Personal Injury Law

Massachusetts Personal Injury Settlement Reached in MIT Fraternity Prank that Severely Injured Two Volunteers

By Altman & Altman

A confidential Massachusetts injury settlement has been reached between the plaintiffs, Katie Nardin and Thomas Soisson, and the insurers of the Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity and MIT graduate Bhaskar Mookerji. Nardin and Soisson sustained severe chemical burn injuries to the face, arms, and legs while doing environmental cleanup volunteer work on the Charles River Cleanup Boat on September 6, 2007.

A Styrofoam-like object that was scooped up from the water and deposited in a plastic trash barrel on the boat exploded, causing their injuries. The object, which was actually sodium metal, had been stolen from an MIT school lab as part of an annual tradition that involves throwing the material into the Charles River.

Mookerji, now 22, came forward in April 2008 and admitted that he threw the sodium metal into the water. He was charged with environmental pollution and disorderly conduct. The criminal charges against him were eventually dropped.

Soisson had to have skin graft surgery for his injuries and has spent a great deal of time recovering. Nardin received treatment for her burn injuries and has had to seek medical attention another nine times because of infection and scarring. The Massachusetts personal injury compensation settlement is for their physical injuries and emotional trauma.

The blast also cost thousands of dollars in decontamination efforts.

Chemical Burns can cause:
? Tissue damage
? Blisters
? Numbness or pain
? Black dead skin
? Vision problems
? Low blood pressure
? Seizures
? Cardiac arrest

Chemical burns can be very painful and traumatic.

Deal reached in MIT fraternity prank, Boston.com, August 10, 2010

Confession linked TEP to Na injuries, The Tech Online, March 12, 2010

Chemical Burns, emedicinehealth

Related Web Resources:
Tau Epsilon Phi, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Charles River Cleanup Boat

Full post as published by Boston Injury Lawyer Blog on August 11, 2010 (boomark / email).