Is New Orleans Dangerous? - Stewart J. Guss, Attorney At Law

heneve

someone

sks me if Ne

ns is d

nge

ous, ong>I CLENCH MY TEETH<

ong>. On one h

nd, I

nt to shout “No

y! It’s

T city!” On the othe

nd, I’m

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

-o

” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

efe

">pe

son

l inju

y l

<>, so I

egul

ly see the inju

ies

nd t

gic losses people suffe

in Ne

ns.

So, he

e’s the thing. Ne

ns, like

ny city, h

s unseen d

nge

s th

t c

n b

ing hm to the innocent

nd un

y. I’m not t

lking

bout c

ime, necess

ily. Yes, people get hu

t in c

imes do

n he

e, like

e else. Mo

e f

equently, ho

eve

, the

l d

nge

s th

t conf

ont

esidents

nd visito

s to the C

escent City e the eve

y conditions th

t inc

se the likelihood of ong>c

ophic

ccidents<

ong>

nd ong>life-

lte

ing inju

ies. ong>

t kind of

ccidents

nd inju

ies, you s

Tffic
ccidents

The

e e ove

200,000 licensed d

ive

s in O

ns P

ish. They

nd othe

ive

s f

om neighbo

ing P

ishes

nd st

tes fill the st

eets of Ne

ns eve

y d

y. P

edict

bly, t

ffic

ccidents

esult. Lots

nd lots of <

ef="https:

inju

yvictims.com

-o

ns-tffic-

ccidents/” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

efe

">tffic

ccidents >.

cco

ding to the LSU Cente

lytics &

mp;

esech in Tffic S

fety, in one

ecent ye, O

ns Pish s mo

e th

n 20,000 moto

vehicle

ccidents on its highys

nd by

ys.

little ove

6,300 of those

esulted in f

lities o

inju

ies. The

est, 13,680 of them to be p

ecise, involved only p

ope

ty d

ge (th

e kno

if,

t le

st). These

ccidents nged f

om mino

fende

bende

s th

t c

used little mo

e th

nnoy

nce to m

ecks th

t tot

led the c

nd t

ucks involved.

ikingly high p

opo

tion of the

ccidents in Ne

ns eve

y ye—ove

50 pe

cent, in f

ct—h

ppen

t in-to

n inte

sections.

t le

ds to tffic

ccidents in Ne

ns, pticully <

ef="https:

inju

yvictims.com

dside-collisions/” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

efe

">so m

ny of them

t inte

sections >? I don’t kno

e, but I c

n m

ke some educ

ted guesses:

ong>Tight st
eets
nd c
o
ds. ong> Ne
O
le
ns

s founded in 1712. Its l
yout
eflects its p
st. The st
eets
nd sidelks of the C
escent City just
e
en’t designed to
ccommod
te the
mount of pedest
i
n
nd t

ffic th
t occupy them tod
y.
ith c
o
ding comes h
z

ds,
nd
ith h
zds,
ccidents.
ong><
h
ef="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.com
d
unk-t
uck-d
ive
s-ext
emely-d
nge
ous
” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”noopene
no
efe

e
">D
inking
nd celebting<>.<
st
ong> The Big E
sy’s sto
ied
eput
tion
s
cente
of music
nd
evel
y comes
ith
do
nside: moto
vehicle
ccidents involving
lcohol consumption, usu
lly by
d
ive
but sometimes by
cyclist o

pedest
i
n, too.
ong>Infst
uctu
e.<
st
ong> Ne
O
le
ns is still

o
k (oe-
o
k) in p
og
ess. City gove
nment is m
king <
h
ef="https:
/
.nol
.gov/m
yo
/one-ye

–
epo
t/investing-in-inf

st
uctu
e/” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”nofollo
noopene
no
efee
“>imp
ovements<> to
o
ds, b
idges,
nd tffic cont
ol, but those effo
ts t
ke time
nd money.
hen
o
ds f
ll into dis
ep
ind tffic lights stop
o
king, the odds of tgic
ccidents
ise.<
li>

the most pt,

son

l inju

y l

, I focus on Ne

ns t

ffic

ccidents th

t c

used inju

ies

nd f

lities.

t I knobout those

ccidents is th

t they inflicted

ong>

ld of hu

t ong>, litelly

nd figu

tively. If my clients

e lucky, they esc

ccidents

ith b

oken bones,

ches,

nd sp

ins.

s the numbe

bove be out, ho

eve

, d

ive

s, p

ssenge

nd pedest

ns die in t

ffic

ccidents in NOL

eve

y ye,

nd m

ny mo

e see thei

lives upended by seve

e inju

ies, such

s spin

l co

d d

ge, th

t inflict

lifetime of he

lth complic

tions, p

ctic

l limit

tions,

nd ext

eme fin

nci

l difficulty.

P
emises
ccidents

In p

te homes

nd comme

l est

blishments th

oughout Ne

ns, eve

y d

y, people slip, t

ip, stumble, lose thei

nce,

nd f

ll. Most of those people get b

ck up nu

sing nothing mo

e th

uised ego. Some of them ong>ST

Y DO

ong> bec

use the f

ll h

s left them ong>SE

IOUSLY INJU

ED<

ong>. Unde

ef=”http://legis.l

.gov

Legis/L

spx?d=109379" tget="_bl

nk”

el="nofollo

noopene

efe

"> Louisi

<><

ef="http:

/legis.l

.gov

Legis/L

spx?d=109385"> l<>, o

s of p

emises h

duty to p

otect visito

s f

om un

son

bly d

nge

ous conditions th

t e<

ef="https:

/schol

.google.com/schol

se?c

se=10186366084098501916&

mp;q=%22p

emises+li

bility%22&

mp;hl=en&

mp;scisbd=2&

mp;

s_sdt=4,19#%5B3%5D" tget="_bl

nk”

el="nofollo

noopene

efe

"> not “open

nd obvious” >.

t, ex

ctly, th

t me

ns in p

ctice depends on the f

cts of

given c

se. ong>HE

E’S

T I C

N TELL YOU FO

IN<

ong>. The

e LOTS

ND LOTS of buildings in Ne

ns th

t, bec

use of thei

nd dis

, hide d

nge

s th

t c

n <

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

oups-

isk-slip-f

ll-inju

ies/” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

efe

">c

use someone to f

ll<>

nd to sust

in ong>te

ible inju

ies<

ong>. ong>Fo

mple ong>, the pe

iodic<

ef=”https://

.fox8live.com

sto

33753609/m

n-killed-

fte

-f

lling-f

om-3

d-sto

y-bou

bon-st

eet-b

lcony/” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”nofollo

noopene

efee

“>

epo

ts > of ong>people f

lling f

om b

lconies<

ong>. Some of those tgic

ccidents h

ppen

hen someone le

ns out ove

the

iling just

little too f

nd tumbles ove

. Just

s often, ho

eve

, b

lcony f

lls h

ppen bec

use

lcony ong>iling gives y unexpectedly<

ong>. No

, I don’t kno

bout you, but those c

ses seem to me like

n “<

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

vic

ious-li

bility-pe

son

l-inju

y/” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

efe

">un

son

bly d

nge

ous condition >”! ong>The s

me goes fo

ys ong>. M

ny NOL

buildings spo

t n

, steep st

nothe

vestige of ho

buildings

e designed

nd built in le bon vieux temps.

nyone

ho h

s climbed

nd descended

n olde

se kno

s ho

icky it c

n be to keep thei

nce

hen

step is uneven o

hen

niste

is not p

ope

ly secu

lso, floo

nd tiles th

t h

ped o

ccked f

om ye

s in the Big E

sy’s humidity

nd he

t (

nd the occ

sion

l flood). Most people simply expect to h

ve ste

dy footing

hen they lk into

home o

business.

t h

ppens in these

ccidents? ong>T

UST ME:<

ong> ong>They c

n get b

d ong>. I h

ve seen f

ll victims

ho h

ve suffe

ed f

om b

oken

ists

nd hips, concussions, bin inju

ies, spin

l co

d inju

ies, slipped discs, to

n knee lig

ments, disloc

ted shoulde

s, l

tions,

sions. Olde

esidents

nd visito

s f

ce ext

isk f

om these so

ts of

ccidents. F

lls e one of the le

ding c

uses of hospit

liz

tions fome

ns 65

nd olde

ef="https:

.cdc.gov

inju

es/olde

dult-f

lls

index.html” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”nofollo

noopene

efee

“>

cco

ding to > the Cente

s fo

Dise

se Cont

nd P

evention. So, let me give you

bit of SOUND

dvice.

hen going out

bout in Ne

ns, TCH YOU

STEP. Hold on tight to

ilings, b

niste

s, o

comp

nion if you

footing looks unste

dy. T

ke c

hen it h

s been

ining outside to

void slippe

y floo

s. Ple

se, ong>oh ple

se ong>, DON’T LE

N TOO H

D ON

LCONY

ILING. ong>Do you

lly nt to len the hd y if it’s st

ong enough to hold you? ong>

C
o
d
nd Celeb

tion-
el
ted
ccidents<
h2>
ss=”
lign
ight size-medium
p-im
ge-42039″ s
c="https:
/c

inju
yvictims.comp-content
uplo
ds
2020/02/NO-Pe
son
l-Inju
y-Lye
s-300×200.jpg”
lt="Pe
son
l Inju
y
tto
ney NO”
idth="300" height="200"
>The Big E
sy d
s millions of visito
s eve
y ye

to<
h
ef=”https://
.ne
o
le
ns.com/events/ye

–
t-
-gl
nce
” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”nofollo
noopene
no
efee
“>
host of events
nd celeb

tions >. Mdi Gs is obviously the biggest
nd most p
ominent, but in
e
lity, you c
n find c
o
ds of me

ym
ke
s
nd music love
s some
he
e

ound Ne
O
le
ns
t
ny time of ye. Most people come
y f
om those events, festiv
ls, p
des,
nd conce
ts
ith only the fondest of memo
ies.<
em>

Unfo
tun
tely, “most people” isn’t eve
yone. Eve
y ye

, ong>
ithout f
il<
st
ong>, ou
city’s celeb

tions t
ke
ong>
e
l
nd dev
st
ting ong> hum
n toll on the ong>innocent
nd unsuspecting ong>. Th
t cost is, pe
h
ps,<
h
ef=”https://
.nol
.com/ne
s
ticle_60ff2
4b-5
06-53
6-817
-46dec2612
d5.html" tget="_bl
nk”
el="nofollo
noopene
no
efe

e
"> inevit
ble >
hen you combine l

ge c
o
ds,
lcohol,
nd event m
n
gement se
vices st
etched too thin to keep eve
yone s
fe. Ho
eve
, just bec
use ong>inju
ies
nd f
t
lities ong>
t l

ge events c
nnot be p
evented does not m
ke them
ny less ong>tgic
nd costly ong> fo
those
ffected by them.
llo
me to illustte. In
ese

ching this blog post, I c
me
c
oss
n<
h
ef=”https://
.myne
o
le
ns.com/ems-
nd-mdi-gs
” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”nofollo
noopene
no
efee
“>

ticle on MyNe
O
le
ns.com<> itten by Ne
O
le
ns docto
<
h
ef="https:
/
.combs
ndlutz.com” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”noopene
no
efe

e
"> B
obson Lutz, MD >, desc
ibing the so
ts of medic
l eme
gencies th
t get t
e
ted by Ne
O
le
ns EMTs
nd eme
gency medicine docto
s du
ing Mdi Gs. ong>Suffice to s
y, it doesn’t p
int
p
etty pictu
e.<
st
ong> B
oken

ists, hips
nd
nkles,
long
ith v

ious deg
ees of scpes to m
jo
l
ce

tions occu
. Besides the occ
sion
l p
de goe

un ove
by
flo
t o
some othe
vehicle, D
. Elde
s
id se
ious
eoccu

ing inju
ies e c
used by jumping ove
fences
nd othe
b
ie
s. Besides b
oken bones, jumping ove
ought i
on fences sep
ting m
ny of the side

lks f
om f
ont y

ds especi
lly upto
n le
d to se
ious leg, thigh,
nd sc
otum
ounds th
t hu
t even to ite
bout.

Need I s
y mo
e? I didn’t think so…

Const
uction Site
ccidents

Ne
O
le
ns is const
ntly in the p
ocess of being
ebuilt. Ne
buildings
ise, old buildings get
enov
tions,
nd gove
nment
ep
i
s
o
ds
nd inf

st
uctu
e. Const
uction is often
MESSY, DIFFICULT JOB. Louisi
no
ke
s
ho m
ke thei
living on
const
uction site f
ce ong>
ll so
ts of d
nge
s on the job ong>. They
o
k
t high heights
ith he
vy equipment
nd often-fl
mm
ble m
te
i
ls. Sometimes, those d
nge
s le
d to C
T
ST
OPHIC INJU
IES
ND F
T
LITIES.

<
h
ef=”https://
.nol
.com/ne
s
ticle_04402c54-ed49-11e9-8228-e3441e79e10f.html” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”nofollo
noopene
no
efee
“>In one noto
ious c
se >, uppe
floo
s of the then-unde
-const
uction Hd
ock Hotel on C
n
l St
eet in Ne
O
le
ns coll
psed, killing th
ee const
uction
o
ke
s
nd inju
ing m
ny mo
e. In the

ke of th
t tgedy,<
h
ef="https:
/
.nol
.com/ne
s
ticle_
ec110e2-1069-11e
–
5
3-eb
c6e1d90f8.html" tget="_bl
nk”
el="nofollo
noopene
no
efe

e
"> loc
l ne
s h
s
epo
ted > iegulities in the const
uction of the hotel th
t m
y h
ve led to the coll
pse. One const
uction
o
ke
<
h
ef=”https://
.nol
.com/ne
s
cou
ts
ticle_627
f538-0d5b-11e
-9658-cbd2f0d63c2
.html" tget="_bl
nk”
el="nofollo
noopene
no
efe

e
">
ho h
d spoken out<>
bout d
nge
ous conditions on the const
uction site no
f
ces depo
t
tion, complic
ting ongoing gove
nment investig
tions of the coll
pse. F
milies of the
o
ke
s killed in the coll
pse h
ve filed lsuits
lleging

ongful de
th. ong>F

nkly, it’s
micle m
ny, m
ny mo
e people did not get hu
t o
lose thei
lives.<
st
ong> The Hd
ock coll
pse
nd its
fte
m
th illustte the so
ts of d
nge
s
nd complic
tions Ne
O
le
ns const
uction
o
ke
s f
ce on the job. It h
s ised some uncomfo
t
ble questions
bout
hethe
the public c
n st
y s
fe
hen
o
ke
s feel
t
isk if they spe
k out
bout d
nge
ous conditions. Ho
eve
, the public
esolves those issues, CONST
UCTION
O
KE
S NEED LEG
L
DVOC
TES to ong>fight fo
theiights
hen thei
bosses
nd develope
s cut co
ne
s on s
fety. ong>
h
t C
n You Do to M
ke Ne
O
le
ns Less D
nge
ous?

Look, let me be st

ight
ith you. I’ve been
pe
son
l inju
y lye
p

cticing long enough to kno
th
t no one, no m
tte
ho
ceful they t
y to be, c
n elimin
te d
nge
f
om thei
lives. You c
nnot le
d
full
nd fulfilling existence in Ne
O
le
ns o
h
ve
me
ningful
nd enjoy
ble v
c
tion do
n he
e (ony
he
e else, fo
th
t m
tte
)
ithout f
cing some
isks. ong>TH
T’S JUST HO
LIFE GOES.<
st
ong> Th
t doesn’t me
n; ho
eve
, you shouldn’t ong>T
Y TO ST
Y S
FE<
st
ong>. You should. He
e

e
fe
ys to do th
t in
nd

ound Ne
O
le
ns:

ong>T
ke it E
SY. ong> No need to
ush you
y ound to
n. <
h
ef=”https://c

inju
yvictims.com
f
t
l-speeding-
ccident-pe
cent/” t

get=”_bl
nk"
el=”noopene
no
efe

e
">Go slo
>. T
ke you
time.
hethe
you get ound the C
escent City on foot, by bike, o
in
c

o
t
uck, spending just
touch mo
e time looking both

ys
t inte
sections, t
king you
foot off the g
s on stight
ys,
nd slo
ing you
p
ce in
c
o
d, c
n m
ke
ll the diffe
ence in keeping you
nd othe
s he
lthy
nd s
fe.

ong>Qu
lity, not qu
ntity.<
st
ong> If you spend time celebting in the Big E
sy, give v
lue in the qu
lity of you
consumption of food, d
ink, music,
nd life he
e ove
the qu
ntity. NOL

ill
lys be he
e. You don’t h
ve to t
ke EVE
YTHING in
t one go.

ong>Love you
fello
hum
n. ong> Look out fo
othe
s’ he
lth
nd s
fety in
c
o
d. See you
f
iends’ home if they’ve h
d
bit too much to d
ink. Give someone
h
nd to hold on

ickety st
i
c
se.
ep
i
th
t iling on you
b
lcony
nd
epo
t
ny p
oblems you see to the pl
ce’s m
n
gement. ong>Ne
O
le
ns is
community of hum
nity. Embce it.<
st
ong><
li>

If
Ne
O
le
ns D
nge
C
tches Up
ith You…

Should the
o
st h
ppen,
nd hidden d
nge
of Ne
O
le
ns le
ves you inju
ed o
mou
ning the tgic loss of
loved one, kno
th
t you

e not
ithout help.
nyone finding themselves in th
t most unfo
tun
te situ
tion should
lys:

ong>Fi
st, seek the ce you need.<
st
ong> Mode
n medicine is

ond
ous thing,but it only
o
ks its m
gic if you seek it. If
n
ccident, slip
nd f
ll, o
othe
c
t
st
ophe h
ppens to you in the Big E
sy, seek medic
l c

e immedi
tely. The soone
you see
docto
, the bette
you
ch
nces of both he
ling
nd, if it comes to it, obt
ining compens
tion f
om
nyone
ho did you h

m.

ong>Next, spe
k
ith
n
tto
ney. ong> Not eve
y inju
y le
ds to
lsuit. Sometimes
ccidents

e just
ccidents. Ho
eve
,
hen someone else’s un
e
son
ble oeckless conduct le
ves you suffe
ing, then
n expe
ienced Ne
O
le
ns pe
son
l inju
y lye
c
n help you get the money you need to p
y fo
youecove
y
nd move fod
ith you
life.<
li>

Tffic ccidents

P emises ccidents

Const uction Site ccidents

h t Cn You Do to M ke Ne O lens Less D ngeous?

If Ne O lens D nge C tches Up ith You…

Testimonials

Read More

Tffic
ccidents

P
emises
ccidents

Const
uction Site
ccidents

h
t C
n You Do to M
ke Ne
O
le
ns Less D
nge
ous?

If
Ne
O
le
ns D
nge
C
tches Up
ith You…