Anderson Law Firm

Injuries at Concerts – Who is Responsible?

By now everyone has heard about the terrible tragedy at the Indiana state fair that killed seven people when a stage collapsed before the band Sugarland was to perform. A freak storm blew in; tearing the huge metal stage down like it was made out of paper. Sadly, just a few days later, there was another fatal concert accident in Belgium where five people were killed due to a stage collapse.

Even in Texas where my accident and injury law firm is located, we have had our share of concert injuries. In fact, at this year's SXSW music festival in Austin in March, a large mechanical are and a video camera fell on several people in the crowd watching a show. Today it was reported that a man hurt by that camera has filed suit against the music festival for his serious head injuries and already several lawsuits have been filed on behalf of those injured at the Indiana state fair.

We shouldn't have to worry about a stage collapse or equipment hitting us at concerts that are professionally produced. It's not surprising at all to me to see these injured victims take legal action. Stages, like the one in Indiana and in Belgium, are meant for outdoor events. They MUST be able to withstand strong wind and rain. We shouldn't have to fear them toppling down from anything less than a tsunami or tornado.

Some people scoff at the idea of suing someone for your injuries - and even as a personal injury lawyer I'll admit, there are some very frivolous lawsuits out there. But if you're just trying to watch your favorite band play music and the unexpected happens - just like it did in Austin and Indiana, shouldn't you be able to hold someone accountable? Shouldn't someone have to pay for your medical bills associated with the accident? It's always easy to judge when it's somebody else's problem.

I hope these victims and their families are successful and their legal aims to get justice. They didn't deserve this to happen to them at what should have been a fun event.