Thursday's lawsuit touches off what could be a lengthy and costly period of litigation over the Bourbon Street attack.

Plaintiffs argue that the timing of construction left vulnerable gaps in security, effectively creating a “soft target” that attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar exploited when he drove a rented pickup truck through a crowded Bourbon Street, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more.

The blame game has started with the Bourbon Street terrorist attack in New Orleans. Why it matters: Officials are seeking answers to how someone could plow a truck through the city's most famous street when millions have been spent to keep it safe.