Who Stands Liable for Concert or Event Injuries?

July 19, 2018

Around the world, millions of people attend events like concerts, music festivals, fairs, and theater performances. The overwhelming majority of these events take place without incident, but there have been times when tragedy makes an appearance. Highly publicized incidents of violence, such as the music festival shooting in Las Vegas in 2017 and a concert suicide bombing in Manchester, United Kingdom the same year stand out in our minds. Concert and event goers have an expectation of safety when attending events, and when an incident occurs, there is often confusion as to which party is liable for the injuries or deaths sustained as a result of the incident. To minimize exposure for concert promoters, event venue owners, and performers, concert insurance represents a smart investment, protecting against financial burdens associated with liability issues.

Liability in Concerts and Public Events

Events such as music festivals and concerts are generally safe, but anytime there are a large number of people gathered, there exists the possibility of injury. There are numerous ways that a concert attendee could become injured, including:

• Violence on the part of attendees or intruders
• Failure to control crowds
• Inadequate security considerations and personnel
• Failure of or defective equipment (lighting, ventilation, fire suppression)
• Unsafe venue conditions
• The actions or inaction of performers and/or event staff

When an event attendee is injured, he or she may file a lawsuit, claiming that one or more parties were responsible for the injury. Injury lawsuits may target the liability of performers, security, and event venue owners. Concert promoters are often named as liable parties in injury lawsuits. Even third-party vendors, such as food and beverage providers, pyrotechnic vendors, and equipment manufacturers can be named as liable parties in a lawsuit.

Unraveling which party is actually responsible when an injury occurs can be a confusing, challenging process. Unless there is clear-cut evidence, such as negligence on the part of a venue owner or a glaring lack of security personnel, injury lawsuits can drag on for months, costing thousands or even millions of dollars in legal fees and expenses for the parties named in the suit. Naturally, this can have a devastating financial effect on the parties forced to defend themselves in litigation.

Concert Insurance to Manage Risks

Risk management is the cornerstone of business operations, and in the case of concerts and other public events, concert insurance represents a sound investment to protect against risks. Concert insurance can take many forms, and is often carried not only by venue owners and event promoters, but often the performers themselves. Such insurance policies typically cover a wide range of liability issues, and serve to protect the financial interests of the parties involved in the production of a concert or other event. By covering common risks associated with events, the named insured parties are able to protect against financial burdens imposed by litigation, including legal fees and settlement payments. ◼