4 Potential Financial Impacts Caused By A Tailgating Party Car Accident

11 April 2016
 Categories: , Articles


Tailgating parties are a great tradition, commonly found in the parking lots of both professional and amateur football stadiums. As crowds grow and parking lots become crowded, so does the potential for a car accident or injury. If you've been injured in a tailgating party accident, then it's a good idea to seek a personal injury attorney to represent your case. Not only can an attorney help you seek a settlement for your injuries, but there may be other financial impacts cause by the accident. Each of the following financial situations could make a difference on the results of your case and the final settlement amount that you receive.

Equipment Damage

As you're setting up a tailgating party area, there is a lot more than just your vehicle that is being parked there. Special equipment like grills, kegs, coolers, and canopies could all be damaged if a car crashes into the area. This could add up to hundreds of dollars worth of damage. These damages would normally fall under a homeowner's insurance policy, but if the damage is someone's fault, then they can be held liable for the damage. As you plan your case with an attorney, it's important to list all of the equipment that was damaged during the incident. This may also include tailgating furniture like tables and chairs. Once you've healed from your injuries, the extra compensation can help you replace the items and prepare for tailgating in the future.

Food Waste

Along with equipment damage, food waste is another big financial impact that could result in hundreds of dollars in losses. Once you've been injured by a car while tailgating, you likely have to get transported to a hospital for injury treatments. This often leaves a lot of food to waste and it often has to be thrown away. High costs for meats and extras like hamburger buns can quickly add up. Additional items like bags of ice, kegs, or glass bottles could have been damaged in the accident. If this is the case, then you can use receipts and other evidence to show how much money was lost on unconsumed or destroyed food that was a part of the accident.

Parking Passes & Memberships

For many people, tailgating expands to more than just a single week during an athletic season. As you plan a settlement case with an attorney, it's important to consider the different fees and memberships that you paid for in the future. If your injuries cause you to miss multiple events, then you can seek compensation for these losses. For example, you may have purchased an annual parking pass for a college football stadium. If the accident occurred during week three, then there may be six other tailgating events that you are unable to attend due to your injuries. An attorney can help calculate the money you have lost because of these missed events and make a factor in your case. Along with parking passes, consider other memberships you may have to tailgating clubs or cooking groups that meet at various games. By not being able to attend, you are essentially wasting money and should be compensated for the loss.

Ticket Purchases

Most tailgating accidents will likely occur before the games begin when everything is set up and traffic is hectic. If this is the case, then your injuries will likely force you to miss the whole athletic game. When ticket prices for leagues like the NFL are averaging above a hundred dollars a game, you could be losing out on a lot of money spent. These costs quickly add up if you are attending the game with multiple people and they also skip out on the game to help transport you or go with you to the hospital. Your ticket stubs or sale receipts can help with these costs as an attorney works on your settlement agreement.

By breaking down the different costs, you can help add the proper value to your case and get the settlement that you deserve.

For more information and advice, talk with a personal injury attorney to evaluate your case. 


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