Fatal Accident Strikes at State Fair

On Monday, Aug. 15, 2011, five people were killed and 50 injured recently when a stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Twelve thousand country music fans were waiting for the start of a concert by the group Sugarland when the tragedy occurred.

According to the Associated Press, as reported in NJ.com:

“[Indiana Governor] Daniels has said the wind burst was a ‘fluke’ that no one could have foreseen. Dan McCarthy, the chief meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Indiana, said the gust was far stronger than those in other areas of the fairgrounds.

The seemingly capricious nature of the gust was evident Sunday at the fair. A striped tent near the grandstand appeared unscathed, as did an aluminum trailer about 50 yards across from the grandstand. The Ferris wheel on the midway also escaped damage.

First Sgt. Dave Bursten of the Indiana State Police said the lack of damage to structures on the fair’s midway or elsewhere supported the weather service’s belief that an isolated, significant wind gust caused the rigging to topple.

‘All of us know without exception in Indiana the weather can change from one report to another report, and that was the case here,’ he said.”

Sometimes accidents seem to come out of nowhere, like a sudden gust of wind. Other times, anyone can see that a situation is dangerous and “an accident waiting to happen.”

When you’re hurt in an accident, it’s not always clear at first who’s responsible. An experienced New Jersey personal injury lawyer can help determine where the responsibility lies and, if appropriate, seek compensation for your injuries.

Liability for a personal injury in NJ is established by showing that the person or entity (a business, for example) that caused the harm failed to exercise due care. It also must have been foreseeable that this failure to exercise care could result in the injury that occurred.

Damages can include reimbursement for medical expenses and property damage, compensation for pain and suffering and emotional distress, compensation for lost earnings (including future earnings), and legal costs and attorney’s fees.

When you’ve suffered a personal injury in New Jersey and want to know what your options are, contact the experienced attorneys at the New Jersey Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Hasson, P.C.