Jonathan Ford, a former Birmingham-Southern College football recruit, has filed a lawsuit against the college and a fraternity claiming that he allegedly suffered injuries from hazing that forced him to leave the private college.

Ford is the son of Alabama State Rep. Craig Ford, who is the House minority leader.

The college said Thursday it had addressed issues two years ago with hazing at a fraternity on campus, at first suspending the fraternity and then placing it on probation through early this year.

An attorney for Jonathan Ford filed the lawsuit in Jefferson County Circuit Court on May 18 against the college, Kappa Alpha Order and its BSC campus chapter, the fraternity's president at the time, one other named fraternity member as well as other unnamed members.

Ford, who played quarterback at Westbrook Christian in Rainbow City, signed a football scholarship with Birmingham-Southern in 2013.

The lawsuit states that Ford went through rush in the fall 2013 semester and was accepted as a pledge in the BSC Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order. Soon after his pledgeship began, Ford was subjected to hazing by the active members of the fraternity, according to the lawsuit.

During that fall Ford was injured while cleaning a staircase in the fraternity house when a member negligently caused bleach to spray into Ford's eyes, the lawsuit states. Ford had to seek medical treatment, the lawsuit states.

"During the course of his pledgeship, Johnathan Ford and his pledge brothers were subjected to various forms of hazing including being required to walk on their elbows and toes across broken glass, being hit and spit upon by the active members of the Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order," the lawsuit states.

Pledges were also required to consume alcohol that was forced upon them, were slapped in the face with mops and other items, and were physically assaulted by fraternity members, including strikes below the waist, the lawsuit states.

As a result of his injuries Ford became unable to throw a football and fully participate in practice, the lawsuit states. Ford left the fraternity and college at the end of the fall semester and has since enrolled in another college, the lawsuit states.

The defendants acted negligently in failing to prevent the alleged hazing, which caused physical injury, mental anguish, pain and suffering and medical expense, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages.

Birmingham-Southern issued a statement Thursday in response to an AL.com request regarding the allegations in Ford's the lawsuit. The statement does not specifically name Kappa Alpha Order.

"Allegations of inappropriate conduct at one of Birmingham-Southern College's Greek houses were brought to the attention of BSC officials in the Fall 2013 term," according to the BSC statement. "BSC officials immediately suspended the house in question, initiated an investigation, and pursued standard student conduct processes."

"Appropriate chapter and individual sanctions including suspensions were applied to ensure that the entire organization and the individuals involved understood the dangers and effects of hazing," according to the BSC statement. "The chapter was suspended through January 2014, and then placed on probation through January, 2015.

Brent E. Buswell, associate director for communications for the Kappa Alpha Order National Administrative Office, also issued a statement Thursday on behalf of the group.

"The allegations included in the court filing paint a different picture than our investigation revealed," according to the fraternity statement. "Kappa Alpha does not tolerate or condone any hazing. KA will respond appropriately as we determine any additional facts."

Efforts to reach the two students also named as defendants - including a former chapter president - in the lawsuit were unsuccessful prior to publication of this story.

Denzel Okinedo, the current SGA President at Birmingham-Southern College, issued a statement to AL.com on Friday saying the allegations in the lawsuit are not representative of Birmingham-Southern's Greek Life.

"In my now full three years at this institution, I have witnessed friendships attained, barriers broken, and qualities instilled all due to to the effects of our thriving Greek involvement," Okinedo stated. "Birmingham-Southern's Greek life promotes inclusion and openness, which is represented by the the unique relationship held by all our students."

"The Greek community holds a Grade Point Average that is higher than the all campus average, and has raised thousands of dollars towards the benefit of local charities," Okinedo stated. "It is these actions that should define us."

"I believe I speak for the whole student body when I say that we, the students, fully admonish and frown upon the alleged actions of the BSC Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order," Okinedo stated.

The BSC administration handled the situation immediately and quickly suspended the organization and the members that were deemed guilty of the alleged acts, Okinedo stated. "Those acts do not define us as an institution nor do they define us as a Greek community."

Updated at 11:45 a.m. May 29, 2015 with comments from SGA president