MORGANTOWN – A trial date has been set in the lawsuit involving the 2014 death of Nolan Burch after consuming alcohol at a fraternity event.
The jury trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 22, 2017, and is estimated to last nine days, according to the June 9 scheduling order.
A final pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 7, 2017, at 10 a.m.
Last year, Nolan Burch’s parents, Theron J. Burch and Kimberly Burch, claim their son was a victim of fraternity hazing at
West Virginia University’s Kappa Sigma Fraternity’s local chapter, Gamma Phi.
The parents claim Nolan Burch was required to attend a “Big/Little” ceremony held at Gamma Phi on Nov. 12, 2014, where members of the fraternity negligently, carelessly and recklessly endangered his health and safety by pressuring him to drink excessive amounts of alcohol in order to be accepted admission into the fraternity.
Burch died a few days after the event, after being taken to Ruby Memorial Hospital. His blood alcohol content was .493.
The Burches are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by William C. Brewer and J. Tyler Slavey of Brewer & Giggenbach PLLC; Terrence M. Connors, Lawlor F. Quinlan III and Pail A. Woodard of Connors LLP.
The defendants are represented by G. Thomas Smith of Smith McMunn & Glover; Patrick J. Nooney; Stephen M. LaCagnin and Wendy G. Adkins of Jackson Kelly PLLC; Shannon P. Smith and Teresa Dumire of Kay Casto & Chaney PLLC; and Lance E. Rollo.
Monongalia Circuit Court case number: 15-C-638