Wednesday 13 April 2016
Recently, a band popular with students held an impromptu concert in the student flats area of Castle Street. The band gave a free concert to say thank you to their fans. The concert was broadcasted over social media and within a short time hundreds of people turned up.
The concert was held at the backyard area for several flats. Many people crammed onto the balconies of the surrounding flats to enjoy the concert. One of the balconies collapsed. 18 were injured, amongst those 2 were serious. One suffered serious spinal injuries which could mean lifetime partial paralysis.
After proper checking and enquiries, the authorities concluded that the collapsed balcony was critically overloaded. It was meant to take no more than 8 people but 16 to 18 people were on it at the time.
The concert was organised with the best intention. However, no thought was given to the appropriateness of the venue and possible risks and consequences. Risks such as fire and overcrowding compounded by alcohol consumption within a small area should have been considered.
It would be a mistake to think that the balcony collapse was an accident. The risk of collapse is extremely high when something is holding twice the weight it is meant to. Holding the concert where it was meant that overloading was almost inevitable.
For me, the saddest thing is that the whole tragedy could have been prevented if thought was only given to the risks and consequences.
The role of a good lawyer is similar to that of a good event organiser. In advising a client, a lawyer needs to consider the various risks and make enquiries to inform her client of the risks and consequences.
A good event organiser would have organised the event at the appropriate venue so that everyone could have a great time. Similarly, a good lawyer will work with you to find the best pathway to achieve the goals for you and your family.
If you have any legal queries, please contact Teresa Chan at Teresa Chan Law Limited, Level 3, Westpac Building, 106 George Street, Dunedin 9016, ph. 477 1069, or email teresa@tchanlaw.co.nz If you are a Mandarin speaker, please ring Xiaoyan Mu at (022) 694 9917.
Note: The information in this article is general only. You should seek advice for specific situations.
KEYWORDS: risks, consequences, good lawyer
