Music festivals and concerts are a pleasant experience meant to bring individuals together for their shared love of music. It is estimated that over 32 million people partake in these events every year.
With such large attendances, it is no surprise that accidents have threatened the peace of these gatherings. When concerts fail to provide adequate safety for their attendees, it can lead to dangerous situations including catastrophic injuries and sometimes wrongful death.
Recent examples of this include the crowd surge at a Harry Styles concert which allegedly injured one attendee and the infamous Astroworld incident that resulted in numerous injuries and several deaths.
However, there is still justice to be had for victims of concert injuries. In personal injury cases, plaintiffs can file personal injury suits to hold the owners of the premise and other parties responsible for their negligence resulting in unsafe conditions. Read on to learn how to win your personal injury claim with the help of our Los Angeles accident lawyers.
Establishing Personal Injury Liability
If you have been injured at a concert, there more than likely were a variety of factors that contributed to the unsafe atmosphere. The burden of liability can be placed on many first and third-party entities who collectively hold responsibility for keeping attendees unharmed, including:
- Performers
- Venues
- Concert promoters
- Security or police forces
- Other concert attendees
The venue is oftentimes named in a personal injury suit, as they assume a legal duty to keep their property reasonably safe. Thus, an ill-trained security force can still be the premise’s fault due to failure to meet this duty.
Consider hiring a Los Angeles accident lawyer to advise you on who to name in a personal liability suit. An experienced attorney will help you ensure all responsible parties are held accountable for their role in any concert injuries sustained.
Can I File a Premises Liability Lawsuit?
Concert premises can contribute to a variety of preventable injuries, including:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Fallen/collapsed objects
- Failure to barricade hazardous areas
- Poor lighting
Personal injury liability can fall on the venue due to structural or physical defects that were improperly handled. Failure to place a wet floor sign or the collapse of a stadium seat are both examples of physical damages that can be addressed in a premises liability lawsuit, as the property owners could have prevented a foreseeable injury.
In the previously mentioned crowd surge case that occurred at a Harry Styles concert, the plaintiff cited fault in the venue’s sufficient lighting and seating, among other factors which could have prevented the injuries suffered.
How To Win Your Personal Injury Claim
A successful personal injury claim must prove liability and damages. Liability is the enforceable claim against the responsible parties’ assets.
Liability
Liability typically falls under three grounds:
- Negligence: In most cases, negligence is the grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. One must prove that, under the circumstances in which the injury occurred, the accused party did not act with reasonable care or caution, which would have otherwise prevented the incident.
- Strict Liability: To be accountable under strict liability, one must prove the defendant is liable for the injury occurring, regardless of their intent.
- Intentional Tort: Various types of conduct can fall under intentional tort, but all types hold that the injury was committed by the defendant with intention.
Depending on the individual circumstance, grounds for liability may vary. For example, usage of a knowingly dangerous prop may fall under strict liability, while failing to tame a violent crowd may prove that security acted with negligence. Most frequently, personal injury liability falls under negligence in concert accident cases.
As previously stated, negligence holds the accused parties accountable for breaching their duty of care. Some claims include failure to provide a sufficient amount of medical staff, failure to provide evacuation routes, lack of training to security, inability to recognize safety hazards, and other similar avoidable circumstances.
In more severe cases, such as Astroworld, defendants may be sued for gross negligence. Gross negligence is reckless or even purposeful disregard for care that may result in the collection of punitive damages for victims in order to set an example and deter future incidents.
Damages
The most common type of damage in cases of personal injury falls under the compensatory category. This can include financial and non-financial damages.
Financial damages
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Rehabilitation expenses
Non-financial damages
- Pain/Suffering
- Emotional distress
- Decreased quality of life
Damages must be proven in court to win your personal injury claim. It is important to collect pictures, bills, witness statements, and any other circumstantial evidence pertaining to the injury. Los Angeles accident lawyers will use your evidence to prove personal injury and award you the damages you deserve.
California Personal Injury Lawyers
The Law Office of John J. Perlstein has proven experience in various types of personal injury claims, from trips and falls to catastrophic injuries. This experienced, aggressive, and results-oriented team of Los Angeles accident lawyers will advocate for you or a loved one suffering from personal injuries due to a concert accident.
If you are suffering from concert injuries and would like to discuss your concerns regarding a case, contact us or call (213) 252-1070 for a free consultation.