The family of a teenager who was critically injured when a tree fell on him in Jackson Square earlier this month is suing the city of New Orleans.
WWL-TV reports the boy's family has hired personal injury lawyer Morris Bart.
The large live oak split in half the afternoon of July 7, and the half that came down struck the teen and several others. The teenager now has a severe brain injury.
Days before, a different branch on that same tree fell.
"The fact that they didn't rope off that tree, didn't put up any yellow tape, I believe is unconscionable," said Bart.
Bart says he believes the city was grossly negligent in not doing more to keep people away from the tree, which he says was clearly not in good condition.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell says parks and parkways thoroughly inspected the tree and found no signs of imminent danger.
