Law Students

Suit Claims Baptism Injury Forced Law Student to Give Up School

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A former law student claims in a lawsuit that he was forced to leave school after injuring his back while performing submersion baptisms for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The pro se suit by Daniel Dastrup, who now lives in Las Vegas, claims he suffered a herniated disk and other back injuries while performing about 200 baptisms for the church in Raleigh, N.C., in 2007, according to the Salt Lake Tribune and the Associated Press. He later underwent two surgeries on his back. Dastrup contends the church should have warned him that performing baptisms can cause physical injury.

Some of the people being baptized weighed as much as 250 pounds, the suit says. Dastrup claims he complained about his injuries, but a church official told him to continue rather than let another person take his place.

The story does not identify the law school where Dastrup was enrolled.

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