Former Michigan State University student sues fraternity, claims alleged hazing sent him to the hospital
(CBS DETROIT) - A former Michigan State University student has filed a lawsuit over alleged hazing by a fraternity that resulted in him being hospitalized in 2021.
The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, listed Lambda Phi Epsilon Fraternity Inc., MSU Associate Chapter of Lambda Phi Epsilon Fraternity and three fraternity members.
One of the members named in the lawsuit served as the pledge master.
The student says he suffered mental and physical issues related to the alleged hazing and continues to receive medical treatment, according to the lawsuit.
Lambda Phi Epsilon Fraternity, Inc. did not respond to CBS News Detroit's request for comment. The organization's website states that hazing is strictly prohibited and that no chapter shall "partake in any form of hazing of its prospective members."
According to the lawsuit, the former MSU student from Massachusetts claims that the pledge master coerced him and other pledges to smoke "dangerous amounts of marijuana."
The lawsuit alleges that other fraternity members were aware of the plan to coerce the pledges and "did not take any action to prevent or stop those activities, even though they constituted hazing under Michigan law, presented a foreseeable risk of harm and injury to (the MSU student), and violated the Member Code of Conduct and the MSU RSO Handbook."
The student claims he began feeling lethargic over a 48-hour period and could not walk, resulting in him being taken to the emergency room, according to the lawsuit. The student also claims that he developed symptoms like nausea, vomiting, severe headaches, and hearing voices, and doctors determined he suffered from substance intoxication related to the incident.
The complaint alleges that the student was readmitted to the hospital multiple times between Oct. 31, 2021, and Nov. 6, 2021, and was diagnosed with "an altered mental status."
After he was discharged, the student claims members told him that he was "'behind' in pledge process and needed to 'catch up' to the other pledges," the lawsuit says.
According to the lawsuit, the student returned to the hospital on Nov. 17, 2021, after he was pushed to do activities, like calisthenic-type exercises, despite telling members that he felt sick.
Doctors diagnosed him with exertional rhabdomyolysis "a serious and potentially life-threatening a medical condition that occurs when damaged muscle tissues break down, enter the bloodstream, and release toxic components of the broken-down muscle fibers into the blood, resulting in possible damage to the kidneys and heart, and, if left untreated, permanent disability or death," according to the lawsuit.
The complaint says the student remained in the hospital for seven days and had to undergo surgery to treat appendicitis in September 2022.
He says he reported the alleged hazing in December 2021.