Were You Injured in A Stadium Due To Negligence?
Stadiums are created for one purpose – to bring together crowds of people, usually for entertainment purposes. As you would expect, drawing in large crowds and, in many cases, selling alcohol to them, can drastically increase safety concerns.
Patrons attending stadium events are more likely to be injured in car accidents, pedestrian accidents, slips and falls, and even violent crimes.
So, what happens when someone gets injured at a stadium in Texas? Find out everything you need to know about stadium safety and liability issues in Houston, TX below.
Stadium Events and Safety Concerns
Stadium events in Houston and elsewhere do not have to be dangerous, but eventgoers need to be aware of certain risks that they face when attending these large-scale events. One of the biggest dangers of stadium events is the size of the crowds that attend.
Recent statistics suggest that NFL game attendance has skyrocketed in 2022. Stadiums are averaging crowds of up to 69,615 attendees, which means most stadium are filling up to about 98.1 percent capacity. Considering this crowd size, everyone in attendance faces increased risks of getting involved in accidents or falling victim to violent crimes.
Car Accidents
With tens of thousands of vehicles are all converging to one singular location, it is not that surprising that your chances of getting into a car accident increase when you attend a Houston area stadium event. Every single motorist has a legal duty to protect the safety of everyone else around them by avoiding reasonably foreseeable harm.
With that in mind, you need to do your best to navigate through traffic safely. If another driver acts recklessly and causes an otherwise avoidable collision, you could have legal recourse against that motorist in the event that you suffer injuries or property damage. However, if the parking area and roadways on the stadium property are not designed to foster safe travel, the stadium owner might be responsible for any accidents and injuries that happen as a result.
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents are another common stadium safety hazard. Again, with so many vehicles all going to the same place, parking areas and roadways within and around stadiums can get very dangerous. Expect to see thousands of eventgoers driving and walking through every parking area. With that in mind, you need to remain extra careful while driving and walking through the parking area.
While driving, watch for younger children, unattended pets, and even intoxicated patrons on foot, and do not exceed speed limits appropriate for the conditions. While walking, keep an eye on drivers’ eyes to see where they intend to go, make sure it is safe to cross any pavement where vehicles can travel before walking, and watch for intoxicated drivers. In either case, it is always the responsibility of the motorist to avoid pedestrians.
Property Accidents
Another common but less recognized hazard is the stadium property itself. Stadium owners and designers in Texas have an obligation to ensure that the property is safe for all patrons before they can host an event. In stadiums, patrons may experience serious falls, because stadiums often extend to great heights. A fall from a height can be extremely serious and even fatal. Additionally, people who fall down in a large crowd are at risk of being trampled, and the density of the crowd may make it difficult for medical personnel to get to the fallen individual, like in the case of Astroworld.
According to premises liability laws, it is the stadium owner’s obligation to keep their property safe for patrons attending events there. If an injury or fatality does occur on stadium property, the owner should take timely steps to remedy any hazards, and affected parties should discuss their options with a legal professional, as the stadium owner could be liable for their losses.
Violent Crimes
In addition to addressing physical hazards on their property, Houston stadium owners must also ensure that every patron is safe from foreseeable violent crimes. Negligent security claims often arise when stadium owners fail to provide security in the form of trained officers on staff, surveillance cameras, adequate lighting, and other reasonably necessary safety features. These types of claims often arise when several violent crimes have happened in a stadium but the owner has failed to take reasonable steps to safeguard against future crime.
How to Promote Safety during Stadium Events
When a stadium owner hosts an event in Houston, TX, they accept the legal responsibility to protect every patron’s safety. If they do not take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of stadium attendees, then they leave themselves open to potential legal action in the event of a preventable injury.
What Legal Options Does an Injured Stadium Patron Have in Texas?
A patron who suffers an injury due to the negligence of a stadium owner, motorist, or event planner may have legal recourse. If negligence is proven, then the party who breached their legal duty of care will be held financially liable by a Texas court for losses such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. To learn more about your legal rights and options after a stadium injury, consult with a local lawyer.
Stadium Injury Claims
Stadium events in Houston usually generate a lot of excitement, but it is important not to get swept up by the atmosphere and forget to remain vigilant about your and others’ safety. There are a lot of dangers associated with stadiums, including slip-and-fall accidents, car crashes, and violent crimes. The best way to ensure your own safety and that of others is to remain aware of these risks and do your best to avoid them.
Of course, there are times when an accident does happen, and it is not a result of your own inattention. Instead, you could wind up injured because of someone else’s negligence.
When that happens, it might be possible to recover some of the financial losses you suffer by filing a personal injury claim. Discuss your situation with an attorney before moving forward with a claim.
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