The 2021 Astroworld concert disaster continues to make headlines. In November 2021, musician Travis Scott headlined the show. During the concert, the crowd rushed toward the stage, trampling and crushing other fans. Staff were unable to intervene effectively, while Scott purportedly encouraged the crowd to “rage”—even as an ambulance tried to make its way through the crush. This event left at least eight people dead and dozens more injured.
What kind of legal recourse is available? Do you assume the risk of death and serious injury whenever you attend a festival, or can someone be held responsible? A recent lawsuit filed on behalf of an Astroworld attendee demonstrates some of the options available if you are caught in a similar situation.
Astroworld lawsuits: Who’s responsible?
According to Time, 46 Astroworld-related lawsuits were filed in the days after the disaster. At least one lawsuit seeks to hold Travis Scott, the Astroworld organizers, entertainment company Live Nation, concert promoters Scoremore and other entities responsible.
The initial complaint alleges that the organizers, promoters and other potentially responsible parties “failed to properly plan and conduct the concert in a safe manner,” “consciously ignored the extreme risks of harm to concertgoers, and, in some cases actively encouraged and fomented dangerous behaviors.”
This is a type of negligence lawsuit, in which the plaintiff argues that the defendant(s) owed them a duty of care. Their breach directly led to the plaintiff’s injuries. In the Astroworld cases, plaintiffs are generally arguing that the concert organizers, promoters and other parties had a duty to provide a safe concert environment. They knew or should have known that crowd surges are a risk, particularly in a festival environment. They also failed to implement safety measures, which led to death and injury.
There have been several concert deaths in the last century. Why is this one different? Time reports this is because “Scott wasn’t just a performer, but an organizer and supervisor of the event. … Scott had been warned about potential crowd control and safety issues by … the Houston Police Chief.” Furthermore, Scott “has a history of riling up crowds in a way that authorities have considered reckless.” In fact, he’s previously been sued for encouraging dangerous behavior.
If you are injured in a crowd surge, call a personal injury attorney right away. If the concert venue, promoters or other entities failed to take appropriate safety measures, you may be entitled to compensation.
Injured in a crowd surge? Call an Ohio personal injury lawyer today
Concerts should be a fun activity for everyone involved—but your safety depends on smart crowd management and safety measures. If another person or party is responsible for your crowd surge injuries, I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call me at 877.483.2298 so that I can evaluate your case as soon as possible.
