NIU Frat Members Named in Wrongful Death Suit

The family of a Northern Illinois University freshman who died after drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is suing the fraternity who hosted the pledge party for wrongful death.

In the lawsuit, the family of David Bogenberger alleges that members of the Pi Kappa Alpha house encouraged their son to drink large amounts of alcohol and failed to provide assistance when Bogenberger became unconscious.

An autopsy revealed that Bogenberger, 19, had a blood alcohol level of .4, nearly five times the legal driving limit for adults.  In the suit, the Bogenberger’s stated that the fraternity did not follow national hazing policies, and their actions caused their son to consume “excessive and dangerous amounts of alcohol”.

Peter Coladarci, the family’s attorney, argued that the nationally recognized fraternity did not adequately ensure that their chapters knew about the dangers of overconsumption.

“The national organization has a responsibility to provide meaningful training, supervision and oversight to its local chapters, so that fraternity members understand that alcohol-related hazing is … potentially deadly,” said Coladarci.

Underage consumption is common on college campuses, but fatalities are not.  One study suggests that roughly 12 underage students die each year due overconsumption.

All 22 members of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity were named in the lawsuit.  Each individual faces criminal charges, while five leaders have been charged with felony hazing.

Attorney Sean Sullivan comments

Regrettably, hazing incidents seem to be ever increasing in the news these days.

Whether it is extreme binge drinking at a college fraternity party, or physical assaults among high-school athletic teams, young people are being hurt. Illinois in particular has seen several incidents at the high school level in the last year or so.

The best way to protect these young people and end hazing is to stand up to these bullies and draw attention to the problem. Filing lawsuits will help bring attention to these incidents and put these bullies on notice that these particularly callous or negligent acts will not be tolerated anymore.

Related source:  Chicago Tribune

Medical Professionals Must Tread Carefully in the Digital Age

In the ever-expanding digital age, the lines between personal and professional practices continue to be blurred by social media.  Facebook and Twitter have positioned themselves as personal social media sites, while the site LinkedIn stresses a more professional appearance.  Although people go on to social media sites to share their personal opinions and photos, researchers warn that some professionals should think carefully before they post certain things.

A study by a professor at the University of California sought to determine what is and isn’t acceptable in the digital realm.  For his research, Dr. Ryan Greysen presented a group of state medical licensing directors with a variety of social media scenarios, ranging from mostly innocent to completely absurd.

The survey asked the licensing directors which scenarios would prompt board investigation by their state.  Examples of the scenarios presented to directors include a doctor posting drunken photos to a social media account, and a surgeon using foul and demeaning language on his website.

The questionnaire was “based on things medical boards told us they were concerned about,” said Greysen.  “It’s not hard to find images just like the ones we used with just some limited searching.”

The goal of the research was to help establish social media guidelines for medical professionals, but none of the scenarios prompted unanimous review, meaning that was is acceptable in one state may be deemed inappropriate in another.

Survey Findings

Below are the survey findings and the percent of states that would conduct board review. (48 states reported)

• Citing misleading information about clinical outcomes (81%)
• Using patient images without consent (79%),
• Misrepresenting credentials (77%)
• Inappropriately contacting patients (77%)
• Depicting alcohol intoxication (73%)
• Violating patient confidentiality (65%)
• Using discriminatory speech (60%)
• Showing alcohol use without intoxication (40%)

As indicted in the findings, there is moderate consensus for certain actions, but none are unanimous.  Not only is it concerning for medical professionals who are wondering if their actions are acceptable, but it also offers warning that certain illegal activates may go unregulated.

“It’s not 100 percent, which gives you some pause,” says Dr. Vineet Arora who works at University of Chicago Medical Center. “What triggers an investigation in those states? If this doesn’t do it, what does?”

Arora says she believes most mistakes are made by people who are relatively new to social sites and are still learning the appropriateness of social media.  Although there are no defined social guidelines, medical professionals should strongly consider the implications of their actions before posting something for the whole world to see.

Sean Sullivan comments

Medical professionals should heed these warnings very carefully.

Sometimes just the inference of impropriety or unethical behavior can get someone in trouble with the state licensing boards.  The state licensing laws are written very broadly as to what the regulators can penalize professionals for.  Think about what you’re posting so you don’t have to go into a hearing to defend yourself from something you posted online.

Most licensing disciplinary actions are publicized on the Internet, so do some research before delving into the world of social media.  Professionals have to remember that friends and potential patients could be looking for them online.

Related source: NPR.org