Astroworld Festival Tragedy Kills At Least Eight, Injures Many More
Houston rapper Travis Scott and Live Nation hosted the Astroworld Festival, which turned from entertainment to tragedy in an instant on Friday, November 5, 2021. 50,000 people came to NRG Park in Houston to see Travis Scott and other artists perform. As Travis Scott took the stage that Friday night around 9:00 PM, fans began to push to the front. As thousands of bodies pushed from the back, panic began to set in. Audience members began to faint and collapse, with some trampled under waves of stampeding fans.
In moments, joy switched to panic and then tragedy. As Travis Scott continued to play, more and more people were injured. At least eight concertgoers were killed in the disaster, with hundreds more treated for injuries at the scene. Numerous people were hospitalized for cardiac arrest and other serious injuries. The Astroworld Festival tragedy will be one of the deadliest crowd-control disasters in decades.
Live Nation stopped the concert around 10:10 p.m. – at least 40 minutes after city officials said the “mass casualty event” had begun. Neither Live Nation nor Travis Scott has offered any credible explanation for why the concert was not stopped immediately.
Prior Dangerous Acts
What many people do not yet know is that Travis Scott and Live Nation have both had numerous issues with dangerous crowds. In 2017, Travis Scott was arrested for telling fans to bypass security and rush the stage at a show in Arkansas. As a result, a security guard, police officer and several others were injured. In another incident following Lollapalooza in 2015, Travis Scott also pled guilty to reckless conduct, according to the Associated Press.
Live Nation, the promoter of the Astroworld Festival, has also been cited numerous times in the past for safety issues. Fans and workers have been hurt numerous times during Live Nation events. Live Nation Entertainment is the largest live music promoter in the world, earning as much as $11 Billion in revenue in 2019.
Nobody expects to die while attending a concert. Most people expect to pay too much for water and refreshments while waiting in line for temporary toilets. What happened at the Astroworld Festival was inexcusable and completely unnecessary.
If you or your loved ones were at the Astroworld Festival on November 6, 2021, please call Haun Mena, PLLC at 713-781-8600 for a free consultation. If representation is right for you, you will never pay a penny out of pocket and the lawyers at Haun Mena, PLLC only get paid if they recover for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have heard that other performers are offering a portion of their appearance fees to victims. Will that affect my ability to recover?
Be careful about accepting money for your claim. Most of the time, the person offering money is looking for a signed release that means they will not be responsible for any additional damages, no matter what their role in the incident actually was. Do not sign anything without consulting with a lawyer.
What is my time limit for filing suit?
In general, the time limit is two years from the date of injury under Texas law. However, because City and County entities may have liability for this tragedy, your window to provide notice of your loss may be as little as 180 days. It is important to act quickly to protect your rights.
I do not have health insurance and can’t afford to pay for medical treatment. How can I get help?
Do not let your financial situation stand in the way of seeking help. At Haun Mena, PLLC, we can connect you to excellent medical experts at no up front cost to you.
What kind of injuries are you taking?
We expect that individuals will have a wide range of injuries based on their sensitivities and their location at the event. We are expecting that some injuries may take days or weeks to come to light. We think that claimants may have the following injuries:
- Death
- Cardiac Arrest
- Trauma (including cuts, broken bones and bruises)
- Breathing Injuries
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Mental Anguish
I don’t think I can afford a lawyer, can I still get help?
Absolutely. At Haun Mena, PLLC, you will never pay any money out of pocket to talk to a lawyer. We only get paid if we are successful at the end of the case. Contact us today!