Billed as a joyous day of food, music and art, the Vegandale Festival has spread from humble beginnings in Toronto, Canada to become one of the fastest growing festivals in the world, with scheduled dates in London, Philadelphia, New York City, Dallas, Miami, Manchester, Los Angeles, and of course, Chicago. For some, it was to be a fantastic celebration of healthy living and veganism, while promoting environmental sustainability and animal welfare. Others came just to see some of their favorite performers at the Grant Park / Butler Field venue.
Panic and Confusion as Crowd Surged
But what began in celebration for all, unfortunately ended in pain and injury for many. Although covered mostly on social media and not by major news outlets, word spread quickly of the day’s events. According to some unconfirmed and undisclosed sources, it may have begun with a fight between two people and a gun being drawn, which was then followed by confusion and panic as people ran towards the exits, jumping barriers and fences to the sounds of screaming and crying.
Saweetie was on stage at the time that the disturbance began. She briefly spoke to the crowd reportedly saying ‘I know y’all ain’t doing what I think y’all doing…”, then left the stage only to return later to finish her set. Although some took issue with how she handled the situation claiming that she aggravated matters, others felt otherwise.
Attendees Trampled and Crushed
Some believed that shots were fired and others thought that it might even be a mass-shooter situation, none of which ultimately appeared to be the case. Many people related that were crushed against barriers by the waves of concertgoers surging forward. Others related that they fell down or slipped in the mud and were run over and trampled by people frantically trying to leave the area, resulting in cuts, bruises and some much more serious injuries.
Many Claim Lack of Proper Crowd Control to Blame
Music festivals and other crowded venues have an unfortunate history of tragedies, some occurring in Chicago and many in which people were killed, considered “mass casualty events”. Events such as Travis Scott at Astroworld in Houston, the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, and the E2 Nightclub stampede in Chicago come instantly to mind.
There are of course many reasons why some preventable disasters occur including:
- Failure to conduct proper crowd screening for guns and drugs
- Failure to limit how many people are permitted in certain areas
- Failure to properly train employees and security personnel
- Failure to obey health codes, building codes or fire codes
- Failure to provide enough security relative to crowd size
- Failure to create and follow a proper emergency contingency plan
- Failure to arrange a sufficient Chicago Police presence
Can Promoters, Owners, or Security be Sued if an Injury Occurs?
The answer of course is “maybe”. Not every accident or injury is the fault of another, but when large-scale catastrophes occur, many can be traced to some failure or negligence on the part of the entertainment venue, its owners or its security.
People are often hesitant to pursue legal action to recover damages for their injuries though. Sometimes it’s because they feel that the companies they’re up against are too big and powerful. Other times, people are uncertain because they incorrectly believe that they gave up their right to sue (called “assumption of risk”) because of language on the concert or venue ticket that they purchased which may say something to that effect. But although sometimes what it says on your ticket does in fact prevent you from doing certain things, the mere fact that someone writes something on a piece of paper doesn’t instantly make it true. Even doctors and hospitals can often be successfully sued for medical malpractice despite patients’ signatures on medical releases.
Speak to an Experienced Sporting, Club & Concert Injury Attorney
Since 1990, the knowledgeable legal team at Sexner Injury Lawyers LLC has been helping those injured achieve justice, with millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts successfully collected on behalf of our deserving clients. Call us anytime at (312) 243-9922 for a free consultation to discuss how we can be of assistance.
