Astroworld: Hundreds settle injury cases ahead of trial

More than 300 plaintiffs have reportedly settled personal injury lawsuits with Live Nation and Travis Scott after the 2021 disaster at the Astroworld music festival.

Ten people died and hundreds more were injured during the fatal crowd crush at the 5 November 2021 festival at NRG Park in Houston, US. In June last year, a Texas grand jury declined to indict rapper and festival founder Travis Scott, nor anyone else associated with the festival.

The civil trial over injuries suffered at the festival was due to start this week but has now been delayed until February 2025 after settlements were reached, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Now, a host of lawyers will designate another round of so-called bellwether plaintiffs to test the strength of the remaining cases.

The result of the first trial could determine how much other victims receive in future trials or settlements.

The result of the first trial could determine how much other victims receive in future trials or settlements

Scott West, who represented 9-year-old Ezra Blount, Astroworld’s youngest casualty in the wrongful deaths suits, said hundreds of cases remain.

The bulk of the cases were settled with an undisclosed lump sum Friday and earlier this month, with West saying that amounts weren’t addressed in court.

The remaining plaintiff lawyers will decide which suits will be set for trial in February.

In a recent ruling, Judge Kristen Hawkins instructed that Live Nation chief Michael Rapino could have to give evidence in person, due to having “information [that] is not available through other sources”.

Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.