or events
outside of our control.
- The inclusion of any products or services on Site at a particular
time does not imply or warrant that these products or services will be available at any time. We reserve
the right to discontinue any Products or Services at any time.
- You may be required to download and install updates to the PT on
Demand App to maintain access to our Services. Failure to do so may result in certain features and
services being unavailable or adversely affected.
- ACCURACY
- We try to be as accurate as possible on the Site about the Services
and Products including pricing, package inclusions, and any other details related to our Service.
However, while we try our best to ensure that product information on our website is correct, it is
possible that the Site may contain errors or inaccuracies. We therefore reserve the right to correct any
errors, inaccuracies or omissions and to change and update information at any time without prior
notice.
- ACCOUNT REGISTRATION
- In order to access the Services, you’ll need to register for a
PT on Demand account and have a valid subscription and/or a free trial.
- All information that you provide when opening an account must be
accurate and up to date, including your name, address, credit or debit card numbers and expiration
dates, and any other payment information. You must notify us about any changes, if your payment method
is cancelled or if you become aware of a potential breach of security such as the unauthorised
disclosure or use of your username or password.
- You agree that you will take all steps necessary to protect your
login details and keep them secret. You agree that you will not share your details or allow someone else
to use your account. If you do not keep your login details secret, or if you share your account or
details with someone else, you accept full responsibility for the consequences (including being charged
for additional subscriptions).
- SUBSCRIPTIONS
- You can purchase a subscription directly on our website or through
an app provider such as Apple, Google Play Store or other App Stores where the App will be available
(“App Provider”).
- We accept payment from the payment options shown at checkout,
including Visa, Mastercard and American Express. We reserve the right to check the accuracy and validity
of the payment method used, including its credit status in relation to the order value. We may refuse
orders depending on the result of these checks.
- We reserve the right to change our prices at any time. Prices of
subscriptions may vary depending on the type of subscription and the country where you are
located.
- If the credit card that you use to pay is denominated in a currency
other than US Dollar (USD), you acknowledge that you may be charged additional administrative and/or
currency conversion fees by the applicable bank or service provider, for which you will be
responsible.
- From time to time, we may ourselves or through our partners offer
free trials to new users. Each person is entitled to no more than one free trial.
- If during the free trial sign up you choose a subscription and
provide payment details to us, you will automatically be charged for the full price of the chosen
subscription when the free trial ends, unless you cancel beforehand.
- RENEWALS, CANCELLATIONS, AND REFUNDS
- Where you have subscribed for the Services directly through our
website, you have 3 days after signing up (the “Cancellation Period”) to change your mind
and cancel without being charged. Where you have signed up for a free trial, you can cancel any time
before the end of the free trial period and you will not be charged. Please note that you may lose any
right of withdrawal that you have if you have used the Services during the Cancellation Period or the
free trial.
- Following expiry of the Cancellation Period or any free trial,
subscriptions are non-refundable and there is no right to refunds or credits unless required by
law.
- Your subscription will automatically renew unless you cancel. You
may cancel your subscription at any time. Cancelling your subscription will take effect at the end of
the current subscription period and no future payments will be taken. You will not receive a refund for
any unused portion of your subscription.
- Once you have cancelled, unless otherwise stated, you can continue
using the Services until the end of your current subscription period.
- Cancellation and Refund
a.
If you have purchased your subscription directly with us from our Site, you can cancel
or request for refund by emailing us at info@ptondemand.com or sending us a message through the contact us
on the PT on Demand’s website.
b.
Where you have subscribed through an App Provider, you must cancel directly
with them.
c.
Please ensure that you cancel at least 72 hours before the end of the term to avoid any
charges being taken.
d.
If the request is approved, please allow no less than 5 to 7 days for the
refund to be processed and sent back to you via the payment method used to subscribe.
e.
If we suspend or terminate your subscription pursuant to these Terms, you may
lose the remainder of any subscription and we will not refund you for the remaining term.
- CONTENT
- The content and other material and services available through the
Service may include instructional videos, exercise routines, exercise records and other media. You
acknowledge and agree that PT on Demand is not a healthcare provider or fitness instructor; that the
Service (including any recommendations and any information available through the Service that may be
personalized) may not be appropriate for you, and does not constitute or replace medical advice; and
that PT on Demand is not responsible for any results that may (or may not) be obtained from the use of
the Service. You acknowledge and agree that it is your sole responsibility to consult with your personal
physician regarding any medical condition, impairment or disability that may prevent or limit your
ability to use the Service. You further understand and agree that you are solely responsible for abiding
by your personal physician’s recommendation as to any such medical restrictions, and for using the
Service solely in accordance with your personal physician’s advice.
- Individuals under 13 years old are not permitted to use or access
the Service, unless supervised by individuals who are legally of age.
- PROHIBITIONS
- In addition to other prohibitions as set forth in these Terms, you
are prohibited from using the Service or Site:
a.
for any unlawful purpose;
b.
to solicit others to perform or participate in any unlawful acts;
c.
to violate any international, federal, provincial or state regulations, rules, laws, or
local ordinances;
d.
to infringe upon or violate our intellectual property rights or the
intellectual property rights of others;
e.
to harass, abuse, insult, harm, defame, slander, disparage, intimidate, or
discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, race, age, national origin, or
disability;
f.
to submit false or misleading information;
g.
to upload or transmit viruses or any other type of malicious code that will or may be
used in any way to affect the functionality or operation of the Service or of any related website, other
websites, or the Internet;
h.
to collect or track the personal information of others;
i.
to spam, phish, pharm, pretext, spider, crawl, or scrape;
j.
To reproduce, modify, adapt, translate, create derivative works of, sell,
rent, lease, loan, timeshare, distribute or otherwise exploit any portion of (or any use of) the Service
except as expressly authorized herein;
k.
to reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble any portion of the Service, except where
such restriction is expressly prohibited by applicable law;
l.
to remove any copyright, trademark or other proprietary rights notice from
the Service
m.
for any obscene or immoral purpose; or
n.
to interfere with or circumvent the security features of the Site, Services or
any related website, other websites, or the Internet.
- EXTERNAL LINKS
- We may provide links to other websites from time to time. These
links are provided for your convenience. We do not endorse or take responsibility for the content of
those websites, are not responsible for the availability of those websites and will not be liable in any
way for any loss or damage which you may suffer by using those websites. If you decide to access linked
websites you do so at your own risk.
- USER CONTENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA
- Any content or materials that you provide or make available through
the Site or any social media channels of PT on Demand (“User Content”), whether publicly
posted or privately transmitted, is your sole responsibility. You represent that all UserContent
submitted is accurate, complete, up-to-date, and in compliance with these Terms and with all applicable
laws, rules and regulations.
- You grant PT on Demand a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable,
non-exclusive, sublicensable, transferable royalty-free license and right to use, copy, transmit,
distribute, publicly perform and display (through all media now known or later created), edit, modify,
and make derivative works from the User Content (including, without limitation, translations) for any
purpose whatsoever, commercial or otherwise, without compensation to you. In addition, you waive any
moral rights (or equivalent rights) or rights of privacy or publicity in your User Content. You
represent that you own (or have all rights necessary to grant PT on Demand the rights to use) all User
Content, and that PT on Demand will not need to obtain licenses from any third party or pay royalties to
any third party in order to use such User Content.
- If you make suggestions to PT on Demand about improving or adding
new features or products to the Products, Site or Services or you otherwise provide feedback, products
or Services reviews or testimonials, to the extent any licence is required, you hereby grant to PT on
Demand a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, sublicensable, transferable royalty-free
license and right to use, copy, modify, create derivative works based upon and otherwise use your
suggestions, feedback, reviews and testimonials for any purpose (including for marketing), without any
notice, compensation or other obligation to you.
- We have no obligation to monitor, review, filter, moderate or remove
any User Content from the Site. Nevertheless, we reserve the right to take any such actions at our sole
discretion.
- TRANSACTIONS
- We may make available the ability to purchase or otherwise obtain
certain Products through the Service (a “Transaction”). If you wish to make a Transaction,
you may be asked to supply certain relevant information, such as your credit card number and its
expiration date, your billing address and your shipping information. You represent and warrant that you
have the right to use any credit card that you submit in connection with a Transaction. By submitting
such information, you grant to us the right to provide such information to third parties for purposes of
facilitating Transactions. Verification of information may be required prior to the acknowledgment or
completion of any Transaction. By making a Transaction, you represent that the applicable Products will
be used only in a lawful manner.
- PT on Demand reserves the right, including without prior notice, to
limit the available quantity of or discontinue making available any Product; to impose conditions on the
honoring of any coupon, discount or similar promotion; to bar any user from making any Transaction; and
to refuse to provide any user with any Product. Refunds and exchanges will be subject to PT on
Demand’s applicable refund and exchange policies. You agree to pay all charges incurred by you or
on your behalf through the Service, at the prices in effect when such charges are incurred, including
all shipping and handling charges. In addition, you are responsible for any taxes applicable to your
Transactions. While it is our practice to confirm orders by e-mail, the receipt of an e-mail order
confirmation does not constitute our acceptance of an order or our confirmation of an offer to sell a
product or service.
- Products will be shipped to an address designated by you, if
applicable, so long as such address is complete and complies with the shipping restrictions contained on
the Service. All Transactions are made pursuant to a shipment contract and, as a result, risk of loss
and title for Products pass to you upon delivery of the Products to the carrier. You are responsible for
filing any claims with carriers for damaged and/or lost shipments.
- DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES
- To the fullest extent permitted under applicable law: (a) the
Service and any Products and Third Party Materials are made available to you on an “As Is,”
“Where Is” and “Where Available” basis, without any warranties of any kind,
whether express, implied or statutory; and (b) PT on Demand disclaims all warranties with respect to the
Service and any Products and Third Party Materials, including the warranties of merchantability, fitness
for a particular purpose, non- infringement and title. All disclaimers of any kind (including in this
section and elsewhere in this Agreement) are made for the benefit of both PT on Demand and its
affiliates and their respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, affiliates, agents,
representatives, licensors, suppliers and service providers (collectively, the “Affiliated
Entities”), and their respective successors and assigns.
- While we try to maintain the timeliness, integrity and security of
the Service, we do not guarantee that the Service is or will remain updated, complete, correct or
secure, or that access to the Service will be uninterrupted. The Service may include inaccuracies,
errors and materials that violate or conflict with this Agreement.
- WAIVER
- You understand that by using the Service, you may be exposed to a
variety of hazards and risks, foreseen or unforeseen, including risks that arise as a result of entering
a gym space or any other space or environment in which the Service is made available, performing
physical activity, and/or using the equipment on which the Service is available. You understand that
injuries or damage could occur by natural causes or activities of other persons, including the
activities of other persons using such equipment, or other third parties (including third-party fitness
instructors and other exercise participants), whether as a result of negligence or otherwise. To the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you voluntarily assume all risk of loss, damage and injury
to person or property that may arise from, or that is related to, your use of the Service, whether such
risk is known or unknown to you.
- You hereby waive and release PT on Demand to the maximum extent
permitted by law, from any claim, action, suit or demand arising out of or in connection with the use of
the Services (including with respect to any physical injury or death). You acknowledge that neither PT
on Demand nor its affiliates will incur any obligation to you under any legal theory (including
negligence) as a result of your use of the Service. You agree that this release is binding upon you and
your heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns.
- LIABILITIES AND INDEMNITIES
- To the fullest extent permitted by law, we exclude all conditions,
warranties, representations or other terms, which may apply to the Services, Site or Products, whether
express or implied. This does not affect your statutory rights as a consumer.
- We will not be liable to you for any lack of performance, or the
unavailability or failure of any of our Services or Site, or for any failure by us to comply with these
Terms, where such lack, unavailability or failure arises from any cause reasonably beyond our
control.
- We will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by a virus,
distributed denial-of-services attack, or other technologically harmful material that may infect your
computer equipment, computer programs, data or other proprietary material due to your use of our
Services or to your downloading of any content from it, or on any website linked to it.
- We will not be liable for any damage that may be caused to any
device on which you access or use our Services that is caused in any way by our Services, unless that
damage is directly caused by our failure to exercise reasonable skill and care in the provision of the
Services.
- We will not be liable, in contract, tort (including, without
limitation, negligence), pre-contract or other representations or otherwise out of or in connection with
these Terms for:
a.
any economic losses (including without limitation loss of revenues, profits, contracts,
business or anticipated savings);
b.
any loss of goodwill or reputation; or
c.
any special or indirect losses, suffered or incurred by that party arising out of or in
connection with the provisions of any matter under these Terms;
- Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes our liability for:
a.
death or personal injury by our negligence;
b.
fraudulent misrepresentation; or
c.
any other liability that cannot be excluded by law;
- Subject to the above, any liability we do have for losses you suffer
is strictly limited to the purchase price and the losses that were foreseeable. Loss or damage is only
foreseeable where they could be contemplated by you and us at the time of you agreeing to these
Terms.
- To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and
hold PT on Demand harmless from and against all damages, losses, and expenses of any kind (including
reasonable legal fees and costs) arising out of:
a.
your breach of these Terms;
b.
any allegation that any materials that you submit to us or post on our
Services infringe or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of a third party; and
c.
your access or use of our Services.
- TERMINATION
- This Agreement is effective until terminated. PT on Demand may
terminate or suspend your use of the Service at any time and without prior notice, for any or no reason,
including if PT on Demand believes that you have violated or acted inconsistently with the letter or
spirit of this Agreement. Upon any such termination or suspension, your right to use the Service will
immediately cease, and PT on Demand may, without liability to you or any third party, immediately
deactivate or delete your user name, password and account, and all associated materials, without any
obligation to provide any further access to such materials.
- DISPUTE RESOLUTION
- The terms of this Agreement are governed by the laws of the United
States (including federal arbitration law) and Florida, U.S.A., without regard to its principles of
conflicts of law, and regardless of your location. Except for disputes that qualify for small claims
court, all disputes arising out of or related to this Agreement or any aspect of the relationship
between you and PT on Demand, whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation or any
other legal theory, will be resolved through final and binding arbitration before a neutral arbitrator
instead of in a court by a judge or jury and you agree that PT on Demand and you are each waiving the
right to trial by a jury. Such disputes include, without limitation, disputes arising out of or relating
to interpretation or application of this arbitration provision, including the enforceability,
revocability or validity of the arbitration provision or any portion of the arbitration provision. All
such matters shall be decided by an arbitrator and not by a court or judge.
- You agree that any arbitration under this Agreement will take place
on an individual basis; class arbitrations and class actions are not permitted and you are agreeing to
give up the ability to participate in a class action.
- You may opt out of this agreement to arbitrate by emailing
info@ptondemand.com with your first name, last name, and address within thirty (30) days of accepting
this agreement to arbitrate, with a statement that you decline this arbitration agreement.
- COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT CLAIMS
- The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (the
“DMCA”) provides recourse for copyright owners who believe that material appearing on the
Internet infringes their rights under U.S. copyright law. If you believe in good faith that materials
available on the Service infringe your copyright, you (or your agent) may send to PT on Demand a written
notice by mail or e-mail, requesting that PT on Demand remove such material or block access to it. If
you believe in good faith that someone has wrongly filed a notice of copyright infringement against you,
the DMCA permits you to send to PT on Demand a counter-notice. Notices and counter-notices must meet the
then-current statutory requirements imposed by the DMCA. See https://www.copyright.gov/ for details.
- We suggest that you consult your legal advisor before filing a DMCA
notice or counter-notice.
- MISCELLANEOUS
- This Agreement does not, and shall not be construed to, create any
partnership, joint venture, employer- employee, agency or franchisor-franchisee relationship between you
and PT on Demand. If any provision of this Agreement is found to be unlawful, void or for any reason
unenforceable, that provision will be deemed severable from this Agreement and will not affect the
validity and enforceability of any remaining provision. You may not assign, transfer or sublicense any
or all of your rights or obligations under this Agreement without our express prior written consent. We
may assign, transfer or sublicense any or all of our rights or obligations under this Agreement without
restriction. No waiver by either party of any breach or default under this Agreement will be deemed to
be a waiver of any preceding or subsequent breach or default. Any heading, caption or section title
contained herein is for convenience only, and in no way defines or explains any section or provision.
All terms defined in the singular shall have the same meanings when used in the plural, where
appropriate and unless otherwise specified. Any use of the term “including” or variations
thereof in this Agreement shall be construed as if followed by the phrase “without
limitation.” This Agreement, including any terms and conditions incorporated herein, is the entire
agreement between you and PT on Demand relating to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes any and all
prior or contemporaneous written or oral agreements or understandings between you and PT on Demand
relating to such subject matter. Notices to you (including notices of changes to this Agreement) may be
made via posting to the Service or by e-mail (including in each case via links), or by regular mail.
Without limitation, a printed version of this Agreement and of any notice given in electronic form shall
be admissible in judicial or administrative proceedings based upon or relating to this Agreement to the
same extent and subject to the same conditions as other business documents and records originally
generated and maintained in printed form. PT on Demand will not be responsible for any failure to
fulfill any obligation due to any cause beyond its control.