Falls Music and Arts Festival class action goes to trial

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Falls Music and Arts Festival class action goes to trial

November 7, 2018

A class action involving up to nearly 80 concert goers injured in stampede at the Falls Music and Arts Festival will go to trial next month.

The multimillion-dollar class action involves festival attendees injured during a stampede at the Festival in 2016. The fanss were leaving Australian band the DMAs’ performance to see London Grammar on another stage when the overcrowded exit became congested, causing a panic which saw many people being injured and trampled on.

The stampede resulted in 19 revellers being hospitalised and 76 people needing first aid treatment.

The case will now go to trial in the Melbourne Supreme Court on 19^th November after the parties failed to reach a court settlement in a second attempt last week.

Damages are likely to be in excess of $4 million, according to lawyers leading the case.

The Festival started in 1993, with a small one-day concert, held in Lorne named Rock Above The Falls. Its initial success saw it expand, becoming a multi-day music festival held annually across the country - in Lorne, Marion Bay, Yelgun and Fremantle - over the New Year’s Eve and January period.

The Festival has a strong focus on sustainability, winning multiple awards over the years including being named the winner of the Major Festival category of the Australian Event Awards in 2014.

Image: Still from amateur footage the crowd crush happened. Source:Supplied

30th December 2017 - Police investigate sexual assault in Falls Festival mosh pit

11th December 2017 - ‘Insufficient evidence’ to prosecute Falls Festival organiser over crowd crush

17th March 2017 - Fans launch class action lawsuit over injuries Falls Festival

2nd January 2017 - Falls Festival organisers defend safety record

31st December 2016 - 19 injured in crowd crush at Falls Festival

17th August 2016 - Eventbrite research shows Australians love festivals

30th June 2016 - Falls Festival headed to Western Australia for new Fremantle event

30th June 2015 - Appeal of jumping pillow decision falls flat

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