Florida residents may be interested to learn of the recent settlement reached in a 2011 stage collapse incident involving a famous country music duo. Sources indicate that the country duo Sugarland, their concert promoter and other defendants reached a $39 million settlement with victims for a 2011 Indiana stage collapse. The incident involved improperly set rigging in an outdoor stage roof that fell on concert attendees who were waiting for the concert to begin.
Seven people died and almost 100 others were injured when the stage collapsed due to high winds in August 2011. The most recent settlement follows a prior $11 million settlement paid out by the state of Indiana for the accident. Still outstanding is a separate lawsuit against one defendant that may go to trial.
Investigation following the incident revealed the rigging used did not meet safety standards. Additionally, the reports found that the fairgrounds did not have adequate emergency procedures in place. New regulations regarding outdoor stage rigging have been put into place as a result of the 2011 accident.
When people are seriously injured or killed due to existing hazards that the owners or occupiers knew of or should reasonably have known, they may be held liable under premises liability laws. When multiple defendants share a portion of responsibility for the existing hazard causing the injuries, settlements or verdict awards could be apportioned between the defendants for payment to the victims. People who have been injured on another’s premises may want to talk to a personal injury attorney.
Source: FOX News, “Indiana stage collapse victims reach settlement with Sugarland, Live Nation“, December 19, 2014
