If you have suffered an injury in a crowd crush at a public event in Queensland that was the result of negligence by event organisers, venue owners or a security company, you can claim compensation.
Event organisers are legally obligated to implement proper crowd management plans, maintain safe exit routes and monitor crowd density to prevent crushes and trampling incidents.
If your injury was caused by poor crowd control at a concert, festival or sporting event, you may be entitled to compensation.
What Makes Event Organisers Legally Responsible?
Event organisers have a duty of care to ensure the safety of all attendees, and they must take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable injuries from crowd-related incidents.
Common examples of negligence:
Inadequate crowd barriers which permit dangerous overcrowding near stages or entry/exit points where people cannot escape surging crowds.
Insufficient security personnel, leading to failure to properly monitor crowd density and intervene when dangerous bottlenecks form. This is particularly relevant during peak times or when crowds push forward during performances.
Blocked or inadequate emergency exits, with too few exits for the size of the crowd, exits blocked by equipment and/or exit routes which aren’t clearly marked and maintained.
Poor venue layout, creating choke points at stairwells, narrow corridors or areas where crowd flow compresses.
What You're Entitled To
Monetary compensation for:
Any medical expenses and losses arising from your injury, including treatment, rehabilitation, medication, transport and equipment.
Lost income and future earning capacity, covering wages lost during recovery and reduced earning capacity if you’re unable to return to previous work because of your injury.
Pain, suffering and reduced quality of life caused by physical pain, emotional trauma, PTSD, permanent scarring and/or loss of enjoyment of activities.
Ongoing care and assistance if your injuries require help with daily tasks, home modifications and/or long-term medical support.
Common Scenarios
I was trampled when the crowd surged during a concert
Event organisers and security companies are responsible if they failed to control crowd density, didn't have adequate barriers to prevent surging and/or had insufficient security personnel.
What to do:
- Document your injuries with medical records showing trampling injuries (bruising, fractures, head injuries, etc.)
- Identify specific failures like missing crowd barriers or insufficient security monitoring
- Seek witness statements from others who were present for the same dangerous conditions
Important: organisers cannot simply claim that crowd surging is an "obvious risk" at a concert. They still have a legal duty under Queensland's event safety guidelines to implement proper crowd management measures.
The venue had blocked emergency exits
This would represent a serious breach of duty. Adequate emergency exits with appropriate widths and clear access are fundamental legal requirements under Queensland safety standards.
What to do:
- Photograph or video the blocked exits immediately. Make sure photos show what was blocking them
- Report to Queensland Police and potentially WorkSafe Queensland, as this may constitute criminal negligence
- Document the emergency circumstances that required evacuation
Important: venue owners have a specific duty to maintain safe premises, including unobstructed emergency exits, even if they leased the venue to event organisers.
Too many people were allowed into the venue
Exceeding safe capacity limits is a clear breach of duty. Event organisers are obligated to conduct risk assessments and enforce capacity limits based on venue size, exit widths and crowd management capabilities.
What to do:
- Obtain the venue's licensed capacity information through council records
- Gather clear evidence of overcrowding from photos, videos and/or witness accounts
- Identify monitoring failures (such as no ticket scanners to track entry numbers)
Important: under Queensland's 2024 Event Health and Medical Care Guidelines, organisers must provide enhanced risk assessments which take venue capacity into consideration and have systems to monitor density levels.
Security failed to respond when I reported dangerous overcrowding
This demonstrates foreseeable harm that security failed to prevent, which makes for particularly strong evidence of negligence because it shows organisers had actual notice of dangerous conditions before someone got hurt.
What to do:
- Document your warning to security by identifying who you spoke to and what concerns you raised
- Obtain the details of the security company in question as they may be jointly liable for failing to have adequate crowd monitoring systems
- Connect the failure to your injury by showing how the overcrowding issue you reported led to the crush incident
Important: security companies have specific duties they are obligated to complete, including surveillance, incident response and crowd management. Failure to act on reported safety concerns can establish liability independent of, or in addition to, event organisers.
I have PTSD even though my physical injuries were minor
Psychological injuries stemming from traumatic crowd crush incidents are compensable under Queensland public liability law, especially when they significantly impact your daily life, work capacity and/or relationships.
What to do:
- Seek treatment from a psychologist or psychiatrist immediately
- Document how the trauma affects your life through journals and statements from family/friends
- Continue treatment, as gaps in mental health treatment are often used to minimise psychological injury claims
Important: don't put off seeking legal advice just because your physical injuries initially seemed minor. Crush injury compensation includes both physical and psychological harm.
Organisers claim I assumed the risk by attending
Organisers cannot use "assumption of risk" to escape liability for failing to implement the basic safety measures which are legally required.
What to do:
- Distinguish between inherent risks and negligence by showing there were dangerous overcrowding caused by organisers' failures
- Point to the specific safety standards breached by using Queensland's event safety guidelines and the industry standards for crowd management
- Showcase that the risk was not obvious by demonstrating dangerous overcrowding wasn't visible to you until too late
Important: under the Civil Liability Act 2003 (Qld), even if a risk is "obvious," organisers still have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect attendees.
Making Your Claim: Key Steps
1. Seek immediate medical attention and make sure you get comprehensive documentation of any treatment you undergo. Visit a hospital or GP as soon as possible and request copies of all medical reports.
2. Report the incident to event organisers in writing and formally request their incident report, which may contain admissions about safety failures.
3. Gather comprehensive evidence immediately, including photographs of venue layout, overcrowding, blocked exits and/or inadequate barriers. Collect witness contact details and save your ticket or event communications.
4. Document the impact the injury has on your life through a detailed journal of pain levels, treatment, activities you cannot do and time you’ve had to take off work. Photograph visible injuries as they progress.
5. Don't provide any statements without legal advice. Event organisers or insurers may request statements or ask you to sign releases that could harm your claim.
6. Consult a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible for a free case assessment.
Documents You'll Need
Medical records proving the nature, severity and ongoing impact of your injuries caused by the crowd crush incident.
Financial documentation including payslips, receipts for expenses and quotes for future needs.
Evidence of dangerous conditions through photos, videos, witness statements, your ticket and correspondence about safety concerns.
Psychological impact evidence including treatment records, statements from family about changes they've observed and journal entries documenting symptoms.
Legal Framework and Recent Changes
The Civil Liability Act 2003 (Qld) governs negligence claims for injuries at public events. Multiple parties can be held jointly responsible, including event organisers, venue owners, security companies and contractors.
Queensland's 2024 Event Health and Medical Care Guidelines introduced enhanced standards which require six-week advance notification of the event to Queensland Ambulance Service, stricter medical staffing ratios and comprehensive crowd management protocols.
Event organisers who haven't updated their safety plans to meet these standards are particularly vulnerable to negligence claims.
Red Flags: When to Act Immediately
Event organisers pressure you to sign documents claiming to be routine incident reports but are actually liability releases.
Your injuries are worsening or you're developing psychological symptoms like nightmares or panic attacks in crowds.
Organisers or insurers contact you requesting a recorded statement about the incident.
Evidence starts to disappear, such as social media videos being deleted or witnesses becoming harder to locate.
You're approaching the 3-year anniversary of the incident without having begun legal proceedings.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Delaying medical treatment, as insurers use this to argue that your injuries aren't serious or weren't caused by the incident.
Posting about the incident on social media, including photos that could be misrepresented as inconsistent with the injuries you’re claiming to have suffered.
Accepting quick settlement offers before understanding the full extent of your injuries and future treatment needs.
Assuming your claim isn't valid because others weren't injured, as individual vulnerability varies and the legal question is about whether organisers breached their duty.
When to Seek Legal Advice
It’s always recommended to seek legal advice as quickly as possible, especially if: :
- You've suffered any injury requiring medical treatment from a crowd crush at a public event
- You observed clear safety failures like dangerous overcrowding or blocked emergency exits
- Your injuries prevent you from working or require ongoing treatment
- Multiple parties may be responsible
- Organisers or insurers have contacted you
- You're unsure whether you have a valid claim
Why Early Advice Matters
Seeking legal advice at the earliest opportunity is crucial as it helps you:
Understand your full rights, including compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and future needs.
Access rehabilitation sooner, as lawyers can arrange treatment on a deferred payment basis.
Protect your claim by avoiding early mistakes like unadvised statements or gaps in treatment.
Get expert guidance before time limits expire, as investigating crowd crush incidents requires obtaining safety plans, security logs and expert reports.
Key Takeaways
Event organisers have a legal duty to implement proper crowd management safety plans, including thorough risk assessments, proper barriers, enough security staff and emergency procedures in place.
Multiple parties can be held responsible when their combined failures in crowd management cause injuries.
Compensation covers all losses caused by your injury, including medical expenses, lost income, psychological trauma and reduced quality of life.
Evidence gathering is critical as temporary structures are dismantled, witnesses disperse and social media posts are deleted.
Get Help Now
If you've been injured in a crowd crush incident and believe the event organisers failed to uphold their crowd management duties, getting legal advice as early as possible will help you understand your rights and get the treatment you need.
Contact Smith's Lawyers today:
Call 1800 960 482 for a free, no-obligation consultation with a personal injury lawyer who specialises in public liability claims.
No upfront costs: We operate on a No Win, No Fee, No Catch® basis.
Or request a call back using the form below and our experienced team will contact you promptly.
Don't let time limits or insurer tactics prevent you from getting the compensation you deserve. Contact Smith's Lawyers now for expert guidance on your crowd crush injury claim.
