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The Definitive Guide to Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Comprehensive Resource for Wallis, Austin County, and Houston Metro Families from Attorney911

If you are a parent in Wallis, Austin County, your worst nightmare may start with a phone call in the middle of the night. Your child, a student at the University of Houston, Texas A&M, or another Texas campus, is in the hospital. The story is confusing—extreme exhaustion, brown urine, talk of mandatory “workouts” and forced drinking. You hear whispers of “traditions” and “pledge activities,” and the university seems more focused on controlling the story than explaining how your child was seriously injured. You are not alone, and what you are facing has a name: criminal and civil hazing. Right now, our firm is actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas, representing Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. This is not a hypothetical. It is proof that these abusive systems are operating at campuses where Wallis families send their children, and it is why you need to understand your rights.

This guide is written specifically for parents and families in Wallis, Austin County, and the surrounding Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area. We will explain what modern hazing really looks like, break down Texas and federal law, show how national fraternity patterns repeat here in Texas, and provide a clear, evidence-driven path to accountability. If your child has been hurt in connection with a fraternity, sorority, Corps of Cadets program, athletic team, or campus organization, you deserve to know who is responsible and how to fight back.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate legal guidance.

In the first 48 hours:

1. Get Medical Attention: Go to the ER or urgent care immediately. Have the doctor document that the injuries are related to hazing.
2. Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted:
   • Screenshot ALL group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord).
   • Photograph injuries from multiple angles with good lighting.
   • Save physical items (torn clothing, paddles, receipts for alcohol).
3. Write Everything Down: Record who, what, when, and where while memories are fresh.
4. DO NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or university directly.
   • Sign anything from the school or an insurance company.
   • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
   • Post details on public social media.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. Evidence disappears fast, and institutions move quickly to protect themselves. We can help secure evidence and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like on Texas Campuses

For families in Wallis, hazing may sound like an outdated relic of “Animal House.” The reality in 2025 is more sinister, systematic, and digitally enabled. Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers a student’s mental or physical health for the purpose of joining or maintaining membership in a group. “Consent” is not a defense under Texas law because the power imbalance and fear of exclusion make true consent impossible.

Modern hazing tactics fall into three escalating tiers:

1. Subtle Hazing: Behaviors that emphasize power imbalances and set the stage for worse abuse.

• Mandatory Servitude: Acting as a 24/7 designated driver, cleaning members’ rooms, or running personal errands.
• Digital Control: Required constant monitoring of group chats (GroupMe), instant response mandates, and location sharing via apps like Find My Friends.
• Social Isolation: Being cut off from non-member friends and family.
• “Pledge Fanny Packs”: Being forced to carry humiliating items at all times, as alleged in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, where pledges carried condoms, sex toys, and nicotine devices.

2. Harassment Hazing: Acts that cause emotional or physical discomfort and create an abusive environment.

• Sleep Deprivation: Mandatory late-night or early-morning “meetings,” wake-up calls at 3 AM for pointless tasks.
• Forced Consumption: Eating or drinking unpalatable or excessive amounts of food (e.g., milk, hot dogs, peppercorns until vomiting).
• Psychological Torment: “Interviews,” grilling sessions, public humiliation, and verbal abuse.
• Degrading “Workouts”: Calisthenics used as punishment, not fitness.

3. Violent Hazing: Activities with a high potential for catastrophic injury or death.

• Forced/Coerced Alcohol Consumption: The number one cause of hazing deaths. This includes “family tree” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, and lineups.
• Physical Assault: Paddling, beatings, tackles, and dangerous physical rituals like the “glass ceiling” exercise that killed Michael Deng.
• Extreme Environmental Exposure: Being locked in cold rooms, left outside in underwear in freezing weather, or sprayed with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” as alleged in the UH case.
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, and sexual assault.

This abuse occurs not just in fraternities but in sororities, Corps of Cadets programs (like at Texas A&M), athletic teams, spirit groups, and marching bands. It often moves “off-campus” to rental houses or remote retreats to avoid university oversight, but location does not eliminate legal liability.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: What Wallis Families Need to Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, primarily under the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Understanding this framework is crucial for any family in Austin County considering action.

The Legal Definition (Texas Education Code § 37.151):
Hazing means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, initiation, affiliation, or maintaining membership in any organization that:

• Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student, OR
• Involves brutality, forced consumption, or other activity that adversely affects the student’s mental or physical health.

Key Provisions for Families:

• Criminal Penalties (§ 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. If it causes serious bodily injury or death, it becomes a state jail felony. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing or retaliating against someone who reports.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (§ 37.155): This is critical. Even if your child “went along with it,” that is legally irrelevant. The law recognizes they were under duress.
• Organizational Liability (§ 37.153): The fraternity, sorority, or club itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized or encouraged the hazing.
• Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (§ 37.154): Students who call 911 or report hazing in good faith are generally protected from university discipline and criminal liability related to underage drinking in that emergency.

Civil Liability vs. Criminal Charges:

• Criminal Case: Brought by the state (DA or County Attorney). Goal is punishment (jail, fines, probation).
• Civil Lawsuit: Brought by the victim and family. Goal is compensation for damages (medical bills, pain and suffering, future care) and institutional accountability. These cases can proceed independently; you do not need to wait for criminal charges to file a civil suit.

Who Can Be Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?
A comprehensive investigation aims to identify every potentially liable party to ensure full accountability and access to insurance coverage.

1. Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, executed, or facilitated the hazing.
2. Chapter Officers & Leaders: The pledge educator, president, risk manager, and others in supervisory roles.
3. The Local Chapter: As a legal entity (often a housing corporation).
4. The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters: For negligent supervision, failure to enforce policies, and having prior knowledge of dangerous patterns.
5. The University: For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to a known risk, or Title IX violations (if the hazing is sex-based).
6. Alumni Boards & Housing Corporations: The entities that own properties where hazing occurs.
7. Third Parties: Bars that overserved alcohol or landowners who knowingly allowed dangerous activities.

The Flagship Case: Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi

To understand how these laws apply in real time, look no further than Houston. Our firm currently represents Leonel Bermudez in a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit against the University of Houston, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, its Beta Nu housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders.

This case is not an abstract example; it is active proof of the brutal hazing occurring at a major Texas university that Wallis students attend. According to the lawsuit and media reports from Click2Houston and ABC13, Bermudez, a fall 2025 pledge, endured:

• Humiliation: A “pledge fanny pack” rule requiring him to carry condoms, a sex toy, and nicotine devices at all times.
• Forced Labor: Hours-long “study” blocks, weekly interviews, and overnight chauffeuring duties.
• Physical Torture: Sprints, bear crawls, and wheelbarrow races at Yellowstone Boulevard Park; being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding”; forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, followed by immediate sprints.
• The “Nov 3 Workout”: Forced to perform over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion.

The result? Bermudez developed rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. His urine turned brown, he could not stand, and he was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels. He faces a risk of permanent kidney damage.

The institutional response reveals the typical playbook: After reports surfaced, Pi Kappa Phi national suspended the chapter on Nov 6, 2025. On Nov 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, effectively shutting down. The University of Houston called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised cooperation with law enforcement. This case is why we fight: to secure justice for Leonel and to force the systemic changes that will protect the next student from Wallis, Austin, or Katy.

The Texas Greek Ecosystem: A Data-Driven Look for Wallis Parents

If your child is hazed, you are not just up against a few “bad apples.” You are facing a networked ecosystem of national organizations, local chapters, alumni corporations, and insurance companies. At Attorney911, we don’t guess who these entities are—we use a proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public records to map them. This data-driven approach is a critical advantage for families in Wallis and across Texas.

Where Wallis Families Send Their Kids: Texas Campuses
Students from Wallis and Austin County attend universities across the region and state. The following campuses have significant Greek life systems where hazing risks exist:

• University of Houston (UH) – Houston, Harris County
• Texas A&M University – College Station, Brazos County
• Prairie View A&M University – Prairie View, Waller County
• Blinn College – Bryan, Brazos County
• Sam Houston State University – Huntsville, Walker County
• Statewide Hubs where many Texas students enroll: UT Austin, Baylor, SMU, Texas State, Texas Tech.

The Houston Metro Greek Landscape:
The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area, which includes Wallis, is home to a dense network of Greek organizations. According to our analysis of public filings and commercial data, there are approximately 188 Greek-related organizations in this metro, including undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, and housing corporations.

Public Records Directory: Fraternities, Sororities & Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses
The following are real examples of Texas-registered organizations, illustrating the complex web of entities that may share liability in a hazing case. This is a small sample from our internal database of over 1,400 tracked entities.

Organizations in the Houston Metro & Surrounding Area:

• Texas District of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Houston, TX (Alumni/house corp.)
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority – Houston Alumnae – Houston, TX (Graduate chapter)
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Beta Sigma Chapter – Houston, TX (Undergrad chapter)
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Epsilon Kappa Alumni – Beaumont, TX (Lamar Univ. alumni association)
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc – EIN 46-2267515 – Frisco, TX 75035
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter – EIN 74-6084905 – Houston, TX 77204
• Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity Inc – EIN 80-0209640 – Houston, TX 77248 (Grand Chapter)

Texas Campus-Based Chapter Organizations:

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc – EIN 13-3048786 – College Station, TX 77845 (Texas A&M)
• Sigma Phi Epsilon Texas Eta – EIN 82-4398421 – Richmond, TX 77406
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc – Sigma Gamma Chapter – EIN 39-2352450 – Houston, TX 77254
• Phi Kappa Psi Texas Epsilon Chapter – EIN 45-2729519 – Nacogdoches, TX 75965 (Stephen F. Austin)

Honor Societies & Overarching Entities (Proof of National Networks):

• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Univ. of Houston Victoria – EIN 90-0293167 – Victoria, TX 77901
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas A&M University – EIN 90-0293166 – College Station, TX 77843
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Lamar Univ. – Listed in Beaumont metro records.

This directory demonstrates a key point for litigation: the same national brand (e.g., Pi Kappa Phi, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Gamma Rho) appears across multiple entity types and metros. When we take a case, we use this intelligence to identify every potentially liable organization behind the letters—the chapter, the housing corporation, the alumni board, and the national headquarters—ensuring no responsible party escapes accountability.

National Hazing Patterns & Precedents: The Playbook Texas Chapters Follow

The hazing that injures Texas students is not unique. It follows well-documented, deadly scripts used by national organizations for decades. This “pattern evidence” is powerful in court, proving that injuries were foreseeable and preventable. Key national cases every Texas parent should know include:

The Alcohol Poisoning Death Pattern:

• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): Pledge forced to drink a bottle of alcohol; died. $10M+ settlement from national and university.
• Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): Died during “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.” $6.1M verdict.
• Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017): Died after bid-night falls; delayed help. Landmark criminal prosecutions and civil suits.

The Physical Torture & Ritual Pattern:

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): Killed during blindfolded “glass ceiling” tackle ritual at a retreat. National fraternity criminally convicted and banned from Pennsylvania.
• Danny Santulli – Univ. of Missouri, Phi Gamma Delta (2021): Pledge suffered catastrophic, permanent brain damage from forced drinking. Multi-million-dollar settlements with 22 defendants.

The Athletic & Organizational Hazing Pattern:

• Northwestern University Football (2023): Widespread sexualized and racist hazing allegations leading to confidential settlements, coach firings, and institutional crisis.

What This Means for Wallis Families: When a chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, or Phi Delta Theta at UH or Texas A&M uses the same forced drinking games that killed Stone Foltz or Max Gruver, it demonstrates the national organization failed to stop a known, lethal practice. This “prior notice” is the backbone of negligence claims against national headquarters and can justify seeking punitive damages.

Building a Powerful Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy & Damages

Winning a hazing case requires converting outrage into a legally compelling narrative backed by irrefutable evidence. This is where our experience as complex litigators and former insurance defense attorneys provides an unmatched advantage for Texas families.

The Evidence Pyramid: What Wins Cases

1. Digital Communications (The Most Critical): Deleted GroupMe chats, Instagram DMs, Snapchat stories, text messages. We use digital forensics to recover what they tried to destroy.
2. Photographs & Videos: Injuries, scenes, parties, and “tradition” documentation often live on members’ phones and cloud accounts.
3. Medical Records: ER reports, toxicology screens (blood alcohol), diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis or PTSD, and future treatment plans.
4. Organizational Documents: Pledge manuals, “big/little” instructions, risk management reports, and emails between chapter and nationals.
5. University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter, Clery Act reports, and internal investigation files obtained through discovery.

Overcoming Standard Defense Tactics:
Fraternity and university insurers have a standard playbook to deny or minimize claims. We know it because Mr. Lupe Peña used to be on their side. We anticipate and counter their defenses:

• “The Pledge Consented”: We cite Texas law § 37.155 and use evidence of coercion and power imbalance.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter / We Didn’t Know”: We introduce pattern evidence from other chapters and prove the national had prior notice.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: We argue foreseeability and show the organization still exercised control and benefited from the membership.
• “Our Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: We argue the negligence of supervision is covered, even if individual acts were intentional, and pursue bad-faith claims if needed.

Damages: What Can Be Recovered
Our goal is to secure compensation that covers all past, present, and future harms:

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (ER, hospitalization, surgery, therapy), lost wages, future medical care, and lost earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain, mental anguish, humiliation, PTSD, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages (if applicable): Funeral costs, loss of companionship, and emotional suffering of the family.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness or cover-ups, to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.

Practical Guide for Wallis Parents & Students

For Parents – Warning Signs & Immediate Steps:

• Watch For: Unexplained injuries, extreme fatigue, personality changes, secrecy about group activities, sudden academic decline, and constant, anxious phone monitoring.
• If You Suspect Hazing: Stay calm. Ask open-ended questions (“What does a typical pledge week look like?”). Prioritize your child’s safety over their social standing.
• If Your Child is Injured: Get medical help first. Then, help them preserve evidence (screenshots, photos). Write down everything they tell you. Contact a lawyer before reporting to the university or speaking to insurance adjusters.

For Students – Your Rights & Safety:

• Is This Hazing? If you feel coerced, endangered, or humiliated to belong, it likely is. Trust your instincts.
• You Have the Right to Leave: You can de-pledge at any time. Send a clear email/text to the chapter president and keep a copy. Your safety is more important than any organization.
• How to Report Safely: You can report to campus police, the Dean of Students, or anonymously via the National Anti-Hazing Hotline (1-888-NOT-HAZE). Texas law offers protections for good-faith reporters.
• Preserve Evidence: Do NOT delete anything. Screenshot group chats, photograph injuries, save emails. Watch our video on using your phone to document a legal case.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Case:

1. Deleting Digital Evidence: This looks like a cover-up and destroys your best leverage.
2. Confronting the Fraternity Directly: This triggers their legal defense and evidence destruction.
3. Signing University “Resolution” Forms: These often include waivers of your right to sue.
4. Posting on Social Media: Defense teams scour social media for contradictions.
5. Waiting Too Long: Evidence vanishes, witnesses graduate, and the statute of limitations runs. Learn more about Texas filing deadlines in our video on statutes of limitation.

Why Attorney911 for Your Texas Hazing Case

When your family in Wallis is facing the trauma of hazing, you need advocates who understand both the human toll and the complex legal battlefield. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) is not a high-volume personal injury mill. We are Texas-based complex litigation specialists with a proven record of taking on powerful institutions and winning.

Our Unfair Advantage in Hazing Litigation:

1. Active, High-Stakes Texas Hazing Experience: We are currently leading the major Leonel Bermudez lawsuit against the University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi. This isn’t historical knowledge; it’s active, front-line expertise in Texas hazing law and institutional defense tactics right now.

2. Insurance Insider Knowledge: Mr. Lupe Peña spent years as a defense attorney for national insurance companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny, delay, and undervalue your claim. We use their playbook against them.

3. Complex Institutional Litigation Pedigree: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced billion-dollar defendants with endless legal resources. National fraternities and major universities do not intimidate us.

4. The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: We don’t start from scratch. We maintain a proprietary database of over 1,400 Greek organizations across Texas, built from IRS filings, university records, and commercial data. We know how to find every liable entity—house corporations, alumni boards, national headquarters—from day one.

5. Full-Spectrum Advocacy: With Ralph’s background in criminal defense (HCCLA) and our deep personal injury practice, we can navigate both the criminal and civil aspects of a hazing case, advise witnesses, and protect your child from all angles.

6. Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña is a fluent Spanish speaker, ensuring we can serve all Texas families with comfort and clarity.

We approach every case with a dual mission: to secure maximum compensation for your family’s profound losses and to force the institutional changes that will prevent the next injury. We fight for accountability.

Your Next Step: A Confidential Consultation with Attorney911

If hazing has impacted your family in Wallis, Austin County, or anywhere in Texas, you do not have to navigate this crisis alone. The universities and national organizations have teams of lawyers; you deserve experienced advocates on your side.

We offer a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to every family we speak with. In this conversation, we will:

• Listen carefully to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your legal rights and options under Texas law.
• Outline our investigative strategy for your specific case.
• Answer your questions about the process, timeline, and our contingency fee structure (you pay no attorney fees unless we win your case).

Take the first step toward justice and accountability. Contact the Texas hazing litigation team at Attorney911 today.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) | Direct: (713) 528-9070
Visit: https://attorney911.com
Hablamos Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Let us help you turn this moment of crisis into a powerful stand for safety and accountability.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of the UH Pi Kappa Phi Case:
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/11/21/only-on-2-lawsuit-alleges-severe-hazing-at-university-of-houstons-pi-kappa-phi-chapter-fraternity/
https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs – Using your phone to document evidence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c – Understanding Texas statutes of limitation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY – Client mistakes that can ruin a case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc – How contingency fees work.

Attorney911 Main Website:
https://attorney911.com

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. We encourage you to seek legal counsel for advice on your particular situation. Contact Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential case evaluation.