A group of individuals affected by a tragic truck ramming incident in New Orleans on New Year’s Day has initiated legal action against city officials and contractors, asserting that they neglected to ensure the safety of the celebrators, leading to a catastrophe that resulted in 14 fatalities and numerous injuries.
The 21 plaintiffs include both Louisiana residents and visitors from states such as Alabama, Florida, and Texas. Antoinette Klima, the foremost plaintiff, expressed her heartbreak over the loss of Reggie Hunter, a 37-year-old man from Baton Rouge who died during the attack. She lamented the impact this will have on their shared 12-year-old son, noting moments that Hunter will miss, including significant life events like graduation and marriage.
“I’ve endured Hurricane Katrina and faced loss before, but nothing compares to the anguish of losing Reggie and having to explain it to our son,” Klima stated.
Klima and the other victims are represented by the New Orleans law firm Maples & Connick, alongside Chicago’s Romanucci & Blandin. Their lawsuit, submitted on a Wednesday in Orleans Parish Civil District Court, aligns with claims made in an earlier lawsuit filed by six other victims and a father of another victim of the same attack, emphasizing the dangers present on Bourbon Street, a popular area known for its festive celebrations in the historic French Quarter.
Both legal actions name the city and two contractors in their complaints, arguing that city representatives had been alerted multiple times about the susceptibility of Bourbon Street to a potential vehicle-rampage scenario. In fact, a contractor had previously warned city officials in April 2024 about a possible instance where a pickup truck could collide with pedestrians, foreshadowing the actual events carried out by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the 42-year-old perpetrator who attacked around 3:15 AM on New Year’s Day.
Police engaged Jabbar and fatally shot him during the confrontation following the incident.
The plaintiffs noted that the city was in the midst of replacing a faulty bollard system, meant to act as a barrier against vehicle traffic, as preparations for the upcoming Super Bowl in New Orleans were underway.
Michael Cerasa, a partner at Romanucci & Blandin, criticized the city’s focus, stating, “The city of New Orleans recklessly mishandled the timing of the bollard replacement projects, prioritizing Super Bowl readiness while leaving the obvious target exposed on New Year’s and during the Sugar Bowl.”
Additionally, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the French Quarter Management District—an organization dedicated to enhancing public safety in the historic area—are also named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The complaint alleges that the French Quarter Management District acted with negligence during the bollard system replacement.
Moreover, the lawsuit claims that the NOPD did not adhere to its own security protocols for Bourbon Street. Instead of deploying a larger vehicle as stipulated in their security plan, a police cruiser was used as a makeshift barrier, which the attacker was able to maneuver around quite easily.
Allegations also state that contractor Mott MacDonald produced security barriers that were poorly designed and needed replacement, while general contractor Hard Rock Construction is faulted for attempting to replace the bollards on one of the most high-traffic nights of the year.
Hard Rock Construction has yet to provide a statement regarding the lawsuit, and the city and other named defendants have refrained from comments, citing the ongoing litigation.
Attorneys involved in the case indicated that determining liability for this unfortunate incident would be akin to assembling a “jigsaw puzzle,” hinting that more individuals or entities could eventually be added to the list of defendants.
The case details how victims faced harrowing experiences, some managing to crawl to safety after sustaining serious injuries. Many plaintiffs now struggle with anxiety and post-traumatic stress, avoiding crowded places out of fear.
In a written statement, Daniel Ortega, a plaintiff from Alabama, described his torment: “I have endured nightly nightmares, preventing me from sleeping, and I find it challenging to go to public places during busy periods.”
Romanucci & Blandin previously represented families in significant cases, including securing large settlements in instances of police violence and misconduct. However, the amount sought in damages by the victims of the New Orleans attack remains unspecified, with attorney Antonio Romanucci commenting that “the losses here are immeasurable.”
