Hazing Injury & Death

Review public records and ask our many clients: No firm is better at holding fraternities liable for the injuries and deaths they cause.

We are the National Leader in Fraternity Hazing & Sexual Violence Cases

Since 1993, The Fierberg National Law Group has fought for those injured or killed as a result of dangerous misconduct in fraternities. On behalf of our clients we have:

  • Obtained millions of dollars in compensation for our clients from numerous national fraternities, local chapters, fraternity members, and universities.
  • Pushed universities and fraternities to reform.
    Established legal precedent and legislation to help other victims and families.
  • Compelled universities and fraternities to publish the truth about the nature and extent of the dangers facing students, women, and the campus community.
  • Forced fraternities to fund independent non-profits established by our clients to educate the public and to protect students and families.

Our lawyers have held fraternities, fraternity chapters, fraternity members and schools accountable to hazing victims in state and federal courts across the country, facts readily confirmed by publicly available information in the media, court records, and other sources. The work continues, on behalf and in honor of the first family we represented in 1993, and for every single one thereafter. We know this to be true.

“Fierberg is a man of obvious and deep intelligence, comfortable—in the way of alpha-male litigators—with sharply correcting a fuzzy thought; with using obscenities; with speaking derisively, even contemptuously, of opponents. He is also the man I would run to as though my hair were on fire if I ever found myself in a legal battle with a fraternity, and so should you. I have not spoken with anyone outside of the fraternity system who possesses a deeper understanding of its inner workings; its closely guarded procedures and money trails; and the legal theories it has developed over the past three decades to protect itself, often very successfully, from lawsuits.”
– Caitlin Flanagan, The Atlantic

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We Fight for Survivors, Victims, & Their Families.

The statistics confirming the unprecedented risks of fraternities and fraternity hazing are staggering. At least one student has died from fraternity hazing every year since 1970.

The Arizona Supreme Court has held: “We are hard-pressed to find a setting where the risk of an alcohol-related injury is more likely than from underage drinking at a university fraternity party the first week of the new college year.” By the late 1980s, “fraternities and sororities were ranked by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as the sixth-worst risk for insurance companies — just behind hazardous-waste-disposal companies.”

Despite these risks, for decades, fraternities have refused to make changes necessary to render their activities safe. Instead, they use their stable of lawyers (headquartered in California and Texas) to shield them from legal responsibility for hazing, sexual assault and rape, binge drinking, automobile accidents, premises liability, and other misconduct, preventing countless victims from achieving justice. In many circumstances, their lawyers have prevailed in cases against the very same fraternities that we have defeated in court. Hence, we strongly encourage families to search for and retain qualified attorneys when pursuing claims against a university or Greek organization: The stakes are too high to do otherwise. Many of our clients are willing to discuss these issues with you directly because they have traveled this path, learned so much about his industry and the law, and will forever work to change this dangerous industry and save lives. They are happy for us to put you in touch with them.

If you or your child has been the victim of fraternity hazing, it’s important for you to know that you are not alone. The legal team at The Fierberg National Law Group has been representing victims throughout the United States.

Additional Help & Resources:

  • StopHazing: A trailblazer in hazing research and the leader in data-driven strategies that support safe and welcoming school, campus, and organizational climates.
  • The REACH Act: The purpose of the Report and Educate About Campus Hazing Act (REACH) is to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to disclose hazing incidents. [S. 744, H.R. 2525]
  • Love Like Adam: A foundation honoring Adam Oakes who tragically died on February 26, 2021, after a hazing ritual at the Virginia Commonwealth University chapter of Delta Chi. Their vision is to support, educate, and equip graduating seniors and their families with the transition from high school to higher education.
  • Max Gruver Foundation: In honor of Max Gruver who died on September 14, 2017 of alcohol poisoning and aspiration after a hazing ritual at the Louisiana State University chapter of Phi Delta Theta, The non-profit organization works to end hazing on college campuses.
  • Collin’s Law: The Ohio Anti-Hazing Act, named after Collin Wiant who died on November 12, 2018 after collapsing at the Ohio University off-campus fraternity house of Sigma Pi. makes acts of hazing a second-degree misdemeanor and acts of hazing that include coerced consumption of alcohol or drugs or abuse that result in serious physical harm a felony of the third degree. Collin’s Law also requires reporting to law enforcement and prevention education offered from the university to students, employees and advisors.
  • Aware Awake Alive: A foundation honoring Carson Starkey who left this life on December 2, 2008 due to acute alcohol poisoning following a fraternity initiation ritual. at the Cal Poly chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Their mission is to prevent loss of life to alcohol poisoning by educating teens, young adults, and parents on the dangers and symptoms of alcohol overdose.
    • With UsThe Starkey family wanted to find ways to help address the many other critical social issues facing students and institutions of higher education. To broaden the influence and mission of Aware Awake Alive and build upon their successful peer-to-peer education and intervention model, a new organization was established: WITH US — The Center for Bystander Intervention.
  • We Miss You Matt and Matt’s Law: On February 5, 2005, Chico State University student Matthew Carrington died of cardiac dysrhythmia caused by a water intoxication ritual that was 20-year tradition at the Chi Tau fraternity. Matt’s Law is California’s Anti-Hazing Law which honors Matthew by allowing for felony prosecutions when serious injuries or deaths result from hazing.
  • The Gordie Center: On September 17th, 2004, Lynn Gordon Bailey Jr. (“Gordie”) was found dead at the Chi Psi fraternity house at the University of Colorado at Boulder after taking part in “Bid Night”. Gordie died just 3 weeks after arriving on campus. The mission of the University of Virginia’s Gordie Center is to end hazing and substance misuse among college and high school students nationwide.
  • Hazing Prevention Network: Hazing Prevention Network, formerly known as HazingPrevention.Org, is a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering people to prevent hazing. Their goal is to educate people about the dangers of hazing, advocate for change, and engage the community in strategies to prevent hazing.
  • Hank Nuwer: Hank Nuwer began keeping a database about hazing deaths in 1975 and maintains the Hazing Deaths database. The first shorter database appeared in his article for Human Behavior magazine in 1978. His first hard-hitting, book-length investigation of hazing deaths appeared in 1990 and was titled, Broken Pledges: the Deadly Rite of Hazing. Hank’s crusading journalism to eradicate hazing was honored by the NGLA and HazingPreventionNetwork.org
  • Clery Center: A national nonprofit dedicated to helping college and university officials meet the safety standards and regulations of the Jeanna Clery Act. 
  • AHA! Movement: The AHA! Movement was established in Pleasant Hill, California on January 29, 2015, to bring awareness to the dangers of hazing, and to prevent injury and death by changing the culture of those organizations who participate in the humiliating, degrading, torturous and potentially deadly acts of hazing.

Simply put, no other firm comes close to matching the success we have obtained for our clients all over the United States.

Case History

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