Frantz Law Group Files Lawsuit Against Kappa Sigma Fraternity and Others for Hazing "Initiation Ritual" that Injured and Almost Killed Benjamin Brennan

Lawsuit alleges defendants transported and left Brennan at a local hospital where doctors gave him a one percent chance of survival

SAN DIEGO, April 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Frantz Law Group, APLC and Pérez, Vaughn, & Feasby, on behalf of Benjamin Brennan, filed a lawsuit today in San Diego Superior Court against Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Kappa Sigma Fraternity Epsilon-Iota chapter, Kappa Sigma officers, nine individual members of Kappa Sigma, Waterhill Properties, and 5505 Lindo Paseo Development for a fraternity hazing "initiation ritual" that left victim Benjamin Brennan comatose with a blood alcohol level of .489, six times the legal driving limit. The lawsuit alleges that defendants transported and left Brennan at a local hospital, lied about the cause of his injuries, where he ended up on a ventilator and was given a prognosis of one percent survival.  The lawsuit alleges that defendants conspired to lie about the incident and instructed others to do so as well.

"Being almost hazed to death is not what Benjamin Brennan signed up for when he went to college," said James P. Frantz, of Frantz Law Group. "Kappa Sigma, it's members, and the companies that enabled the near-death injury suffered by Benjamin showed deliberate, reckless, negligent, and extreme disregard for his safety and welfare, compounded by a shameless and unrepentant attempt to cover up their actions."

Kieran Looney, Jacob Treger, Ryan Toerien, Willem Quigley, Sean Flood, Ramon Rodriguez, Ryan Procopio, and Parker Pruitt are the nine Kappa Sigma members named as co-defendants. 

At the time of Brennan's near-death hazing, Kappa Sigma was suspended from campus by San Diego State University (SDSU) for forced underage drinking and violations of university alcohol and risk management policies. Despite the suspension, the fraternity continued to operate under its national affiliate and conduct acts of gross negligence leading to potentially serious injury and death.

SDSU previously suspended Kappa Sigma to keep them off campus. However, Kappa Sigma rented a house near campus and inexplicably continued to recruit pledge members. Recently SDSU took disciplinary action for student Honor Code violations, but tragically their response was too slow to save Brennan from a near death injury and ongoing trauma. 

"Benjamin left school immediately after the incident and continues to suffer permanent disability from Kappa Sigma's actions during his freshman year," said Frantz. "Kappa Sigma and others must be held fully accountable for their blatant actions and the harm they inflicted on Brennan."

About Frantz Law Group, APLC

Frantz Law Group is an award-winning personal injury, wrongful death, catastrophic injury, trucking litigation, mass torts, and class action law firm that has been serving clients for over 43 years. The firm has secured over 40 multimillion-dollar individual settlements and has helped secure several multibillion-dollar settlements that serve thousands of victims. In 2016 Frantz Law Group represented parents in a wrongful death case involving their son and Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity at University of Southern California. In 2019 Frantz Law Group represented parents in a wrongful death case involving their daughter and Kappa Sigma Fraternity at University California Irvine.

Frantz Law Group has been ranked Tier 1 in U.S. News – Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" from 2010-23 for mass tort litigation/class actions - plaintiffs. James Frantz is a fellow and associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates, is AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, is a 20-year Special Master appointed by the State Bar of California and a 20-year Master in The Enright Chapter, American Inns of Court. For more information, please visit https://www.frantzlawgroup.com.

About Pérez, Vaughn, & Feasby

Pérez Vaughn & Feasby is a business litigation law firm representing clients with litigation disputes in U.S. courts and arbitration throughout the country. Their trial work and dispute resolution include financial services, technology, biotechnology, real estate, and entertainment. For more information, please visit https://pvflaw.com/

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SOURCE Frantz Law Group