NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans is being sued by the family of a teenager crushed by a massive tree limb in a historic French Quarter park.
The 17-year-old is still in the intensive care unit, the family's attorney said at a Wednesday news conference. The teen suffered “catastrophic” brain, facial and spinal injuries on July 7, according to the lawsuit.
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“The limb fell directly on his head and pinned him to the ground for many minutes before he could be released from the limb,” the attorney, Morris Bart, said.
The family was visiting New Orleans' Jackson Square, a popular tourist destination, from New Braunfels, Texas, when the teen was injured. The lawsuit says the branch snapped as he, his mother and brother sat on a nearby bench. His family was not harmed.
An urban forestry consulting firm, a tree-trimming company and a construction company are also defendants in the lawsuit, filed on behalf of the teen's parents in a state district court. The lawsuit does not specify a dollar figure for damages.
The lawsuit says the tree had been in “critically poor” condition for some time and that a construction company working nearby didn't protect the tree’s roots. Damage to roots can harm a tree and lead to the failure of a limb, the lawsuit said. It also said the city failed to take action to keep people out of harm’s way, even though another limb had fallen days earlier.
A city spokesperson declined comment, citing a policy against commenting on litigation.