8 Deaths at Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival 2021
Following recent unfortunate trends, on Friday, November 5, 2021, at least eight people died, and more than 300 others were injured at the Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas.
Various theories have emerged about what caused so many deaths at a single night of a concert, including: (1) a crowd surge that occurred during a performance by rapper Travis Scott that caused panic; (2) reports that concertgoers and a security guard were injected with drugs before falling unconscious and foaming at the mouth; and (3) people who were trampled in the aftermath of these incidents. Scarier still, Houston police say they are looking into a pattern of heart attacks that occurred at the festival. With complex legal issues like this, it is important Experienced Event Accident Attorneys handle the matter.
At least eight people who died ranged in age from 14 to 27. Of the at least 25 people transported to the hospital, 13 are still hospitalized, and five are under 18. It has been reported that Houston Police notified promoter Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. of a mass-casualty event at the festival 37 minutes before Travis Scott's performance was finally stopped. A disturbing video posted to social media showed two kids begging an Astroworld camera operator to stop the show because someone died below them but being shrugged off.
According to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Live Nation put together the concert's security plan and the Live Nation plans were inadequate. Further, she explained, "the families of those who died, and everybody affected deserve answers as to what took place last night, and that's why I'm calling for an objective, independent investigation as to what went on and how it could have been prevented or how or if this was a particular situation that was simply out of everybody's hands."
Who is responsible for Festival Injuries?
Live Nation and ScoreMore (possibly with Travis Scott and the Cactus Jack Foundation) were likely responsible for organizing, promoting, selecting, and hiring the medical and security personnel for the Astroworld Festival. Therefore, in its position as promoter and organizer, Live Nation generally had a duty to implement and execute a Security Plan to keep everyone attending, visiting, or doing business on the Astroworld Festival grounds safe. In addition, Live Nation had a responsibility to safeguard the festival and concertgoers and provide adequate security to detect and prevent violent incidents. Moreover, Live Nation, as promoter and organizer, had the duty to create and follow a Medical Action Plan that provided enough medical personnel to treat the concertgoers safely. Complicating matters further is that this is not the first time multiple people have died at the Astroworld Festival. Based on this fact, Live Nation might have had heightened duties based on the foreseeability of these incidents.
Similarly, this is not the first incident where Travis Scott is alleged to have incited a crowd to the point where his actions may have resulted in death. Specifically, Travis Scott has been arrested at least twice for inciting a crowd. He was arrested four years ago when a young fan was paralyzed at a show in Manhattan, and in 2015, he yelled "middle finger up to security right now" while inciting a crowd to jump the barriers and rush the stage. It is alleged that event storming at the Astroworld Festival led to an unsafe number of people at the concert.
What Claims Can you Bring for Festival Injuries?
Promoter Live Nation has been recently involved in multiple cases alleging that a combination of negligent and intentional acts that have led to injuries at outdoor festivals and concerts. The most prominent recent case against Live Nation was the Route 91 Festival in Las Vegas where the class plaintiffs settled for approximately $800 Million Dollars. In similar cases, the Plaintiffs have typically alleged the following causes of action against the responsible parties, depending on the unique facts and circumstances:
Negligence – Defendant failed to follow their Safety Plan or Medical Action Plan or created a deficient Safety Plan or Medical Action Plan.
Gross Negligence – In many states, "gross negligence" is a common factor that is said to justify an award of punitive damages.
Premises Liability – Defendant failed to remedy a dangerous condition on the premises the Defendant knew or should have known about.
Wrongful Death – Defendant's negligence, carelessness, recklessness, etc., was the proximate cause of the death of another.
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress and Battery – Civil claims typically brought against the intentional actor(s).
What Damages Can You Recover for Festival Injuries?
In cases where you were injured at a festival or a concert, Cohan PLLC's experienced complex personal injury litigation attorneys can help you get compensation for losses such as:
· Lost wages due to medical treatment
· Future earnings lost due to permanent injury
· Physical pain and suffering
· Emotional anguish
· Loss of comfort or companionship
· Disfigurement or scarring
· Past medical bills and future medical costs
Why Hire an Event Accident Lawyer Who Tries Cases?
Having an event accident attorney who is able to take cases to trial offers plaintiffs more leverage during settlement negotiations. Most lawyers don’t spend much time in courtrooms, so defendants often have little to fear if they end up going to court. This discourages settlements or makes settlements smaller as a result. However, when a lawyer has a history of courtroom success, it incentivizes opponents to settle faster and for larger amounts.
Contact Our Las Vegas Event Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation: (702) 623-3579
If you have recently been in injured at a concert, festival, or event, we encourage you to contact us immediately. We have the experience you need to investigate your claim and take the necessary legal steps properly.
Chasen Cohan, Esq. is the founder of Cohan PLLC. Mr. Cohan is a licensed attorney who also possesses FINRA Series 7 (Registered Representative) and Series 63 (Uniform State Representative) licenses, state insurance licenses, and State Securities Registrations in Nevada, Missouri, and North Carolina. Mr. Cohan is admitted to practice law before the Nevada Bar, all Nevada State and Federal Courts, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Mr. Cohan’s representative clients have included: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Sam’s West, Inc., MGM Grand Resorts International, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Mandalay Corp., The Treasure Island Hotel and Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, The Mirage Casino-Hotel, South Point Hotel & Casino, American Express, Barclays, US Bank, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and various life insurance companies and service providers.
Mr. Cohan is a Las Vegas native who graduated with honors from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Mr. Cohan received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law. During law school, Mr. Cohan served as a clerk for the Office of the Texas Attorney General and a Judicial Extern for United States District Court Judge James R. Nowlin.
Clients from global brands and middle-market companies to innovative startups and individuals trust Cohan PLLC to resolve their trickiest legal disputes. Whether that’s litigation in state or federal trial and appellate courts in Nevada; investigations and enforcement actions before government agencies; or mediation, arbitration, and regulatory agency proceedings. Cohan PLLC has litigated hundreds of millions in dollars of claims on behalf of corporate litigants. As a result of this experience, Cohan PLLC has been afforded the opportunity to selectively act as Plaintiff’s counsel on complex, personal injury matters.