Were you sexually assaulted at a fraternity house or event in Brooklyn?
At Bloom Fudali, we provide free, confidential case reviews with a Brooklyn fraternity sexual assault lawyer.
If you were sexually assaulted at a fraternity party, during pledging, or in a chapter house near a Brooklyn campus, more than one party may be legally responsible for what happened. Our Brooklyn, NY fraternity sexual assault lawyer can pursue claims against the person who assaulted you and against the chapter, national organization, or property owner whose negligence contributed to the assault.
Bloom Fudali was founded in 2010 to represent victims of sexual abuse, harassment, and discrimination. Reach out today for a confidential review of your situation.
Fraternity Sexual Assault Lawyer Brooklyn, NY
Fraternity sexual assault is sexual contact without consent by a member, pledge, or guest at a chapter house, party, formal, or initiation event. Alcohol is involved in many of these cases, and a person who is incapacitated by alcohol or drugs cannot legally consent. Survivors sometimes hesitate to call it rape, especially when they knew the assailant. A chapter or national organization is not automatically liable for one member’s conduct. Its own failures, such as ignoring earlier reports or allowing unsupervised events in violation of its policies, are what create liability.
At New York City colleges, students or the schools chose not to use the campus conduct process for 88 percent of sexual violence incidents reported in 2021. Our Brooklyn fraternity sexual assault attorneys file civil claims in court, and those claims proceed independently of any campus hearing.
Types of Fraternity Sexual Assault Cases We Handle in Brooklyn
Fraternity cases often involve several defendants, including individual members, chapter officers, national organizations, universities, and property owners. Our Brooklyn fraternity sexual assault lawyers identify every party whose conduct contributed to the assault.
- Assault of incapacitated guests. Guests who are heavily intoxicated at parties are frequent targets. We gather witness accounts, photos, and messages showing the survivor’s condition and who was present.
- Rape victims. Survivors raped at a chapter house or fraternity event have a 20-year civil filing period in New York. That period also applies to claims against organizations whose negligence allowed the rape.
- Hazing-related sexual abuse. Pledges, including young men, are sometimes forced into sexual acts during initiation rituals. These cases can involve chapter officers and members who planned or watched the conduct.
- Drugging at parties. Drinks spiked with sedatives can leave a survivor with little memory of the assault. Prompt medical testing and witness interviews are often the strongest evidence in these claims.
- Assault in chapter houses and off-campus housing. Broken locks, unmonitored entrances, and a history of incidents can support a negligence claim against the owner of the property.
- Recording and sharing intimate images. Members who record an assault or circulate images in group chats create additional claims. We act quickly to preserve that content before it is deleted.
- Harassment after a report. Survivors are sometimes targeted by chapter members after reporting. Threats, social media attacks, and pressure to withdraw a complaint become part of the case.
- Campus sexual assault. When a college fails to respond to a fraternity assault reported by a student, the school’s own conduct may support a separate claim.
- Claims against national organizations. National fraternities set risk management rules and receive reports about their chapters. A national organization that knew about prior misconduct at a Brooklyn chapter and took no action may share responsibility.
Why Choose Bloom Fudali as My Fraternity Sexual Assault Lawyer in Brooklyn, NY?
Prosecutorial and Trial Experience
Arick Fudali began his career as a prosecutor in Broward County, Florida. He won every trial he prosecuted as lead counsel. Before that, he earned his law degree from the University of Florida and interned with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. He now represents survivors in civil cases and has tried sexual harassment and assault cases before juries alongside our founder.
Experience With Cases That Draw Public Attention
Fraternity cases can involve well-connected families and organizations that are concerned about their reputations. Our founder, Lisa Bloom, hosted a live legal program on Court TV for eight years and has provided legal analysis for CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC. She is a graduate of UCLA and Yale Law School. Many cases resolve privately and confidentially. When a case becomes public, Lisa’s experience with the press informs how we present it.
Bloom Fudali’s case results reflect millions of dollars recovered for survivors. Examples include:
- $9.9 million for a survivor of sexual assault
- Nearly $20 million across two jury trials involving sexual harassment, sexual assault, and retaliation by a wealthy television producer
- $1.5 million in a sexual harassment and civil rights matter
Fraternity sexual assault cases are handled on contingency.
What Is Important to Understand About a Fraternity Sexual Assault Case?
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Fraternity Sexual Assault Cases
Both the assailant and the organizations surrounding the assault can be liable. The chapter, the national organization, a university, or a property owner may also be liable for negligence, which can include failing to supervise events, failing to enforce alcohol and guest policies, or failing to act on prior complaints. Group traditions that encourage sexual misconduct among members raise questions of institutional accountability for the organizations that tolerated them.
Compensation in these cases often reflects the effect of an assault on a student’s education. A civil claim can seek counseling and medical expenses, tuition for lost semesters, lost income from a delayed graduation, and compensation for emotional distress. Where the conduct was intentional or malicious, a jury may also award punitive damages. The city’s gender-motivated violence law also permits an award of attorney’s fees.
What Are Important Aspects of a Fraternity Sexual Assault Case?
Evidence in fraternity cases can disappear quickly once members learn that a complaint has been made. A Brooklyn, NY fraternity sexual assault attorney can send preservation demands early, and the steps below protect both the survivor’s health and the claim.
- A forensic examination at a hospital with a sexual assault examiner program can collect evidence even if you have not decided whether to report. The state pays providers directly for forensic exam costs when a survivor chooses not to use private insurance.
- The assailant’s intoxication is no excuse for the assault, and a survivor’s intoxication is not consent.
- Group chats, photos, and social media posts from the night of the assault should be saved immediately, along with the names of anyone who was present.
- A report to the college’s Title IX office is optional, and a civil claim does not depend on it.
- Survivors who never reported the assault at the time can still bring a civil claim if the filing deadline has not passed.
What Is The Fraternity Sexual Assault Case Timeline?
The filing deadline depends on the conduct involved. Claims for rape and certain other sexual offenses have a 20-year filing period that also applies to negligent organizations. Other sexual assault and battery claims carry a one-year deadline. For older incidents in New York City, a 2026 amendment to the gender-motivated violence law opened a limited filing window for claims against assailants and those who enabled them.
- Consultation. We review what happened, identify each potential defendant, and confirm the filing deadline.
- Preservation letters. We send written demands to the chapter, the national organization, and the college to keep rosters, event records, and electronic messages.
- Investigation. We gather prior incident reports, risk management records, and witness statements.
- Filing and discovery. After the complaint is filed, members and chapter officers can be questioned under oath.
- Resolution. A case may resolve through negotiation or mediation, or it may proceed to a jury trial.
What Should You Bring to Your Fraternity Sexual Assault Consultation?
Records from around the time of the assault help us place each person and event in order.
- Screenshots of texts, group chats, or social media posts from the night of the assault
- Medical or forensic examination records
- Any report made to campus security, the Title IX office, or the police
- Names of members, guests, and friends who were present
- Correspondence from the college or the fraternity after you reported
Meeting with our Brooklyn fraternity sexual assault attorneys costs nothing, and the conversation stays confidential. We explain who may be responsible and what a civil claim would require.
Reach Out to Bloom Fudali to Schedule a Consultation
Contact us to arrange a confidential meeting at no cost. Our Brooklyn fraternity sexual assault lawyer can determine which individuals and organizations may be held responsible for the assault. Bloom Fudali handles these cases on contingency, so you owe no fee unless we recover compensation. We answer all inquiries promptly.