Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog
When the news involving Astroworld, a two-day music festival in Houston, broke out earlier this month, people all over the country were shocked to hear that at least eight people had been killed in the tragic incident. In Washington, D.C., music festivals, concerts, and events of similar size take place each year and bring crowds that could involve thousands of people. In the event that crowd control or event planning safety protocols fail and you are injured, understanding how you may recover and protect yourself is crucial.
Based on a recent report of the incident, at least eight people were killed and dozens were injured during Astroworld. According to initial reports, a large crowd began pushing toward the front of the stage during artist Travis Scott’s performance, and the true cause of the surge remains under investigation. There were more than 50,000 people assembled at the festival when the injuries took place. Local authorities noted that the Astroworld tragedy was one of the deadliest crowd control disasters in the United States since potentially 1979, where a similar situation in Cincinnati left 11 people dead.
Despite various reports of chaos near the stage and videos showing the crowd pleading for help, concert organizers opted to not shut down the event too quickly. Nearly 40 minutes after city officials reported that the “mass casualty event” began did concert organizers stop the event—only thirty minutes earlier than planned.
Unfortunately, what took place at Astroworld could have happened anywhere—and could even affect Washington, D.C. residents. If you or someone you know was injured at a similar event because of poor crowd control, lacking safety protocols, and potentially negligent planning by concert or event authorities, you could have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Who Can File a Personal Injury Case in Washington D.C.?
In Washington, D.C., individuals are eligible to file personal injury lawsuits to receive compensation for their injuries when accidents or intentional acts cause harm. With accidents, if someone acted in a negligent manner and their carelessness caused harm to another person, you could have grounds to sue. With intentional acts, if another’s intentional conduct causes injury, you could also have grounds to pursue a legal claim for damages.
Potential plaintiffs usually pursue personal injury lawsuits when (1) a defendant has done something to injure a plaintiff, and (2) the plaintiff determines that the defendant breached a legal duty toward them.
In the first step, simply establishing that the defendant committed an act—either by accident or intentionally—satisfies this requirement. In the second step, establishing a breach of legal duty will depend on the circumstances of the claim. For example, drivers have a legal duty to drive with a certain level of care toward others. Similarly, an argument could be made that concert organizers have a legal duty to ensure that proper crowd control measures, adequate medical care in the case of an emergency, and general safety are ensured to event-goers.
Do You Need a Washington, D.C. Personal Injury Lawyer?
If you or someone you know was recently injured or killed in a Washington, D.C. accident, contact the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen today. Our lawyers have years of experience representing clients in all types of Washington, D.C. personal injury claims and will provide you with the support and advice you need to pursue your suit with ease. To schedule a free initial consultation today, contact us at 979-654-1949.