Student files suit against Lambda Chi Alpha

By: Stephanie Butts

Posted: 2/20/08

Bradley Swearingen filed a lawsuit against Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity Jan. 22 for more than $300,000 for injuries he received during a pledge meeting, according to the student's attorney.

Cass Keramidas, Swearingen's attorney at law, said in February 2006 Swearingen was sliding on the floor of Lambda Chi's fraternity house through a set of double doors when he hit his head and injured his neck.

The lawsuit includes the national chapter of Lambda Chi, the Iota-Zeta chapter and 67 individuals Swearingen thinks were there when the injury occurred, Keramidas said. Swearingen is suing the national chapter and the local chapter because of its lack of supervision during the meeting, he said.

The trial date has not been set, but he said he thinks it will happen within two years.

"He will have injuries that will affect him the rest of his life," Keramidas said.

The money from the lawsuit is to cover Swearingen's medical bills, Keramidas said, as well as the year he took off from school and work to receive two surgical procedures on his neck. Keramidas said Swearingen also lost some mobility in his neck and now experiences problems with his memory.

Bill Farkas, the executive vice president of Lambda Chi, said the national chapter of Lambda Chi does not believe the injury happened at a pledge meeting.

Farkas said the fraternity did an investigation when the incident occurred and found Swearingen was injured in a gathering after an intramural event. No one was forced to do anything, but the incident happened during a celebration, he said.

"The fraternity is sorry those injuries occurred," Farkas said.

Mark Burck is representing the national chapter of the fraternity and said Lambda Chi does not believe it is responsible for Swearingen's injuries.

"The national fraternal organization is sympathetic to Mr. Swearingen," Burck said, "but does not believe it has any responsibility for what happened."

Amy Ayres, assistant dean of students, said she remembers the incident happening and said all the information the university received was that the injuries were accidental.

David Marling, director of student life, said the university will conduct an investigation into the incident, but it will be difficult because of the time delay.

Marling said many of the students who were involved have graduated and the university cannot require individuals to give them information when they are not students.

"We need to determine what happened," Ayres said.