Texas Mass Casualty Event Injury Attorneys
Legal representation for victims injured at concerts and festivals in Austin, Fort Worth, and Dallas
Nobody will forget the horrible and terrifying images of the crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival in November 2021 that resulted in hundreds of injuries and the deaths of 10 people. The incident is still under investigation, but victims and victims’ families have already filed a number of lawsuits claiming negligence on a variety of parties. It’s likely several individuals and companies will share in liability, but ultimately the courts will decide.
Unfortunately, the Astroworld tragedy is only one example of a Texas concert or festival going terribly wrong. Organizers, performers, and venues have the responsibility to provide a safe experience for everyone who attends an event. When they fail in this duty and people get hurt – often, young people who suffer life-altering or even life-ending injuries – it is crucial these parties are held responsible. At Slack Davis Sanger, our personal injury attorneys are ready to take up this fight on your behalf.
What are mass casualty events at concerts and festivals?
When we talk about injuries at music festivals and concerts, we’re talking about massive and serious injury events affecting a large number of people. These types of events tend to be crowded, packed, and chaotic, and without proper preparation and security, one small incident can quickly spiral out of control. Incidents common to large events and festivals include:
- Falling from heights – Concert venues often feature non-secured seats or take place in stadiums. Event staff must be diligent to ensure all areas are safe, secure, and dangerous areas are non-accessible.
- Reckless or violent fans – Other attendees can cause serious injuries by stage diving, instigating fights, or engaging in other behaviors that endanger the safety of others.
- Pyrotechnics – Fireworks and other special effects are a hallmark of some performers, but if things go wrong, attendees could suffer burn injuries, smoke inhalation, or worse.
However, one of the biggest dangers of all (and the cause of the Astroworld tragedy) is crowd surge. A crowd surge happens when a large group of people try to move into one space at the same time. Often, crowd surges include what’s called a “crowd collapse,” which is when members of the crowd fall and are unable to get back up.
G. Keith Still, a crowd science expert, tells Verywell Health, “As crowd density—the number of people in a given area—reaches the point of everyone in close contact, the crowd can begin swaying. Any sudden movement in a high-density crowd can result in a surge and progressive crowd collapse.” Crowd collapse can be deadly, as people can lose consciousness and suffocate. Further, because of the crowd itself, people may not immediately recognize a victim needs life-saving assistance.
What is the duty of care at a Texas music festival or event?
When you attend a concert, event, or festival, you enter those premises as an invitee – which means the hosts owe you a high duty of care. Here’s what that means, under Texas premises liability laws, when you’re on another person’s property or premises, it is their responsibility to take all reasonable precautions to keep you safe from harm. To prove a failure of duty of care, the attorneys at Slack Davis Sanger work to show the following:
- A condition at the event posed an unreasonable risk of harm or injury
- The defendant either knew, should have known of the risk
- The defendant breached their duty of care by either failing to warn of the risk or taking steps to eliminate the risk
- Their breach of duty caused your injuries and losses
Our legal team knows how to fight the mega-corporations involved in putting on these types of big events – if you or a loved one experienced injury at a concert or music festival, contact the Texas lawyers at Slack Davis Sanger for help.
What are common injuries from concert and music festival accidents?
When thousands of people gather in one small area, any number of injuries and disasters can occur. USA Today discusses mass tragedies from past concerts and events:
- Beverly Hills Supper Club, 1977 – 165 people died and over 200 were injured when a fire broke out in an overcrowded nightclub in Kentucky.
- E2 Nightclub, 2003 – 21 people died in a crowd crush in a stairwell after a security guard used pepper spray on the dance floor in Chicago.
- The Station Nightclub, 2003 – 100 people died and over 200 were injured in Rhode Island when a fire broke out after the band Great White’s pyrotechnics ignited a fire.
- Indiana State Fair, 2011 – Seven people died and 58 suffered injury when stage rigging collapsed on an outdoor music stage during a sudden thunderstorm.
- Route 91 Music Festival, 2017 – 60 concertgoers died and hundreds more were injured when a shooter opened fire from a hotel room during a Las Vegas festival.
In addition to physical trauma like brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, burn injuries, cardiac arrest, and loss of hearing or vision, victims can also suffer emotional injury like post-traumatic stress disorder that can last long after any physical wounds have healed.
Who is liable for Texas concert event injuries?
If you or a loved one experienced injury or harm at a large music festival, concert, or event, the attorneys at Slack Davis Sanger can help. The first thing we do when we take your case is work to determine all possible liable parties. These parties can include:
- Venue owners
- Event organizers
- Security companies
- Performers
- Third-party vendors and contractors
- Equipment manufacturers
Most event organizers and venues carry insurance to protect them from these types of lawsuits – however, this should not deter you from filing a claim, and this does not excuse them from liability. Our legal team can explain more in a consultation.
Is there a mass casualty event attorney near me?
Slack Davis Sanger maintains offices in Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth, and serves clients throughout the state. You can find our main offices in Austin, Texas on Bold Ruler Way, right off Capital of Texas Highway / Loop 360, about two miles south of the 360 Bridge.
Texas concert and music festival event injury attorneys
If you or a loved one were injured at a music festival or concert, the lawyers at Slack Davis Sanger can help. We have years of experience taking on big companies on behalf of victims with successful results, and we want to do the same for you and your family. When negligence causes you injury and harm, we can help secure compensation for your losses. To schedule a consultation about your case, call 800-455-8686 or fill out our contact form today. We maintain offices in Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth.