Astroworld Festival – a concert planned by Houston native Travis Scott – took a tragic turn on Friday night. At least eight people have died, and hundreds more were injured at the sold-out music festival.

According to reports, dozens of concertgoers were crushed and trampled during a crowd surge while Travis Scott was on stage. Those killed ranged in age between 14 and 27 years old. Their families are now left to struggle with one major question: why?

Investigation Searching For Answers Behind Deadly Crowd Surge

An investigation into the crowd surge and related events is still ongoing. What caused the surge? Why did the crowd become so compressed so quickly? Why were there so few exit points for concertgoers closest to the stage when the surge began? And, ultimately, who might be responsible for the death and devastation that resulted?

Those injured, and the family members of those tragically killed, might have legal options available to them. If there’s evidence that negligence contributed to injury or death, victims and their families might have legitimate grounds to file lawsuits and seek compensation.

How could negligence have contributed to injuries and deaths at the Astroworld Festival? Eye-witness reports indicate that the festival grounds might not have been designed properly. There were a reported 50,000 people at the concert when the deadly surge happened.

If there weren’t enough exit points – giving those in front the ability to move to safety – that could potentially be considered negligence.

Negligence means that a party failed to act reasonably under the circumstances and, as a result, caused another party to suffer damages.

Would other venues and concert organizers have more exit points? If so, it could be argued that the Astroworld Festival organizers were negligent. If a victim (or surviving family member) can identify causation and damages, then they could potentially have a strong personal injury or wrongful death case on their hands.

What Compensation Could Be Available to Victims of the Astroworld Festival?

It depends. For surviving victims, they could seek both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are intended to make victims financially whole. They offset and reimburse costs for verifiable costs and losses, like medical bills, lost wages, and disability. 

Non-economic damages are paid to compensate for things like pain and suffering, disfigurement, and loss of quality of life. 

For surviving family members of those killed in the deadly stampede, a wrongful death claim would give them the ability to seek damages for:

  • Funeral and burial costs
  • Medical bills (prior to death)
  • Loss of inheritance
  • Loss of value of family support and services
  • Mental anguish, and
  • Loss of financial support, had the victim survived.

Calculating damages can become complicated. This is especially true for very young victims, like so many of those killed at Astroworld.

Could Travis Scott Be Liable For the Astroworld Festival Tragedy?

This isn’t the first time a Travis Scott concert has ended in tragedy. In 2017, a 27-year-old man was paralyzed when he fell from a balcony – the same night Scott was caught on camera encouraging a crowd to drop another fan. According to the victim, the venue was “severely overcrowded” and out of control.

Scott admittedly played a role in organizing the Astroworld Festival. Knowing that his crowds are rowdy and prone to aggressive behaviors, it could be argued that he should have had the foresight to either (a) limit the crowd size or (b) provide plenty of space for crowds to move freely throughout the venue. If he – or other organizers – were neglectful in this regard, they could perhaps be on the hook for the end result. 

Seek Counsel If You or a Loved One Has Been Affected By the Astroworld Festival Tragedy

Only a thorough investigation will tell us what really happened at the Astroworld Festival and why eight lives were lost and hundreds of others were changed forever. If you or a loved one has been affected, it’s important to consider what legal options you might have. 

Seeking the guidance and counsel of an experienced personal injury lawyer in Houston is the best first step. An attorney can listen to your story, provide a legal analysis based on the most up-to-date information, and help you understand what steps you might be able to take to begin to move forward with your life. 

Contact the Houston Premises Liability Lawyers at Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers For Help

For more information, contact the Houston premises liability law firm of Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers by calling (713) 500-5000

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