Astroworld Revisited: News Update Regarding Travis Scott Civil Lawsuits
Known as one of the worst music festival disasters in history, Astroworld was a festival put on by famous artist Travis Scott. In case you don’t know, the Astroworld festival was an event that occurred on November 5th, 2021. The festival is primarily known for the lack of care shown by management and artists, as well as the ten deaths and many injuries it caused.
Shortly after the event, hundreds of people came forward to sue the organizing parties involved. Of the major players, the event planning managers Drake and Travis Scott were some of the most persecuted.
Many of these cases would be dropped or settled in the following years. These include cases brought forth by four families of the concertgoers who passed away. Famously, cases brought against Drake were dismissed after his legal team successfully argued that he did not oversee security measures at the event.
Despite efforts from Travis’ legal team to have them dismissed, a judge refused to dismiss his civil lawsuits. Travis’ team argued that he had little to no knowledge of the event’s declining safety measures. They contended that basic legal tort does not hold him liable, mainly because he wasn’t directly responsible for security.
Many others have submitted concrete evidence showing that Travis was aware of the danger days before the event occurred. Likewise, others cite his media activity on the day when he suggested that fans without tickets should break into the event.
The Associated Press reports that the first Travis Scott civil lawsuits are scheduled for May 6th, 2024.
What Was Astroworld?
In its infancy, Astroworld was planned to be a music festival by Travis Scott and LiveNation at an old Six Flags Astroworld site. It began in 2018 and was followed by the release of Scott’s album, which is the same name. Aside from 2020, when the global pandemic shut down the festival, it saw an increasing number of attendees each year.
In 2021, the Astroworld festival failed due to dangerous crowds of up to 50,000 people. Despite the open-air venue, a lack of infrastructure and security allowed crowds to grow large and rowdy. Throughout the concert, quarters became more tightly packed. The crowd was literally crushing people. In the end, hundreds of people sustained injuries ranging from minor injuries to significant injuries. Likewise, ten people lost their lives as a result of compression asphyxia, or losing the ability to breathe under crushing weight.
What Made the Event Dangerous?
As mentioned, most sources indicate that the Astroworld festival was doomed from the start. Management and planning teams disregarded security concerns, such as a growing crowd and a lack of security, despite the concert venue being severely unequipped to support the scheduled number of attendees.
Likewise, other factors, such as people sneaking in, only increased the problems at the event. Ultimately, these all led to an event packed with people in a too-small space. Pair this with loud music and “crowd mentality”; injuries were almost guaranteed.
Could Travis Be Held Liable?
As shown by the actions of the judge, there is a possibility that Travis Scott could be held liable for the civil lawsuits concerning Astroworld. His legal team claims that he has a solid argument that protects him from certain liabilities related to the event.
According to Travis and his lawyers, a fundamental legal tort prevents him from assuming liability regarding the event’s security. They further claim that injuries and casualties caused were directly related to a lack of security protocol, which did not fall under his control. Likewise, others cite that waivers signed by guests and workers could limit his liability related to the event.
Informal Waivers
Another critical aspect of the event was using informal or unclear waivers. According to Billboard, the definition of a “waiver” can differ and bend in a given situation. Concerning Astroworld, people are concerned that accepting a refund/monetary award with an actionable response (such as signing a form or informally settling) could arguably waive their rights to sue Travis and the LiveNation team.
Luckily, most agree that simply accepting a refund for a ticket wouldn’t be enough to dismiss liability. Courts would also likely view cases involving monetary refunds with scrutiny. No profound evidence shows that Travis or his team attempts to dispel liability with these tactics. Nevertheless, people are still concerned and advise against any admittance of settling upon receiving a refund.
Summary
Ultimately, Astroworld was an event that will go down in history for its poor planning, management, and tragic outcomes. Of the many lawsuits brought up after the event, many, including those against Drake, have been dropped.
Despite his team’s efforts, many pieces of evidence have been brought forward to show his involvement in the disaster. With these, it is clear that there is a definite possibility of Travis being held liable in civil court.
A recent decision made by a judge has ensured that Travis Scott will have to appear in court regarding civil lawsuits brought against him. As it stands, he will face his first trial date on May 6th, 2024.
