Argentine court rejects sons' lawsuit over Sergio Denis's death, blames singer for accident

An Argentine court has dismissed a compensation lawsuit brought by the children of the late singer Sergio Denis. The lawsuit targeted the Ente Autárquico Teatro Mercedes Sosa, the Asociación de Trabajadores de la Sanidad Argentina (ATSA), and Raúl Francisco Armisén, the head of the entity at the time of the incident.

The ruling, issued on August 19 by the Chamber of Administrative Litigation of Tucumán, found no evidence of negligence on the part of the defendants. Instead, the court concluded that the "direct and adequate cause" of Denis's fall was his own conduct. The singer fell into a pit next to the stage at the Teatro Mercedes Sosa on March 11, 2019.

Sergio Denis's children, Federico Patricio, Bárbara, and María Victoria Hoffmann, had sought over 16 million pesos in damages. They claimed compensation for loss of financial support, moral damages, and lost profits stemming from the incident during a show organized by ATSA for Women's Day. Denis remained in a coma for 14 months before passing away on May 15, 2020, at the age of 71.

“

How can they blame him for taking a few steps back? What are we talking about? I never thought they would end up holding Sergio responsible.

Diego Colombo, the family's lawyer and a personal friend of Denis, voiced his indignation and sadness. "I'm feeling terrible. It's a doubly sad day because of the friendship I had with Sergio. This affects me as a lawyer and as a man of law," he told LA NACION. Colombo particularly questioned the court's focus on the singer's movements on stage. "How can they blame him for taking a few steps back? What are we talking about? I never thought they would end up holding Sergio responsible," he stated.

Colombo argued that evidence presented during the investigation suggested the walkway lacked proper plans and permits. He also pointed to factors like stage lighting, the pit's depth, and previous incidents at the venue. "There was a walkway that, for us, was illegal, lights that blinded, and reports of people who had already fallen. Yet, they conclude it was Sergio's fault. I've seen many absurdities, but this surpasses anything I could have foreseen in my judicial life," he asserted. The lawyer recalled his close relationship with Denis and expressed confidence that the criminal investigation would at least lead to an indictment.

“

There was a walkway that, for us, was illegal, lights that blinded, and reports of people who had already fallen. Yet, they conclude it was Sergio's fault. I've seen many absurdities, but this surpasses anything I could have foreseen in my judicial life.