Hurricane Ida Claims and Case Management Order

On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida came ashore near Port Fourchon, Louisiana and left destruction throughout Lafourche Parish as a major Category 4 hurricane. Major hurricane-force winds, with gusts in excess of 192 mph, impacted Lafourche Parish and inflicted catastrophic damage throughout the entirety of the jurisdiction of the 17th Judicial District Court. The causes of action arising therefrom may sometimes be referred to as “the Hurricane Cases.”

In the aftermath, this Court recognizes a substantial volume of insurance coverage-related litigation linked to the Hurricane. In Act 318 of the 2021 Regular Session the Legislature of Louisiana amended the laws expanding judicial authority related to special masters and mandatory mediation in cases stemming from certain major disasters.

Act 318 of 2021 authorizes this Court to issue this Case Management Order. This Court finds that doing so is warranted to best accommodate the adjudication of Hurricane cases in the 17th JDC. Accordingly, this Court’s aim continues to be the just and expedient resolution of these related matters, in spite of the increased strain on the Court’s resources, and with the primary goal of enabling the Lafourche Parish community to move forward with crucial recovery efforts, in the aftermath of the Hurricane and the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.