Settlements Reached in Majority of Wrongful Death Lawsuits After Astroworld Music Festival Tragedy
Nine out of Ten Lawsuits Settled; Astroworld Foundation Dedicated to Concert Safety Established
HOUSTON (AP) — In a significant development, nine of the ten wrongful death lawsuits resulting from the deadly crowd surge at the 2021 Astroworld music festival have reached a settlement, according to attorney Neal Manne on Wednesday. The remaining lawsuit is pending, filed by the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, the youngest victim of the tragic incident.
Jury selection for the wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of 23-year-old Madison Dubiski, who lost her life in the crowd crush during the concert by rap superstar Travis Scott, was scheduled to begin this week. However, it was confirmed during a court hearing that the lawsuit has now been settled, along with the other eight lawsuits.
The terms of the settlements remain confidential, and attorneys refrained from commenting due to a gag order in the case. The resolution of these wrongful death lawsuits without the need for a trial has been embraced by Travis Scott, as mentioned by Ted Anastasiou, a representative for the rapper. Anastasiou further added that the confidential agreement is designed to honor Madison Dubiski’s legacy and promote improvements to concert safety.
Following Madison Dubiski’s tragic demise, her family established the Pink Bows foundation, which is committed to enhancing safety protocols at outdoor concerts and similar events.
The only remaining wrongful death lawsuit is filed by the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, who seeks justice for their loss. Scott West, an attorney for Blount’s family, asserted during the court hearing that the case is ready for trial.
However, Neal Manne pointed out that the lawyers representing the defendants in the lawsuit were not yet prepared for trial. State District Judge Kristen Hawkins intends to address the Blount case and potential injury case trials at an upcoming hearing.
A total of more than 4,000 plaintiffs filed hundreds of lawsuits following the Astroworld concert tragedy. While approximately 2,400 injury cases remain pending, the announcement of settlements in the majority of the wrongful death lawsuits follows the postponement of the trial in Madison Dubiski’s case last week.
Importantly, Apple Inc., Travis Scott, and Live Nation, among more than 20 defendants named in Dubiski’s family lawsuit, have settled and resolved the case. It is noteworthy that at least four wrongful death lawsuits had already been settled and disclosed in court records.
All the lawsuits, including Dubiski’s family, have alleged negligence in the planning and lack of concern for capacity and safety at the concert. The young victims, aged from 9 to 27, tragically lost their lives due to compression asphyxia, described by an expert as being crushed by a car.
While the plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that the deaths and injuries were a result of negligent planning, Scott, Live Nation, and the other defendants vehemently deny the claims. They insisted that safety was their foremost priority and that the tragic events were unforeseeable.
Furthermore, following a police investigation, a grand jury last year declined to indict Travis Scott, along with five others connected to the Astroworld festival.
As the pending lawsuit for the young Blount family looms, attorneys for both sides are anticipated to meet next week to decide the scheduling of the trial.
___
Follow Juan A. Lozano: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
