Firm News

Hazing activities refer to dangerous and often abusive initiation rituals used for admission into a group, such as a sports team or fraternity or sorority. Despite being prohibited by most schools, hazing continues to take place secretly on thousands of campuses each year. The effects of hazing go far beyond basic bullying. Hazing can be psychologically detrimental, extremely physically harmful and even…

A Kansas school district has agreed to settle with a former student, Haylee Weissenbach. Following her graduation, Weissenbach filed a federal lawsuit in 2020 for the district’s “deliberate indifference” in handling the sexual abuse from McLouth High School teacher, Anthony Kuckelman. With DRZ’s own Daniel Zmijewski’s representation, McLouth Unified School District agreed to pay $800,000 to the victim. Read the article from…

No patient anticipates being sexually assaulted or taken advantage of by their doctor – the very person who is licensed to take care of them. Unfortunately, even medical professionals who have sworn an oath to uphold ethical standards are guilty of heinous crimes such as the sexual assault and abuse of patients. If you are a victim of sexual abuse by a…

Sexual harassment in the workplace can disrupt more than just your ability to do your job. It is an emotionally distressing and harmful crime that can have a wide range of effects on a victim’s life. If you have experienced workplace sexual harassment in Kansas, you may be eligible for financial compensation by filing a claim against the offender as well as…

Rape and statutory rape are both crimes in Kansas. They are equally severe and can both result in life-changing consequences for a perpetrator, including years in prison. They are different crimes on a legal level, however, that come with different elements of proof. In general, rape means sexual intercourse without consent, while statutory rape is sexual intercourse with a victim who is…

Sexual abuse is a heinous crime that has consequences for a survivor long after the last incident of abuse. Being sexually abused as a child can have an enormous effect on the child’s physical, emotional and mental well-being. Childhood sexual abuse and assault survivors often need therapy, counseling, medications and other remedies to cope with the crimes that were committed against them….

Sleepaway camps are advertised as places where children can go to learn independence, teamwork and new skills, all while having fun and making new friends. While this is true of many sleepaway and summer camps in Kansas, they are not always safe for children. Sadly, summer camp abuse is a risk that parents may run when they leave their children in the…

The foster care system has major problems in every state. It is largely viewed as a broken system that does not offer safety to victimized children and, in many cases, exposes vulnerable children to even greater harm in the form of sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the number of children currently in the foster care system in Kansas is large and growing at a…

As a parent in Kansas, you might assume that you are the only person who can lawfully spank or use force to punish your child. If your child is enrolled in a public school, however, this is not the case. Kansas is one of 19 states that allow corporal punishment in public schools. There are limits and guidelines, however, to what a…

Filing a sexual assault or abuse civil lawsuit is about much more than collecting financial compensation. For a survivor of sexual abuse, coming forward with a case presents the opportunity to speak out against a perpetrator, hold an institution accountable, obtain justice and closure, and finally move forward. However, the financial amount awarded in a successful sexual abuse case can be a…