Premises Liability in Sororities and Fraternities

October 6, 2017

There is a strong Greek presence on many college campuses. While most of these groups offer positive experiences to students, they can also pose certain hazards. It is not uncommon to hear of personal injury cases occurring on the property of a sorority or fraternity.

These injuries can be caused by a multitude of hazardous situations. In some cases, the injuries occur from hazing that gets out of hand. Other times, the house cannot withstand the amount of people crowded into it for a party. In many cases, the injuries are the result of too much alcohol consumed.

There are certain precautions that Greek houses should take in order to help prevent these types of injuries.

Keep Hazing Under Control

Hazing is a common occurrence in the Greek culture. While many sororities and fraternities are able to keep the activities harmless, there are some occasions where the activity goes too far and results in an injury. It is important that rules and limitations are established in regard to hazing so that things don’t spiral out of control.

Be Sure the House Is Free of Hazards

Any house that is going to host an entire party of people should be well inspected before the event. However, this becomes even more imperative when drinking will be involved. Some potential hazards might be loose railings, uneven floorboards, or unsecured objects on the wall.

With this said, it is also important to regulate the amount of people who enter the house and make sure that the house is never overloaded past capacity. Your Greek house has likely been inspected by a fire marshal. Be sure to take the recommendation set by him seriously.

Always Check IDs

A premises liability case will be the least of your worries if your Greek house is caught serving alcohol to minors. This can lead to irreversible damage for the house, the school, and the injured minor. If you’re going to serve alcohol at your party, make sure you only invite people 21 or older. Also, most sororities are not allowed to have alcohol in the house, although most fraternities can. Check your house’s policies to determine whether or not alcohol is even allowed on the premises.

Don’t Over-Serve Alcohol

Even if everyone at your party is over 21 and you’re allowed to serve alcohol, there is a line that must be drawn. A way to draw this line is to hire a bartender rather than leaving kegs and loose alcohol around the party. If all of the alcohol is dispersed through a responsible bartender, then you can count on him to cut someone off if they seem to have gone too far. This helps to eliminate the amount of people going too far, which will hopefully lead to fewer personal injuries.

Help from an Indiana Personal Injury Attorney

Sending your child off to college is hard enough. No parent wants to receive that phone call saying that their child was injured because of the negligence of Greek housing. If this is your reality, you could be entitled to compensation. Call Hensley Legal Group today for a free consultation or contact us online.