It was supposed to be a night of music. Approximately 50,000 people gathered at NRG Park in Houston, Texas, for the Astroworld Festival. The festival was headlined by the event founder, Travis Scott. But as Scott took the stage, chaos ensued. The crowd surged, crushing attendees and leaving hundreds injured and at least ten people dead.
Now, close to 400 lawsuits seek justice for the victims. What happened? How will the cases work their way through the legal system? And, who will be responsible?
What Happened at Astroworld Festival?
On November 5, 2021, thousands of people gathered at NRG Park for Astroworld. Most of them were there to see the headliner, Travis Scott. When Scott took the stage around 9:00 pm., the huge audience began to press toward the stage, causing the large crowd to pack in even tighter. The swell of bodies increased temperatures, made it difficult to breathe, and caused attendees to fall and get stepped on by others around them.
While some attendees yelled for help and emergency vehicles began to remove people from the crowd, the concert mostly went out without interruption.
In the end, more than 300 people were treated for injuries at the festival, twenty-five people were taken to the hospital, and at least ten people died. An eleventh victim is said to include an unborn child who was lost in a miscarriage after the mother was injured at the event.
Now, nearly 5,000 legal claims have been filed against Scott, Astroworld, LiveNation, and others associated with the event.
Related: 6 of the Most Commonly Asked Questions About Personal Injury
Who Is Charged with Wrongdoing?
Nearly 400 lawsuits have been filed related to the Astroworld incident. It has been reported that up to 50 defendants have been named throughout the list of lawsuits.
The primary defendants include: Scott, who performed and organized the event; Drake, who also performed at the event; LiveNation, who promoted the event; Apple Music, who streamed the event; multiple security firms involved with the event; and other producers and concert promoters connected to the event.
In the hundreds of lawsuits, there are thousands of legal claims. According to Vulture, as of May 9, there were a total of 4,932 legal claims on behalf of roughly 2,800 victims. The claims include:
- 732 for physical injury with extensive medical treatment
- 1,649 for physical injury with less extensive medical treatment
- 2,540 listed as other
With so many cases filed, the Texas Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation granted a joint motion to combine the litigation before a single judge for all pre-trial proceedings, according to Billboard.
The hundreds of plaintiffs were grouped into four categories: those who were killed, those who have traumatic brain injuries, those who have bodily injury, and those who have PTSD. The plaintiffs are seeking wrongful death and personal injury compensation and alleging that the defendants were negligent in their duty to create a safe setting for attendees.
Related: Examples of Wrongful Death Cases Worth Fighting For
Will There Be Criminal Charges?
Shortly after the incident in November, both local and federal investigations were quickly launched.
According to Vulture, Houston city officials called the event a “mass casualty” incident. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said on November 6, “It’s now a criminal investigation that’s going to involve our homicide division as well as narcotics.” This statement came in response to allegations that someone at the event was stabbing people with needles that contained narcotics.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was forming a task force on concert safety to study what went wrong and how to prevent something similar from happening in the future. The FBI is also involved and launched a website where people can submit recordings and photos to help investigators collect information.
While there are local and federal investigations going on, it’s unlikely at this time that there will be any criminal charges filed. According to the New York Times, the outdoor venue could have held 200,000 people. It held far fewer people at the time, and legal permits were issued and inspectors were on site. The legal case will likely remain in civil courts.
Related: Types of Personal Injury Cases: Do You Have a Claim?
Seeking Justice for Personal Injury
What happened at Astroworld was a terrible tragedy, and the people harmed by the incident are seeking justice for themselves and their loved ones. If you or someone you know isharmed by the negligence of another party, you also deserve justice.
If you believe you have a personal injury or a wrongful death claim, talk to an experienced attorney who can guide you through the legal system to get justice. TJ Grimaldi is an experienced attorney ready to discuss your case. Talk to him during a free consultation to review your case. Call 813-226-1023 or request your consultation today.
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