A new lawsuit has been filed against New Orleans city officials and contractors, accusing them of failing to prevent the deadly truck ramming attack that claimed fourteen lives and injured dozens on New Year’s Day.
The lawsuit, brought by a group of victims and their families, alleges that city leaders ignored warnings about Bourbon Street’s vulnerability to vehicle attacks. It argues that security failures, poor planning, and reckless decision-making contributed to the tragedy.
Victims and Families Speak Out
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include Louisiana residents as well as visitors from Alabama, Florida, and Texas. Among them is Antoinette Klima, the lead plaintiff, who shared a twelve-year-old son with Reggie Hunter, a Baton Rouge man killed in the attack.
Klima described the pain of losing Hunter as unbearable, saying it was devastating to think about all the milestones their son will now have to experience without his father. She compared her grief to surviving Hurricane Katrina and losing loved ones before, but said nothing could compare to the pain of breaking the news to her son.
The victims are represented by the New Orleans-based law firm Maples & Connick, along with Chicago-based Romanucci & Blandin.
Negligence and Ignored Warnings
According to the lawsuit, city officials had been warned about the possibility of a vehicle attack on Bourbon Street but failed to act. A contractor had even presented a security scenario in April 2024 that showed an F-150 pickup truck turning onto Bourbon Street and striking pedestrians—the exact method used by the attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar.
Despite this warning, the city did not take necessary precautions, leaving revelers exposed to danger. The lawsuit claims that security vulnerabilities were further exacerbated by the ongoing replacement of the city’s bollard system, which was supposed to protect against vehicle attacks.
Attorneys for the victims argue that New Orleans officials prioritized preparations for the upcoming Super Bowl over public safety on New Year’s Eve and the Sugar Bowl, failing to recognize the high-risk nature of those events. Michael Cerasa, a partner at Romanucci & Blandin, described the timing of the bollard replacement as reckless and outrageous, saying it left the city vulnerable during one of the busiest nights of the year.
Failures by Police and Contractors
The lawsuit also places blame on multiple parties, including the New Orleans Police Department, the French Quarter Management District, and city contractors.
The police department is accused of failing to follow its own security measures. Instead of using a large truck as a barrier, officers positioned a smaller police cruiser, which allowed the attacker to maneuver his rented F-150 around it. The French Quarter Management District is also being sued for its role in overseeing the replacement of the security barriers, which attorneys say was dangerously mismanaged.
Two contractors, Mott MacDonald and Hard Rock Construction, are named in the lawsuit for their role in designing and installing security barriers that attorneys claim were poorly manufactured and failed to protect the public. The lawsuit argues that attempting to replace these bollards during a high-risk event instead of waiting until after the holidays was a serious error in judgment.
Survivors Struggle with Trauma
Many of the victims who survived the attack continue to suffer from severe psychological distress. The lawsuit describes how several plaintiffs had to crawl to safety after sustaining traumatic injuries and now live in fear of crowded public spaces.
Daniel Ortega, a plaintiff from Alabama, said he has struggled with intense nightmares, often going entire nights without sleep. He explained that the experience has left him too anxious to be in public spaces during busy hours.
Lawsuit Could Seek Millions in Damages
Romanucci & Blandin, one of the law firms representing the victims, has a history of securing large settlements in high-profile cases. The firm played a key role in obtaining a $27 million settlement for George Floyd’s family and a $98 million verdict for the family of Botham Jean.
Attorney Antonio Romanucci did not specify how much the victims of the New Orleans attack would seek in damages but emphasized that the losses were immeasurable.
