The Texas Hazing Crisis: A Guide for Walnut Springs Families Seeking Justice & Accountability
For parents in Walnut Springs, the dream of your child’s college experience at a great Texas university can turn into a nightmare in an instant. Perhaps your son at Texas A&M is suddenly coming home with unexplained bruises. Maybe your daughter at UT Austin is exhausted, secretive, and receiving constant, demanding texts at all hours. Or worse, you get the call that your child is in the hospital after a “pledge event.”
Hazing isn’t just dangerous tradition—it is a serious crime and a profound betrayal of trust that can cause permanent injury or death. As Texas hazing lawyers, we see the devastating aftermath firsthand. Right now, just a few hours from Walnut Springs in Harris County, our firm is leading one of the most serious hazing lawsuits in the country. This is not a distant problem; it is happening at universities where Bosque County families send their children.
This guide is for you: the parents and families in Walnut Springs, Iredell, and across Bosque County who need to understand the reality of modern hazing, your legal rights under Texas law, and the path to holding powerful institutions accountable.
Immediate Help for Hazing Emergencies
If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:
- Call 911 for any medical emergency.
- Then call Attorney911: 1-888-288-9911. We provide immediate help—that’s why we are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.
In the First 48 Hours:
- Get Medical Attention: Even if injuries seem minor or your child resists, seek a professional evaluation. Internal injuries like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) may not be immediately apparent.
- Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted:
- Screenshot all relevant group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), texts, and social media DMs immediately.
- Photograph any visible injuries from multiple angles.
- Save physical items (clothing, receipts, paddles, props).
- Document Everything: Write down who, what, when, and where while memories are fresh. Have your child do the same in a private note.
- Do NOT:
- Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
- Sign any documents from the university or an insurance company.
- Post details on public social media.
- Allow your child to delete messages or “clean up” evidence.
Contact an Experienced Hazing Attorney: Evidence disappears rapidly. Universities and national organizations move quickly to control the narrative. We can help you navigate this crisis from the start. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, immediate, and confidential consultation.
Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas
Hazing has evolved far beyond the stereotypes of “stupid pranks” or “harmless tradition.” Today, it is a calculated, often digitally-facilitated system of coercion, humiliation, and abuse designed to test loyalty through suffering.
A Modern Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of joining, affiliating with, or maintaining membership in any organization. Crucially, under Texas law, the victim’s “consent” is not a defense.
The Five Categories of Modern Hazing
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Alcohol & Substance Hazing: The most common and deadly form.
- Forced consumption of excessive alcohol (“power hours,” “family trees,” “big/little” bottle assignments).
- Coerced consumption of drugs, hot sauce, milk, or other substances until vomiting.
- Games where incorrect answers mandate drinking.
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Physical Hazing: Beyond “conditioning” into outright abuse.
- Paddling, beating, or slapping.
- Extreme, punitive calisthenics (“smokings”)—hundreds of push-ups or squats until collapse.
- Sleep, food, or water deprivation.
- Exposure to extreme elements (locked outside in cold weather, excessive heat).
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Sexualized & Degrading Hazing: Designed to humiliate and break down personal dignity.
- Forced nudity or partial nudity.
- Simulated sexual acts or sexually explicit positioning.
- Wearing demeaning costumes or carrying humiliating items (e.g., “pledge fanny packs” with condoms, sex toys).
- Acts involving racist, homophobic, or sexist themes.
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Psychological Hazing: The invisible wounds that last a lifetime.
- Verbal abuse, yelling, threats of expulsion from the group.
- Isolation from family and non-member friends.
- “Interrogation” sessions or forced confessions.
- Public shaming in meetings or on social media.
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Digital Hazing: The 24/7 control mechanism.
- Constant, demanding group chats requiring instant responses at all hours.
- Mandatory location-sharing via apps like Find My Friends.
- Forced posting of embarrassing content on social media.
- Cyberbullying or threats if the pledge considers quitting.
Where Hazing Happens: It’s Not Just “Fraternities”
While Greek organizations are frequently implicated, hazing permeates many groups:
- Fraternities & Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, Multicultural).
- Corps of Cadets, ROTC, & Military-Style Groups.
- Athletic Teams (varsity, club, and spirit squads).
- Marching Bands & Performance Groups.
- Academic, Service, and “Spirit” Organizations (like Texas Cowboys or AggiE Ring Dun).
For Walnut Springs families, this means your child could be at risk in a wide variety of campus organizations, not just those under the Greek umbrella.
The Texas Legal Framework: Hazing is a Crime & a Civil Offense
Texas has specific, robust laws criminalizing hazing and providing a path for victims to seek justice and compensation. Understanding this framework is crucial for any family considering action.
Texas Education Code, Chapter 37 (The Hazing Statute)
- Definition (§37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership.
- Key Point: The act can occur on or off campus. A retreat in Hill Country or a house in Dallas is covered.
- Consent is NOT a Defense (§37.155): This is vital. Even if your child “went along with it,” the law recognizes the power imbalance and coercion inherent in hazing.
Criminal Penalties (§37.152)
- Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
- Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes injury requiring medical treatment.
- State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
- Also Illegal: Failing to report hazing or retaliating against someone who reports.
Organizational Liability (§37.153)
The fraternity, sorority, or team itself can be prosecuted and fined up to $10,000 per violation if it authorized or encouraged the hazing, or if an officer knew and failed to report it.
Civil Liability: Your Path to Accountability & Compensation
A criminal case is brought by the state to punish. A civil lawsuit is brought by the victim or family to recover damages and force institutional change. They can—and often do—proceed simultaneously.
Who Can Be Sued in a Civil Hazing Case?
- Individual Perpetrators: The members who planned, carried out, or supplied materials for the hazing.
- The Local Chapter: As an organization, for creating the environment and failing to protect pledges.
- The National Headquarters: For negligent supervision, failing to enforce their own policies, and having prior knowledge of patterns of abuse across the country.
- The University: For negligent supervision, deliberate indifference to a known risk, or Title IX violations (if the hazing is sex-based).
- Third Parties: Landlords of off-campus houses, property owners, or alcohol providers under dram shop laws.
Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, & The Stop Campus Hazing Act
- Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based discrimination, universities have a legal duty to investigate and address it.
- The Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain campus crimes, which can include hazing-related assaults.
- Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges receiving federal aid to improve hazing transparency, reporting, and prevention programs by 2026.
A Living Case: Leonel Bermudez & The University of Houston Pi Kappa Phi Lawsuit
To understand what a serious hazing case looks like, you need look no further than a current lawsuit our firm is handling. This is not a historical reference—it is active, high-stakes litigation happening right now in Texas.
The Victim: Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student and fall 2025 pledge at the University of Houston’s Pi Kappa Phi fraternity (Beta Nu chapter).
The Harrowing Allegations (As Detailed in Media Reports):
- Humiliation & Control: Pledges were forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, nicotine devices, and other degrading items. They faced strict dress codes, overnight driving duties, and weekly interviews.
- Physical Torture: Activities included forced sprints, bear crawls, wheelbarrow races, and “save-your-brother” drills. Pledges were made to lie in vomit-soaked grass, strip to underwear in cold weather, and were sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.”
- Forced Consumption: Pledges were forced to consume excessive amounts of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until they vomited, then were immediately forced to sprint.
- The Breaking Point: On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was forced to complete over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. He was unable to stand without help afterwards.
The Catastrophic Injury: In the days following, Bermudez’s condition deteriorated. He passed brown urine—a classic sign of muscle breakdown. Rushed to the hospital, he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. His creatine kinase (CK) levels were critically high. He was hospitalized for four days and faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.
The Legal Response: Our firm filed a $10 million lawsuit in late 2025 against a broad defendant universe: the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the chapter’s housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders.
The Aftermath: The case triggered swift institutional action. Pi Kappa Phi HQ suspended the chapter on November 6. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, effectively shutting it down. The University of Houston called the alleged conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised disciplinary action and cooperation with law enforcement.
This case embodies the modern hazing crisis: digital coercion, extreme physical abuse, life-altering injury, and a network of responsible entities extending from individual students to national organizations. For families in Walnut Springs, it serves as a stark reminder that these are not isolated incidents at “other schools.” They happen here in Texas, and they require a serious legal response.
For detailed media coverage of this active case, please see:
- Click2Houston report on UH Pi Kappa Phi hazing case
- ABC13 coverage of Leonel Bermudez’s UH hazing lawsuit
Texas Universities: A Guide for Walnut Springs Families
Families in Walnut Springs and Bosque County often send their children to a mix of regional schools and major state universities. Each campus has its own Greek ecosystem and history with hazing. Here is what you need to know about the primary destinations.
Public Records: The Greek Ecosystem Serving Texas Families
Before discussing specific schools, it’s important to understand the scale. As part of our investigative work, we maintain detailed data on the Greek organizational landscape in Texas. This isn’t guesswork—it’s compiled from public IRS records, university filings, and commercial databases. For example, public IRS B83 filings show over 125 Texas-registered Greek entities (house corporations, alumni chapters, honor societies). The Cause IQ database identifies over 1,400 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metro areas.
A Snapshot of Texas Greek Entities (From Public Records):
- Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – EIN: 746064445 – Nederland, TX 77627
- Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc – EIN: 462267515 – Frisco, TX 75035
- Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. – EIN: 453325054 – Mansfield, TX 76063
- Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc – EIN: 741380362 – Fort Worth, TX 76147
- Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – EIN: 900293166 – College Station, TX 77843 (Texas A&M University Chapter)
- Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – EIN: 364091267 – Waco, TX 76710
- Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc – EIN: 475381060 – San Marcos, TX 78666 (Theta Iota Chapter)
- Building Corporation of Delta Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi – EIN: 746047117 – Austin, TX 78705
These entities represent the legal and financial backbone behind the letters on campus. When hazing occurs, identifying every relevant organization is a critical first step in building a case for maximum accountability and insurance recovery.
Where Walnut Springs Families Send Their Kids
Local & Regional Campuses:
- Tarleton State University (Stephenville, Erath County)
- Hill College (Hillsboro, Johnson County)
- McLennan Community College (Waco, McLennan County)
- Texas A&M University–Central Texas (Killeen, Bell County)
Major State University Hubs (Common Destinations):
- Texas A&M University (College Station)
- University of Texas at Austin (Austin)
- Baylor University (Waco)
- Texas State University (San Marcos)
- University of North Texas (Denton)
- Texas Tech University (Lubbock)
- And, as seen in our flagship case, the University of Houston.
Campus-Specific Hazing Contexts
Texas A&M University – College Station
Culture & Risk: Home to a massive Greek system and the famed Corps of Cadets, both with deeply entrenched traditions. The Corps, in particular, has faced scrutiny.
Documented Incidents:
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) – Chemical Burns Lawsuit (2021): Pledges alleged being subjected to strenuous activity and having substances, including industrial-strength cleaner, poured on them, causing severe chemical burns requiring skin graft surgeries. The lawsuit sought $1 million, and the chapter was suspended.
- Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged degrading hazing including being bound between beds in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. The lawsuit sought over $1 million in damages.
For Walnut Springs Parents: A&M’s combination of a powerful Greek life and the military-style Corps creates multiple high-risk environments. Traditions are fiercely defended, which can exacerbate code-of-silence problems.
University of Texas at Austin
Culture & Risk: A large, prestigious campus with a highly competitive social scene. UT has been more transparent than most, maintaining a public online log of hazing violations.
Documented Incidents (From UT’s Public Log):
- Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members were directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. The chapter was placed on probation.
- Texas Wranglers (Spirit Group): Cited for forced workouts and alcohol-related hazing.
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) – Assault Case (2024): An Australian exchange student alleged assault at a party, suffering a dislocated leg, broken nose, and fractured tibia. He sued the chapter for over $1 million.
For Walnut Springs Parents: UT’s public log is a valuable resource but also proof that hazing persists despite sanctions. The presence of wealthy, well-defended national chapters is significant.
Baylor University – Waco
Culture & Risk: A private Christian university with a significant Greek system and a history of institutional scandal (football/Title IX), which has led to reforms but also skepticism about internal handling.
Documented Incidents:
- Baylor Baseball Hazing (2020): 14 players were suspended following a hazing investigation, with staggered suspensions affecting the team’s early season.
For Walnut Springs Parents: Baylor’s religious identity can create a false sense of security. Hazing occurs here as it does elsewhere. The university’s past handling of institutional failure is a factor in assessing how it might respond to a hazing crisis.
Southern Methodist University – Dallas
Culture & Risk: A private, affluent campus with a dominant Greek life culture. As a private institution, it has fewer public reporting requirements.
Documented Incidents:
- Kappa Alpha Order (2017): New members reported paddling, forced drinking, and sleep deprivation. The chapter was suspended for years.
For Walnut Springs Parents: The perception of a “safer” private campus can be misleading. SMU’s Greek life is central to its social fabric, and hazing incidents have led to long-term suspensions.
National Fraternity & Sorority Histories: Why Patterns Matter
When a chapter at UT, A&M, or Baylor hazes, it is rarely an isolated, novel event. National organizations have decades of incident data, and patterns repeat. This history is crucial in civil litigation to prove foreseeability—that the national headquarters knew or should have known this could happen.
Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ): The national organization behind the Stone Foltz case (Bowling Green, 2021), where a pledge died from alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink a bottle of liquor. This followed the David Bogenberger case (Northern Illinois, 2012), another alcohol hazing death. Their “Big/Little” tradition has proven fatally predictable.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ): Dubbed the “deadliest fraternity” by some publications, SAE has been involved in numerous hazing deaths nationwide. This includes the Carson Starkey case (Cal Poly, 2008). Their chapters at Texas A&M (chemical burns) and UT Austin (assault lawsuit) show the pattern continues in Texas.
Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ): The Max Gruver case (LSU, 2017) led to Louisiana’s felony hazing law. Gruver died during a “Bible study” drinking game.
Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ): The Andrew Coffey case (Florida State, 2017) involved a pledge death from alcohol poisoning at a “Big Brother” event. This is the same national fraternity involved in our active UH lawsuit.
The Legal Importance: In court, we use this national history to show that when a local chapter repeats these known, dangerous rituals, the national organization cannot claim ignorance. Their liability stems from negligent supervision and a failure to implement meaningful reform after prior tragedies.
Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy & Damages
Pursuing a hazing case requires a methodical, evidence-driven approach against defendants who have significant resources and experience in defending these claims.
The Evidence That Wins Cases
- Digital Communications: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Discord chats are the modern minute book of hazing. We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages.
- Photographs & Videos: Images of injuries, events, locations, and props (paddles, bottles).
- Medical Records: Documentation is everything. ER reports, hospitalization records, lab results (like CK levels for rhabdomyolysis), and psychological evaluations for PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
- Internal Organization Documents: Pledge manuals, “tradition” binders, emails between actives, and communications with national headquarters.
- University Records: Prior conduct violations for the same chapter, obtained through discovery or public records requests. UT’s public log is a starting point; other schools’ records must be compelled.
- Witness Testimony: Other pledges, former members, roommates, and RAs.
We have a detailed video on using your phone to document evidence properly: Our video on using your phone to document evidence.
Overcoming Common Defense Strategies
- “They Consented”: We cite Texas law §37.155 and use evidence of coercion, power imbalance, and threats of social exclusion.
- “It Was Off-Campus/Rogue Members”: We prove the university and national org maintained control and benefited from the chapter, and that hazing was a foreseeable risk.
- “We Have Anti-Hazing Policies”: We demonstrate those policies were window-dressing—poorly enforced, with lax consequences for prior violations.
- Insurance Coverage Denials: We use Mr. Lupe Peña’s insider knowledge from his years as an insurance defense attorney to navigate exclusions and fight for coverage.
Damages: What Can Be Recovered
The goal is to make the victim whole and hold defendants accountable. Recoverable damages include:
- Economic Damages: All past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and educational costs (missed semesters, transferred schools).
- 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 mental anguish for surviving family.
- Punitive Damages: In egregious cases, to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.
We explain how contingency fees make this accessible: Our video explaining how contingency fees work.
Practical Guide for Walnut Springs Parents & Students
For Parents: Warning Signs & Action Steps
Red Flags:
- Unexplained injuries (bruises, burns, limping).
- Extreme, constant fatigue.
- Sudden secrecy about group activities.
- Personality changes: anxiety, depression, withdrawal.
- Constant, anxious phone use for group chats.
- Requests for money for unexplained “fines” or purchases.
What to Do:
- Talk Calmly: Ask open-ended questions. “I’ve noticed you’re exhausted. Is everything okay with your group?”
- Prioritize Safety: If there’s any immediate danger, call 911.
- Document & Preserve: Help your child screenshot everything. Write down what they tell you.
- Seek Medical Care: Get a full evaluation, both physical and psychological.
- Consult a Lawyer Before Reporting: Once you report to the university, the institution’s lawyers take over. We can help you navigate that process strategically to protect your child’s rights and the integrity of the evidence.
For Students: Is This Hazing? How to Get Out.
- The Test: Would you do this if you truly had a free choice, without fear of being kicked out or ostracized? Does it endanger you or deeply humiliate you? If yes, it’s hazing.
- Your Rights: You have the right to leave any group, at any time. You have the right to bodily autonomy and safety.
- Safe Exit: Do not go to a “final meeting.” Inform the president or advisor via email/text that you are resigning, and copy a trusted adult. Document any retaliation.
- Reporting: You can report anonymously through campus channels or the National Anti-Hazing Hotline: 1-888-NOT-HAZE. However, for civil legal action, you will need to work with an attorney.
Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case: We detail this in a dedicated video: Our video on mistakes that can ruin your injury case. Key mistakes include deleting evidence, confronting the fraternity directly, signing university settlement offers without legal review, and posting on social media.
The Statute of Limitations: Time is Critical
In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a civil lawsuit. However, this can be complex with hazing due to cover-ups or delayed discovery of injuries. Do not wait. Act now to preserve your rights. Learn more here: Our video on Texas statutes of limitations.
Why Attorney911 for Your Texas Hazing Case
When your family is facing a hazing crisis, you need more than a general personal injury firm. You need attorneys with specific, proven expertise in taking on powerful institutions and insider knowledge of how they fight.
Our Texas Hazing Litigation Advantage:
- Active, High-Stakes Case Experience: We are not theorizing. We are currently litigating the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case—a $10 million lawsuit against a major university and national fraternity. This is the level of complex, institutional warfare we handle daily.
- Insurance Insider Knowledge – Mr. Lupe Peña: Mr. Peña (he/him) spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deploy delay tactics, and argue coverage exclusions. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
- Complex Institutional Litigation – Ralph Manginello: Mr. Manginello’s experience includes the BP Texas City explosion litigation—fighting billion-dollar defendants. He is admitted to federal court and understands how to manage cases against opponents with unlimited legal budgets. National fraternities and universities do not intimidate us.
- Data-Driven Investigation: We don’t start from zero. We utilize comprehensive data on Texas Greek organizations, from IRS records to metro-level analyses, to immediately identify all potentially liable entities behind a chapter.
- Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: With Mr. Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil litigation, allowing us to effectively advise families and witnesses.
- Empathetic, Victim-Centered Advocacy: We understand the trauma and confusion your family is experiencing. Our mission is to secure justice for your child and force the systemic changes that will protect future students.
Your Next Step: A Free, Confidential Consultation
If hazing has impacted your family in Walnut Springs, Bosque County, or anywhere in Texas, you do not have to navigate this alone. The institutions involved have teams of lawyers; you should have dedicated advocates on your side.
Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today.
- Call our 24/7 line: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
- Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
- Website: https://attorney911.com
- Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
- Se habla Español: Mr. Lupe Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.
In your free, confidential consultation, we will:
- Listen compassionately to your story.
- Review any evidence you have gathered.
- Explain your legal options clearly and honestly.
- Discuss our contingency fee structure—you pay nothing unless we win your case.
- Help you develop a plan to protect your child and pursue accountability.
Don’t let time erase evidence or allow institutions to close ranks. Call us now for the immediate, expert help your family deserves.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. If you need legal advice, please contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC or another qualified attorney for a consultation regarding your individual situation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send confidential information until such a relationship is established.
Plain Text Links to Key Resources:
- Attorney911 Main Website & Contact:
https://attorney911.com - Click2Houston UH Hazing Case Report:
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/ - ABC13 UH Hazing Case Report:
https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/ - Video: Using Your Phone to Document Evidence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs - Video: Texas Statutes of Limitations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c - Video: Client Mistakes to Avoid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY - Video: How Contingency Fees Work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc