Austin Fraternity Hazing Lawyer

100 Congress Avenue, Suite 2000

Austin, Texas 78701

(512) 806-0000

Despite efforts by college and university administrators to control hazing on campuses, it still exists. Each and every year, students experience injuries and damages as result of hazing. There are facts a student needs to understand about hazing and how to protect his or her rights in the aftermath of a hazing incident.

Hazing Statistics

73 percent of college and university students who participate in the Greek system experience at least one hazing incident, according to Stop Hazing. Stop Hazing is an organization that exists to bring an end to hazing through education.

A stunning 95 percent of students targeted for hazing do not report the incident or incidents. This includes students who sustained injuries, including rather serious ones, as a result of hazing.

Athletic coaches and even faculty advisors sometimes become aware of hazing incidents. A quarter of the key college or university staff members do not report hazing incidents, even when they have actual knowledge of them.

Common Examples of Hazing

Hazing comes in many forms. Some forms of hazing do not seem all that threatening or serious, while others are positively dangerous. The reality is that less serious forms of hazing are known to escalate into something far more serious.

Common examples of hazing incidents include:

• excessive drinking
• verbally abused
• physically abused
• sexually abused
• forced to engaged in harmful conduct

Each and every year, college and university students are seriously injured or even killed because of hazing. This includes everything from alcohol poisoning to significant physical injuries.

If you attend school in or around the Texas capital city, and have found yourself the victim of fraternity hazing, you need to consider engaging the services of a skilled, experienced Austin fraternity hazing lawyer. In addition, you need to understand some basic information about protecting your legal rights in the aftermath of a fraternity hazing incident.

Compensation in the Aftermath of Fraternity Hazing

The reality is that a fraternity hazing incident can result in a variety of different types of injuries and damages to which you are entitled to compensation. The facts and circumstances of each case dictate the nature and extent of compensation to which you are entitled.

Nonetheless, common types of compensable damages and injuries include:

• property damage
• pain and suffering
• emotional distress
• lost wages
• lost educational opportunities
• medical expenses

You may be entitled to compensation for more than just your current injuries and losses in these various categories. You also may be entitled to compensation for future losses in these areas, provided those losses can reasonably be anticipated and calculated.

If the conduct by the individuals involved in the hazing is particularly reckless, a court may order the payment of punitive damages. This type of damages represents additional compensation above and beyond actual loss. On some level it serves to deter college and university students from engaging in this type of reckless egregious conduct.

Reporting a Hazing Incident

All colleges and universities have a system in place to report hazing. This includes hazing that occurs on and off campus. As a general rule, an institution of higher learning makes no distinction about where a hazing incident occurs.

Keep in mind that reporting hazing to the college or university typically is not enough to protect a student's rights and interests. Depending on the nature and extent of a hazing incident, a student needs to consult with a qualified, experienced personal injury attorney.

Initial Consultation with an Austin Fraternity Hazing Lawyer

An Austin personal injury attorney represents people who have sustained damages because of hazing. There are attorneys that actually focus a part of their legal practices on representing people injured or otherwise harmed because of college or university hazing.

The process of retaining legal representation begins by scheduling an initial consultation with an Austin fraternity hazing lawyer. There is no cost for this preliminary session with a personal injury attorney.

During an initial appointment, an attorney discussed the facts and circumstances of the hazing incident. He or she is also likely to discuss legal strategies to protect a hazing victim's rights and interests and to obtain necessary compensation. If you are the victim of hazing, you can contact an experienced attorney at The Doan Law Firm by calling 512-806-0000 to obtain a free case evaluation.