Hobbsr: USC Fraternity Settles Drone Injury Lawsuit

Monday, April 30, 2018

USC Fraternity Settles Drone Injury Lawsuit

A lot of unfortunate things can happen at a frat party. Usually, recovery simply entails plenty of water, a greasy breakfast, and a temporary ban on words like "vodka" and "beer." But sometimes the injuries are much worse, and the recovery much tougher.

One student attended a frat party at USC back in 2015, but instead of just a hearty hangover, she was hit in the head by a drone. Now, that student and the USC fraternity have reached a settlement in her drone injury lawsuit.

Injured Woman Bled "Vigorously"

Alina Pituch had been at a party at Pi Kappa Phi's Delta Rho Chapter in October of 2015 for about 15-20 minutes when a drone fell and hit her on the head, knocking her into a friend. According to her lawsuit, she "immediately began to bleed vigorously." She says she suffered injuries to the back of her head, forehead, and left eye, and that she became dizzy and disoriented.

Filed Drone Lawsuit Against Frat, Event Company

Pituch stated in her lawsuit that she is still suffering the effects of the drone incident. She has permanent scarring, has met with plastic surgeons regarding her injuries, and has difficulty concentrating on school work thanks to the headaches that began after the accident. Pituch filed her drone injury lawsuit against the USC fraternity and The Perfect Event, the event-planning company hired by the fraternity. The event company had hired the drone operator. The lawsuit included claims of negligence and premises liability.

However, in papers filed with the court on April 12, Pituch's lawyers stated that the lawsuit had been resolved, although no terms of the settlement were released. Both the USC frat and the event-planning company had denied any wrongdoing in the drone injury lawsuit.

While many people treat them like toys, drones can cause serious injuries. If you or a loved one was injured by a drone, speak with an attorney who can assess the strength of your case and inform you of your legal options.

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