Lost a loved one to negligence on the Westbank Expressway, Belle Chasse Highway, or anywhere in Jefferson Parish? Branch Law fights for your family's justice.
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Louisiana Civil Code Article 2315.2 establishes who can bring a wrongful death action and in what order. The surviving spouse and children have the first right to file. If there is no surviving spouse or children, the parents of the deceased may file. If there are no surviving parents, siblings may bring the claim. A separate survival action under Article 2315.1 allows recovery for the pain and suffering the deceased experienced between the time of injury and death.
Recoverable damages in a Louisiana wrongful death case include loss of love, affection, and companionship, loss of financial support and services the deceased would have provided, funeral and burial expenses, medical expenses incurred before death, and the deceased's pain and suffering through the survival action. There is no cap on wrongful death damages in Louisiana.
Gretna anchors the West Bank corridor along the Westbank Expressway (US-90 Business), a high-speed elevated highway where multi-vehicle collisions are common during rush hour. The elevated sections create particularly dangerous conditions — high speeds combined with limited shoulders and no escape routes. The intersection of Lafayette Street and Stumpf Boulevard sees frequent T-bone collisions. Belle Chasse Highway (LA-23) carries heavy industrial and commercial traffic between the Harvey Canal industrial area and the communities south of Gretna. Lapalco Boulevard's lane merges and rush-hour congestion contribute to rear-end and sideswipe crashes.
The Crescent City Connection bridge approach funnels West Bank commuters onto a narrow, high-speed crossing with limited visibility. Orleans Parish recorded 55 fatal crashes in 2024, the highest in the state, and many of those involved West Bank commuters crossing this bridge.
Gretna is the parish seat of Jefferson Parish, home to the 24th Judicial District Court at 200 Derbigny Street where wrongful death lawsuits from throughout the West Bank are filed. Louisiana's prescriptive period for wrongful death claims is two years from the date of death for deaths occurring on or after July 1, 2024. Branch Law attorneys appear regularly in the 24th JDC and understand the court's local rules, judge tendencies, and jury patterns specific to West Bank cases.
In wrongful death cases, Branch Law works with accident reconstruction experts, economists who calculate lifetime lost earnings, and medical professionals who can testify about the deceased's pain and suffering. We coordinate with the Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office and law enforcement to preserve critical evidence.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 2315.2, the surviving spouse and children have the first right to file. If none exist, parents may file. If no parents survive, siblings may bring the claim. The order is strict — only one class of beneficiaries may recover.
Two years from the date of death for deaths occurring on or after July 1, 2024. This deadline is strictly enforced. Contact Branch Law as soon as possible to protect your family's rights.
A wrongful death claim compensates the surviving family for their losses — loss of companionship, financial support, and funeral costs. A survival action compensates the estate for the deceased's own damages — pain and suffering experienced before death, medical bills, and lost wages. Both can be filed together.
No. Louisiana does not cap wrongful death damages. The full value of your family's losses — economic and non-economic — can be recovered.
Gretna is the parish seat of Jefferson Parish. Wrongful death lawsuits are filed in the 24th Judicial District Court at 200 Derbigny Street in Gretna. Branch Law practices regularly in this court.
Free consultation. No fee unless we win. We fight for maximum compensation. Call (504) 608-7777 or fill out the form below for a free case evaluation.