HOUSTON — More than 200 concertgoers who say they were injured in the Astroworld Festival tragedy have filed lawsuits through attorneys Ben Crump and Alex Hillard.
They're suing Live Nation, the largest event promoter in the United States, and headlining artist Travis Scott.
Crump confirmed they're now representing 93 new victims in lawsuits filed on Friday.
"Families lost their high school children, their college children, people were injured greatly and nobody should ever die from going to a concert," Crump said. "So this lawsuit is not justice about getting justice for them, but it’s about making sure that the promoters and the organizers know that you can not allow this to ever happen in the future."
The lawsuits claim victims suffered from various mental and physical injuries as well as psychological trauma. Four clients came forward during a press conference Friday to share their experiences.
VIDEO: Astroworld Festival victim Dishon Issac, 31, describes crowd atmosphere before Travis Scott took the stage. He recalls pushing, shoving, fights breaking out and water bottles being thrown.
"Never see so many people on the ground, fighting for their life," Gertrude Daughtery said. The 59-year-old grandmother said she was on the ground for more than 15 minutes as she called for help.
Crump said she left with injuries to her shoulder, legs and ankles.
"I just literally thought I was going to die," Daughtery said. "I never thought going out to an entertainment would be such a disaster. It was a nightmare that I'll never forget. I can't sleep at night, every time I close my eyes, I see it."
Uniqua Smith, 34, said she was toward the left side front of the Utopia Mountain stage when Travis Scott started to perform.
"I remember being crushed from every side by human bodies all around me," Smith said.
She said people around her were struggling to remain standing, some appeared to be struggling to breathe. And as she tried to make her way out of the crowd, Smith said she came across a woman who had gone unconscious.
Smith, who is a mother of teenage twins, said she was trapped in the chaos without phone service or a way home until about 2:45 a.m.
"It was truly one of the most traumatizing experiences of my life."
VIDEO: Astroworld Festival victim Uniqua Smith, 34, describes trying to escape the crowd and being stranded in the "mayhem and madness" for several hours.
Among the Crump's clients is Ezra Blount, a 9-year-old boy who remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Texas Children's Hospital after being trampled.
The law firms had independent investigators go to NRG Park and survey the area where the festival was held. Crump said they described the grounds as a "war zone" littered with clothes, shoes and other personal items.
Hillard said the clients "underwent over 45 minutes of torture as they tried to escape feeling trapped, feeling like they would lose their lives."
"There was no plan in place for this to happen," Hillard said. "They are legally required as the organizers, the risks directors, the security personnel to protect over 50,000 people, and they didn't have a plan."
Hillard said that one lawsuit alone has 90 plaintiffs.
VIDEO: Astroworld Festival victim Reyna Iraheta, 25, explains she had safety concerns during the hours leading up to Travis Scott's concert.
Hillard said the private medical company the organizers hired were "egregiously understaffed" and equipped.
Houston Fire Department, Houston Police Department and other agencies continue to investigate the mass causality incident that left nine people dead and several others in life-threatening condition on the night of Nov. 5.
HFD confirmed at 300 concertgoers were treated on the scene at field hospitals.
Crump has a website for people who want to file claims related to the festival. He expects hundreds of other people to come forward.
VIDEO: Astroworld victim Gertrude Daughtery, 59, sustained multiple injuries during the crowd surge. She said "it was a nightmare I'll never forget."
