Can I sue for being shot or stabbed in Louisiana?
Often, yes. Louisiana property owners owe a duty to take reasonable steps to protect people on their premises from foreseeable crime. When a business or landlord ignores a known danger and someone is shot or stabbed as a result, Louisiana law can hold the owner financially responsible — through a negligent-security claim. You are not suing for the crime itself; you are suing the property owner for the security failures that made a foreseeable attack possible. This is separate from any criminal case against the attacker.
How Louisiana decides if a crime was “foreseeable”
Louisiana uses a balancing test (Posecai v. Wal-Mart): courts balance the foreseeability and gravity of the harm against the burden of preventing it, with the existence, frequency, and similarity of prior crimes on the premises the most important factor. A high degree of foreseeability is required before an owner must provide security guards.
Deadlines in Louisiana
- Negligence / personal injury: generally two years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident.
- Wrongful death: generally generally two years from the date of death.
Louisiana extended this deadline from one year to two years for injuries on or after July 1, 2024; the old one-year rule still applies to earlier injuries, so confirm your date quickly. Evidence like surveillance footage disappears fast, so it’s important to act quickly.
Fault sharing in Louisiana
Louisiana follows pure comparative fault: your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, but you are never completely barred.
What you can recover
Louisiana does not cap compensatory damages in an ordinary negligence case. For families, a wrongful-death claim can recover funeral costs and the loss of support and companionship.
Why Louisiana victims choose The Haggard Law Firm
The firm has handled nearly 500 negligent-security cases nationwide and secured the largest negligent-security verdict in U.S. history ($102.7 million). We help Louisiana crime victims and their families with no fee unless we win.
How we handle a Louisiana case — working with local counsel
The Haggard Law Firm is based in Coral Gables, Florida, and Michael A. Haggard is licensed to practice law in Florida. Mr. Haggard is not licensed in Louisiana. Negligent security and crime-victim litigation is the firm’s core focus, and because of the national reputation the firm has built in this specific area, Mr. Haggard regularly works on Louisiana cases as co-counsel with a locally licensed Louisiana attorney, seeking admission pro hac vice (for the individual case) where the court’s rules permit. Any Louisiana matter would be handled together with local counsel admitted in Louisiana.
If you were shot, stabbed, or lost a loved one to a preventable crime in Louisiana, you can still reach out to us directly. We will review your case for free and, where appropriate, associate with a qualified Louisiana attorney to pursue it.
This page is attorney advertising and general information only; it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Michael A. Haggard is licensed in Florida. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue for being shot in Louisiana?
Often, yes. If you were shot on a Louisiana property that failed to provide reasonable security against a foreseeable risk, you may be able to sue the property owner for negligent security — separately from any criminal case against the shooter. Louisiana balances foreseeability and gravity of harm against the burden of prevention, weighing prior crimes on the premises most heavily (Posecai). A free case review will tell you whether you have a claim.
Can I sue if I was stabbed on someone's property in Louisiana?
Possibly. A stabbing on a Louisiana property with inadequate security is handled the same way as a shooting — if the attack was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, the owner may be liable. The claim is against the property owner, not only the attacker.
How long do I have to file a negligent-security claim in Louisiana?
Generally two years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident for a negligence claim, and generally two years from the date of death for wrongful death. Louisiana extended this deadline from one year to two years for injuries on or after July 1, 2024; the old one-year rule still applies to earlier injuries, so confirm your date quickly. Confirm your specific deadline with a lawyer quickly.
Is Michael Haggard licensed to practice in Louisiana?
Mr. Haggard is licensed in Florida, not in Louisiana. Because negligent-security litigation is his firm's core focus and the firm has a national profile in these cases, he regularly serves as co-counsel with a locally licensed Louisiana attorney and, where the court permits, appears pro hac vice for the individual case. You can contact the firm directly, and where appropriate it will associate with qualified local counsel in Louisiana.
How does Louisiana decide if a property owner is liable?
Louisiana balances foreseeability and gravity of harm against the burden of prevention, weighing prior crimes on the premises most heavily (Posecai). If the crime was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, they can be held responsible.
What does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you.