(Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Travis Scott, Scoremore and Live Nation after a crowd surge during the Nov. 5 Astroworld Festival combined with negligence from event staff left 10 dead and many injured. Organizers were quick to issue refunds for the event, but legal experts say those who accept the offer may be waiving away their right to legal action.
Hidden in fine print is language that suggests victims may not be able to sue the organizers should they receive a refund. By accepting the refund, victims “agree that any dispute or claim … will be resolved by binding, individual arbitration, rather than in court. The waiver then states they also “waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.”
This language, along with Scott’s other remedies to the tragedy, have received major backlash in the wake of the event. The rapper is offering free therapy to all those affected by the tragedy through a partnership with BetterHelp, an online therapy site.
The move was criticized when it was revealed that Scott could be profiting from the influx of referrals to the service, as well as putting his young fanbase’s private mental health data up for sale.