A Baton Rouge jury found Wednesday that the parents of our client, LSU student, Max Gruver, whose death at a fraternity party launched a statewide campaign against hazing should be compensated $6.1 million.
Stephen and Rae Ann Gruver prevailed in their wrongful death lawsuit, which centered around the loss of their 18-year-old son Max Gruver. It’s not clear how much the Gruvers will actually receive, because they had already settled out of court with most of the defendants before the ruling.
Jonathon Fazzola, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, asked jurors to award Gruver’s parents $25 million during his closing arguments. Both parents took the stand Wednesday, and Rae Ann Gruver said the loss of their eldest child “changed them forever.”
Since Max’s death, Rae Ann Gruver has toured the country visiting high schools and college campuses on a personal crusade to stop hazing. Stephen Gruver said he visits his son’s gravesite every Friday to pray for and talk to his son.