Music festivals are a great place to enjoy time off in the summer. They offer a space to relax, watch talented musicians and engage in activities with a community of fun-loving individuals. It is not uncommon, however, for the fun to get a bit out of hand and cause harm to festival guests. If you plan on attending a music festival, know what steps to take to establish a worthy case and determine the next line of action in the case of injury.
Gather as Much Information as Possible
After a medic or doctor has looked at your injuries, try to gather facts regarding the cause of the damages. Consider every element that contributed to the injury-causing event and try to collect relevant information. Ask yourself a series of questions to get started.
- How did the injury occur? You might not know the exact cause of your injury. Start with what you do know and work your way back. Was the injury caused by festival-owned machinery? Did the negligence of another guest contribute to the harm? Do some snooping to find out all the events that led up to the moment you were hurt.
- What was the duty of the responsible party? Most cases of injury are due to the negligence of another party. To prove liability in negligence cases, you must first establish a duty of care. Once you know how the injury occurred, find out what the “duty of reasonable care” was for the responsible party.
- Why did the responsible party breach the duty? When the responsible party failed to follow through with the duty of reasonable care, the law considers it a breach of duty. Proving this breach of duty is vital to a negligence liability case. If the breach of duty was out of the control of the responsible party, another party may be at fault.
- Who owns the festival venue? The owner of the festival venue will likely be the defendant if you choose to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. Depending on the specifics of your case, it may fall under the premises liability of the owner.
- Where can you find hard evidence? Hard evidence will go a long way in making your case a solid one. See if you can find tapes from security cameras that caught the event on film or take a picture of an unsafe area that caused your injury. With every piece of information regarding the event, try to obtain tangible proof.
Seek Medical Attention
At the time of the incident, you may not understand just how devastating your injury is. If, when you were hurt, you’d been drinking, the pain may not be immediate. It’s important for both your health and your case to get proper medical care. If you didn’t receive medical attention on the evening or day of the injury, do so as soon as possible after.
Calculate Your Damages
Keep every invoice and receipt you have from treatment relating to the damages. Retain bills for medical care, prescription costs and rehabilitation. If you were unable to work after the incident, calculate the lost earnings. Account for mental anguish and suffering as well if you feel it is severe enough to recover funds.
Establish Worth of Pursuing a Case
Once you have gathered all the necessary information, talk with an attorney. Together, you can calculate the damages and determine whether it will be worth pursuing a law suit. You may not realize the compensation that could entail.
Find a Trustworthy Personal Injury Lawyer
In the aftermath of a music festival injury, you could be left confused, frustrated and unsure of which actions to take. The assistance of a personal injury lawyer could help you sort out your situation and determine whether you should take further action.
