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The first lawsuit of many got filed against Travis Scott and several others just a few days after the Astroworld Festival tragedy in Houston. Soon after the November 5, 2021 concert began, crowd surges led to a violent stampede in which eight people lost their lives and many more got injured. By November 17, 2021, the death toll rose to 10, after two more people died from their injuries from the event.
Manuel Souza filed the first lawsuit against Travis Scott after multiple casualties at the Astroworld Festival. The out-of-control crowd at the concert knocked Souza to the ground and trampled him, causing severe injuries. Souza also sued the entertainment company Live Nation and the concert producer and promoter Scoremore, as well as other defendants. A Maryland personal injury attorney can seek money damages against the at-fault party if you were injured because of someone else’s negligence.
What Went Wrong at the Astroworld Festival
Travis Scott is not only a successful rapper. Scott also organized and produced the Astroworld Festival. Live Nation and Scoremore were also involved in the event. The lawsuit filed by Souza alleges that the defendants made fatal mistakes in planning in conducting the music festival. As the crowd surged and raged, people could not escape harm due to the barricades and other physical barriers in place.
The mass of people ended up knocking down other concertgoers who got trampled when they could not get back up on their feet. The Souza lawsuit says the defendants disregarded the risk of injury to people attending the concert. In fact, the legal action accuses the defendants of encouraging concertgoers to behave recklessly and dangerously. Also, the defendants allegedly did not create an appropriate safety plan to protect people attending the concert if things went wrong.
The Timeline of the Astroworld Festival Events
Travis Scott’s performance began a little after 9:00 PM on November 5, 2021. The crowd started to surge soon after Scott’s set started. Within about half an hour of Scott taking the stage, officials declared the concert a “mass casualty event.”
Despite the fact that there were unresponsive people lying on the ground, others administering CPR to the injured, and even an ambulance that made its way into the crowd, Scott did not stop performing. Allegedly, some people in the crowd screamed for the event to stop, but Scott did not end his performance until around 10:10 PM.
There has been a wide outcry about Scott’s apparently callous attitude to the many people who got trampled to death while he continued to play. In his defense, Travis has since expressed that he was devastated by the many fatalities and injuries. Footage of the concert showed Travis Scott looking confused when he saw the first ambulance arrive at the scene and drive into the venue. He claimed that he did not know the extent of the situation at the time.
Souza Lawsuit Was the First of Many
With the current death toll of 10 people and hundreds of people now claiming injuries, it is no surprise that there are almost 200 lawsuits filed against Travis Scott and the other defendants as of November 20, 2021. The insurance companies for the defendants will likely experience extraordinary losses, as the lawsuits are seeking damages of $750 million, $2 billion, and other amounts.
If you or a loved one got hurt in an entertainment event, a Maryland personal injury attorney could advocate for you and go after fair compensation for your losses. Get in touch with our office for a free consultation.