Tennessee Injury Law Center
At this time of year, across college campuses, fraternity hazing is well underway. The pinnacle of fraternity hazing is “Hell Week”, which is typically the last step before formal initiation into a fraternity. Hell Week and the rest of the pledge process are often characterized by physically demanding activities, sleep, drink and food deprivation, forced consumption of alcohol and nicotine (vapes, Zyn pouches, etc.), paddling or other forms of physical abuse, humiliation, exposure to extreme cold or heat, etc. The pledges’ eagerness to join a fraternity makes them easy targets for mental and physical abuse that can often result in injury or death. Is hazing illegal? Who can be held responsible?
Many states, including Tennessee, have laws prohibiting hazing. Tennessee Code Annotated 49-7-123 states as follows: “Hazing” means any intentional or reckless act in this state on or off the property of any higher education institution by one (1) student acting alone or with others that is directed against any other student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of that student or that induces or coerces a student to endanger the student’s mental or physical health or safety.
Who can be held responsible for hazing if an injury or death occurs? The answer to this question depends upon the facts of the individual hazing incident, the organizations involved, the charters of the fraternities, etc. However, to be sure, the individuals involved in the hazing can be held responsible, and the homeowner’s insurance of their parents may be responsible for providing compensation. The local, regional or national chapter of a fraternity and the university may also have liability depending upon the facts and circumstances of the incident causing injuries or death.
Holding the organizations involved responsible can be complex because of the language of their charters and insurance policy disclaimers. For this reason, it is important to hire an experienced injury lawyer who can help you navigate the legal process and identify who should be held responsible. For decades, the attorneys at the Law Offices of John Day have been helping injury victims recover the compensation they deserve. We handle all injury and death cases on a contingency basis meaning we only get paid if we recover money for you. And, unlike a lot of injury lawyers, we advance all case expenses so you never pay a penny out-of-pocket to pursue your legal rights.
To get started, simply call one of our convenient Middle Tennessee locations below for a free, no-obligation initial consultation.
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Our team will answer your questions and help you understand if you have a case or not. We also encourage you to review some of our most popular FAQ pages, our client testimonials and reviews so that you can feel confident that you are making the right decision.
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