When the music is turned up too loudly, it can hurt your ears. For one Garth Brooks fan, love of music almost cost her an eye. And while we think a good pun is pretty funny, there’s nothing funny about what happened to Jean Ann Crenshaw on December 9^th while she was at a concert at the Bridgestone Arena.

The short version is this: Trisha Yearwood had a surprise in store for Garth Brooks that involved dropping balloons from the ceiling. It didn’t quite go off as planned, so a crew person tried poking the netting with a pole. The balloons did eventually fall into the floor seats as planned, but the pole went with them, and it hit Ms. Crenshaw in the face. Billboard reports that “One of Crenshaw’s wounds, which required five stitches, came within half an inch of piercing her eye, doctors at Vanderbilt Medical Center told her.”

Determining liability for an injury at a concert venue

Ms. Crenshaw has already sought counsel, which leads us to believe that she and her lawyer think she has an actionable case – but actionable against whom? Who is liable if you get hurt at a venue during a concert?

This case is a little tricky, because there are multiple potential defendants: the owners of the arena, the company which handles things like setting up balloons, and the alleged crew member who poked the balloon net with a pole. Depending on the details, Ms. Yearwood might also be sued (though based on what we’ve read, that seems unlikely). More than likely, the venue owners and event planners will be named in a lawsuit.

Let’s say, though, that you are at a concert and another attendee has too much to drink, picks a fight with you, and ends up breaking your nose. In this scenario, you can make a claim against the person who hit you (of course), but you might also be able to make a claim against the venue itself, for not removing the problem attendee. It’s a complicated situation, so you’ll want to speak with a lawyer about your next steps for making a claim.

Seeking damages after an injury

We know that Ms. Crenshaw, through no fault of her own, was seriously injured. We know she had stitches, which means she had medical bills. She may have lost some time at work; if so, she may be entitled to damages for those losses, too. She may also be able to claim compensation for pain and suffering.

If a person were to die at a concert, then his or her family could make a wrongful death claim against the liable party(ies). Wrongful death claims can be made by family members or estate representatives, who can seek damages to cover funeral costs, the loss of future earnings, and the loss of companionship.

These types of injury claims can be more complex than you might think. You’ll want an experienced Knoxville injury lawyer on your side, ready to fight for your rights. At Banks and Jones, we protect our clients and their futures. Please call 865-546-2141 or contact us to schedule a free consultation.