Common Injuries in Crowds: Mardi Gras Edition

Posted in Injuries in Crowds on January 13, 2020

Mardi Gras is generally a happy-go-lucky celebration prior to the beginning of Lent. This holiday was first celebrated in the United States in 1699, and the first Mardi Gras parade was held in New Orleans in 1827. Today more than one million Americans join the festivities. However, there are downsides to attending Mardi Gras, such as the potential for being injured, particularly in a crowd.

Crowds, or large groups of people, frequently occur in our society. Usually, these large gatherings of people transpire without significant complications. Although, sometimes the combination of inadequate facilities and poor crowd management causes injury or even death. If you suffer a crowd-related injury or another injury during Mardi Gras, you need the services of a dedicated New Orleans personal injury attorney.

Common Crowd-Related Injuries

While in a crowd, you may be pushed, squeezed, pulled, or even trampled or crushed. You may panic or faint from overheating or a lack of oxygen. Many different forces can potentially be placed on the human body in a crowd, putting individuals at risk for a wide variety of injuries such as:

• Broken bones
• Soft tissue injuries
• Bruising
• Scrapes/cuts
• Sprains/strains
• Internal organ injuries
• Dental injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Compressive asphyxia from the force of the crowd which often results in death

Is Someone Responsible for Your Crowd Injury?

If you recently sustained one of these or other injuries while in a crowd, an experienced New Orleans personal injury lawyer can help. The attorney can determine who, if anyone, is liable for the injuries you have. During Mardi Gras, several people or entities could be responsible for crowd injuries such as businesses, the government, or even other individuals.

A personal injury attorney in New Orleans can build a case showing that one or more of these parties owed you a duty of care. For example, the city government should have crowd control strategies in place to help protect people in crowds and mitigate injuries. If you were injured in the crowd due to their negligence and suffered damages like pain and suffering or medical bills because of it, you might be owed compensation.

Tips for Crowd-Goers

There are tips you can follow to help avoid incidents and injuries while in a crowd of people and not need a personal injury lawyer in New Orleans. While these tips do not ensure that you will not be injured in a large crowd, they can help decrease your chances of injury.

• Wear the right shoes: Select a pair of shoes that are not likely to fall off if you need to run or cause you to trip. Boots, tennis shoes, or other sturdy footwear are the best choices.
• Consider your clothing: Just like you need to wear the right shoes, you also need to think about what you wear. Clothes that are difficult for other people to grab onto or yank off of you are best.
• Remember to hydrate: Fainting is more likely to happen if you are dehydrated, especially if it is warm. Drink plenty of water before going to Mardi Gras events and try to continue drinking water while you are there.
• Limit Your Alcohol: Not only can alcohol contribute to dehydration, but it can impair your motor control, cause delayed reactions, and impact your decision making.
• Identify exits: Locate areas where you can exit the crowd or the building if you are in a building. While most people will instinctively try to leave the way they came in, this is often not the best way out.
• Know what to do: If there is a stampede, the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that you take a stance similar to a boxer. In addition, avoid the center of the crowd and stay along the perimeter if possible. If you need to move to the perimeter, move diagonally. If you are in the middle of the crowd during a stampede, the CDC recommends going with the flow of people. Do not try to stay in one place. If you do fall down, focus on protecting your head and curl into the fetal position.
• Remain calm: Even if there is a reason to be scared, try, and stay as calm as possible. The calmer you are, the better decisions you can make. When large groups of people let their panic overtake them, disaster can happen. Many times their panic and actions do not match the present level of danger.

What to do if You are Injured at Mardi Gras

After an injury at Mardi Gras, you might be wondering what to do or who can help. You can turn to a seasoned New Orleans personal injury attorney for legal guidance. You likely have many questions, such as who is responsible for your injuries or how you will pay your medical bills. It is crucial for you to do the following after your injury:

• Note the location of the incident and any involved parties
• File a police report, if needed, and document any expenses your financial losses caused by your injury
• Keep your medical bills or and records of hospital visits
• Take pictures of all injuries and any property damage as soon as possible

This information will be valuable to your case and used by your New Orleans personal injury lawyer to prove liability and damages. The longer you wait to collect pictures and documentation, the higher the risk that this valuable evidence will be lost or destroyed.

Contact a Skilled Personal Injury Lawyer in New Orleans Today

The risk of personal injury during Mardi Gras in New Orleans is real. Additionally, the legal elements of negligence, liability, and responsibility are more complex. Your injuries could be the result of third parties unaware of their role in the situation or who just do not care.

When Mardi Gras turns out to be much less than you expected, a skilled personal injury attorney in New Orleans can help you recover money for your damages. Schedule your consultation today by calling (504) 500-5000 to reach the Law Office of John W. Redmann, L.L.C., or use our convenient online contact form.