# Hazing at Texas Universities: A Guide for Families in and around Blue Mound, Tarrant County
If you are a parent in Blue Mound, your worst fear is a late-night call about your child. Picture a student from Fort Worth, a short drive from your home, at an off-campus fraternity house in College Station or Austin. It’s “initiation night.” They are being pressured to drink far beyond any reasonable limit, endure relentless physical punishment, or perform degrading acts while others film with their phones. Someone gets hurt—vomiting, collapsing, unable to stand—but the fear of “getting the chapter shut down” and the powerful code of silence keep anyone from calling for help. This is not a hypothetical scenario; it is the reality of modern hazing, and it is happening right now at Texas universities where students from Blue Mound and across Tarrant County pursue their education.
This comprehensive guide is written for you—the parents, families, and students in Blue Mound, Haslet, Saginaw, and throughout Tarrant County. You deserve to know what hazing truly looks like in 2025, how Texas and federal law protect your child, and what we can learn from major national cases that directly apply to the campuses your children attend. We will focus on the universities that matter most to our community, including Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), and other major hubs like the University of Houston, Texas A&M, UT Austin, SMU, and Baylor. If hazing has impacted your family, we want you to know your rights, the options for accountability, and that you do not have to face this crisis alone.
### IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES
**If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:**
* **Call 911** for medical emergencies.
* **Then call Attorney911:** 1-888-ATTY-911 (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** immediately, even if the student insists they are “fine.”
* **Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted:** Screenshot group chats, texts, and DMs immediately. Photograph injuries from multiple angles. Save physical items like clothing, receipts, or objects used in hazing.
* **Write down everything** while memory is fresh: who, what, when, where.
* **Do NOT:** Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team. Sign anything from the university or its insurance company. Post details on public social media. Let your child delete messages or “clean up” evidence.
**Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours.** Evidence disappears fast—group chats are deleted, physical evidence is destroyed, and witnesses are coached. Universities often move quickly to control the narrative. We can help you preserve critical evidence and protect your child’s rights from the outset. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for an immediate, confidential consultation.
## Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas
Hazing is not just “a dumb prank” or “boys will be boys.” It is a calculated pattern of abuse that uses power, tradition, and secrecy to exploit new members. For Blue Mound families, understanding its modern forms is the first step in recognizing danger.
**A clear, modern definition:** Hazing is any **forced, coerced, or strongly pressured action** tied to joining, keeping membership, or gaining status in a group, where the behavior endangers physical or mental health, humiliates, or exploits. Critically, a student saying “I agreed to it” does **not** make it safe or legal when peer pressure, fear of exclusion, and power imbalance are at play.
**The Main Categories of Hazing Today:**
* **Alcohol and Substance Hazing:** This remains the most common and deadliest form. It includes forced chugging, “lineup” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, and being pressured to consume unknown or mixed drugs.
* **Physical Hazing:** This involves paddling, beatings, and extreme, punitive calisthenics known as “smokings” or “workouts” designed to exhaust, not condition. It also includes sleep deprivation, food/water restriction, and exposure to extreme elements.
* **Sexualized and Humiliating Hazing:** Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, degrading costumes, and acts with racial or sexist overtones are used to break down a pledge’s dignity.
* **Psychological Hazing:** Verbal abuse, threats, isolation, manipulation, and public shaming aim to create total compliance.
* **Digital/Online Hazing:** Group chat dares, “challenges” shared on Instagram or TikTok, and pressure to create or share compromising media have moved hazing into a 24/7, always-connected space.
**Where Hazing Happens:** While fraternities and sororities are often the focus, hazing pervades many groups:
* Fraternities and Sororities (IFC, Panhellenic, NPHC, multicultural councils).
* Corps of Cadets, ROTC, and military-style groups.
* Athletic teams (football, basketball, baseball, cheer).
* Marching bands, spirit squads (like the Texas Cowboys), and performance groups.
* Some service, cultural, and even academic organizations.
The drivers are the same: social status, twisted tradition, and a culture of secrecy that persists even when everyone “knows” hazing is illegal.
## The Law & Liability Framework: Texas and Federal Hazing Laws
Understanding the legal landscape is crucial for Blue Mound families considering their options. Texas has specific statutes, and federal law adds another layer of protection and obligation.
### Texas Hazing Law Basics (Education Code Chapter 37)
Under Texas law, which governs cases arising from our Tarrant County community, hazing is broadly defined. According to the Texas Education Code (§ 37.151), hazing means any **intentional, knowing, or reckless act**, on or off campus, directed against a student that **endangers their mental or physical health or safety** for the purpose of **pledging, initiation, affiliation, holding office, or maintaining membership** in any organization.
**Key Provisions for Blue Mound Families:**
* **Criminal Penalties (§ 37.152):** Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes injury requiring medical treatment and a **state jail felony** if it causes **serious bodily injury or death**. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing or for retaliating against someone who reports.
* **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, or if an officer knew about it and failed to report.
* **Consent is NOT a Defense (§ 37.155):** This is critical. Texas law explicitly states that it is **not a defense** that the person being hazed consented to the activity. The courts recognize that “consent” under peer pressure is not voluntary.
* **Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting (§ 37.154):** A person who in good faith reports hazing to a university or law enforcement is immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise result. Many universities also have medical amnesty policies to encourage calling 911 in emergencies, even if underage drinking is involved.
### Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability
* **Criminal Cases:** Brought by the state (a prosecutor). The aim is punishment: jail time, fines, probation. Charges can include hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors, assault, battery, or even manslaughter in fatal cases.
* **Civil Cases:** Brought by the victims or their families. The aim is monetary compensation for damages and institutional accountability. These cases focus on negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, and infliction of emotional distress.
These two paths can run side-by-side. A criminal conviction is **not required** to pursue a civil case, and the evidence gathered in one can often support the other.
### Federal Law Overlay: The Stop Campus Hazing Act, Title IX, and Clery
* **Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024):** This new federal law requires colleges receiving federal aid to report hazing incidents more transparently, strengthen prevention programs, and maintain public hazing data (phased in by 2026). This will increase pressure on universities to address systemic issues.
* **Title IX & The Clery Act:** When hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based hostility, Title IX obligations are triggered, requiring a university investigation. The Clery Act mandates reporting of certain campus crimes, which can include hazing-related assaults or alcohol crimes.
### Who Can Be Liable in a Civil Hazing Lawsuit?
In a civil case, multiple parties can be held accountable, creating more avenues for recovery and reform:
* **Individual Students:** Those who planned, supplied alcohol, carried out acts, or helped cover them up.
* **The Local Chapter:** The fraternity/sorority or club as a legal entity, along with its officers.
* **The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters:** This is often where significant insurance coverage exists. Liability hinges on what the national knew or should have known from prior incidents at other chapters—a pattern of foreseeability.
* **The University or Governing Board:** Schools can be sued for negligence, premises liability, or under Title IX if they acted with “deliberate indifference” to known risks.
* **Third Parties:** Landlords of off-campus houses, alcohol providers (under dram shop laws), and security companies.
Every case is fact-specific. A thorough investigation by experienced counsel is needed to identify all potentially liable entities.
## National Hazing Case Patterns: The Anchor Stories That Shape Today’s Litigation
Major national cases are not just headlines; they create legal precedents and reveal patterns that directly inform how we build cases for families in Blue Mound. They show the catastrophic consequences of hazing and the legal theories that hold institutions accountable.
### The Alcohol Poisoning & Death Pattern
* **Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017):** A bid-acceptance night with extreme drinking led to fatal falls, captured on the chapter’s own security cameras. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. The case resulted in dozens of criminal charges and spurred Pennsylvania’ Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.’ It underscores the lethal mix of forced consumption and a culture of silence.
* **Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017):** A “Bible study” drinking game where wrong answers meant forced drinking led to Max’s death from alcohol toxicity (BAC 0.495%). The **Max Gruver Act** in Louisiana made hazing a felony, showing how tragedy can drive legislative change.
* **Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State University, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021):** A pledge was forced to drink a near-full bottle of whiskey during a “Big/Little” event and died. The family reached a **$10 million total settlement** ($7M from Pi Kappa Alpha national, ~$3M from BGSU). This case demonstrates that universities, not just fraternities, face massive financial and reputational consequences.
* **Andrew Coffey – Florida State University, Pi Kappa Phi (2017):** Another “Big Brother” night, another fatal alcohol poisoning. This led to the temporary suspension of all Greek life at FSU and highlighted the repetitive, scripted nature of these deadly traditions.
### Physical & Ritualized Hazing Pattern
* **Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013):** At a retreat in the Pocono Mountains, Michael was blindfolded, weighted with a backpack, and repeatedly tackled during a “glass ceiling” ritual. He suffered fatal head injuries, and help was delayed. The **national fraternity was criminally convicted** of aggravated assault and involuntary manslaughter and banned from Pennsylvania for 10 years. This proves liability can extend to national organizations and off-campus retreats.
### Athletic Program Hazing & Abuse
* **Northwestern University Football (2023–2025):** Former players alleged widespread, sexualized, and racist hazing within the program. Multiple lawsuits led to the firing of the head coach and confidential settlements. This shattered the myth that hazing is confined to Greek life, showing it can be systemic in big-money athletic programs.
**What These Cases Mean for Blue Mound Families:** The threads are constant: forced drinking, humiliation, violence, delayed medical care, and institutional cover-ups. Reforms and multi-million-dollar settlements often follow only **after** tragedy and relentless litigation. When hazing occurs at a Texas school, we are operating in a legal landscape built on these hard-won national lessons.
## Texas University Focus: Where Blue Mound Families Send Their Kids
For parents in Blue Mound, Tarrant County, university life often centers on the major institutions in our region and across the state. Understanding the specific landscape, policies, and histories of these schools is critical. We will start with the campuses closest to home.
### Texas Christian University (TCU) – Fort Worth
**Campus & Culture Snapshot for Blue Mound Families:** Located just minutes from Blue Mound in Fort Worth, TCU is a private university with a prominent Greek life system and strong athletic traditions. Its campus culture and social scene are deeply intertwined with fraternity and sorority membership, making awareness of hazing risks particularly important for local families.
**Hazing Policy & Reporting:** TCU prohibits hazing as defined by Texas law. Reports can be made to the Office of Student Conduct, Campus Life, TCU Police, or through anonymous online reporting systems. The university emphasizes its “Never At The Cost” hazing prevention program.
**Selected Documented Incidents & Responses:**
* **Kappa Alpha Order (2017):** The chapter was suspended after allegations that new members were paddled, forced to drink alcohol, and deprived of sleep. The suspension lasted for years, with recruiting restrictions in place until at least 2021.
* The private nature of TCU means specific disciplinary details are less frequently public than at state schools, but civil discovery can uncover internal records and prior complaints.
**How a TCU Hazing Case Might Proceed:** An incident in Fort Worth could involve TCU Police and the Fort Worth Police Department. Civil suits would typically be filed in Tarrant County courts. Potential defendants include individual students, the local chapter, the national fraternity/sorority, TCU, and potentially property owners.
**What TCU Students & Blue Mound Parents Should Do:**
* Familiarize yourself with TCU’s specific reporting channels.
* Understand that private universities like TCU have their own conduct processes, which operate separately from the criminal justice system.
* If an incident occurs, consult with an attorney experienced in navigating both university proceedings and civil litigation to ensure your rights are protected in both arenas.
### The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
**Campus & Culture Snapshot for Blue Mound Families:** As a large public university in the heart of the metroplex, UTA serves many commuter and residential students from Tarrant County. Its Greek life and diverse student organization landscape mean hazing risks exist across a wide array of groups.
**Hazing Policy & Reporting:** UTA’s policy strictly prohibits hazing and requires all student organizations to abide by Texas law. Reports can be made to the Office of Student Conduct, UTA Police, or the Dean of Students.
**Selected Documented Incidents & Responses:** While UTA may not have the same volume of publicly reported Greek life incidents as larger residential campuses, hazing occurs. Incidents often come to light through organizational suspensions or police reports. The university’s commitment to investigating and adjudicating complaints is paramount.
**How a UTA Hazing Case Might Proceed:** Jurisdiction could involve UTA Police and the Arlington Police Department. Civil litigation would likely be filed in Tarrant County. As a public university, UTA has certain sovereign immunity protections under Texas law, but exceptions exist for gross negligence or certain statutory violations.
**What UTA Students & Blue Mound Parents Should Do:**
* Take advantage of UTA’s urban setting—medical care is readily available at nearby hospitals if an emergency arises.
* Document any interactions with university officials regarding complaints.
* Be aware that the statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit against a state entity like UTA involves specific notice requirements and deadlines.
### The University of Houston (UH)
**Campus & Culture Snapshot:** A major urban research university, UH has a large and active Greek community. Its recent history includes one of the most serious ongoing hazing cases in the country, which serves as a stark warning for all Texas families.
**Hazing Policy & Reporting:** UH prohibits hazing on and off-campus. Reporting channels include the Dean of Students, the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life, and UHPD.
**Selected Documented Incidents & Responses – The Flagship Case:**
We are actively litigating one of the most severe hazing cases in Texas: **Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston and Pi Kappa Phi (Beta Nu Chapter)**. Filed in late 2025, this $10+ million lawsuit alleges horrific abuse during Mr. Bermudez’s fall 2025 pledge period.
* **The Hazing:** Pledges were forced to carry a degrading “pledge fanny pack” 24/7. Hazing occurred at the chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park. It included extreme physical abuse like sprints until vomiting, being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” cold-weather exposure, and a November 3rd workout of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion.
* **The Catastrophe:** This abuse caused Bermudez to develop **rhabdomyolysis** (severe muscle breakdown) and **acute kidney failure**. He passed brown urine, could not stand, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels, facing a risk of permanent kidney damage.
* **The Defendants:** Our lawsuit names 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 Response:** Following reports, Pi Kappa Phi HQ suspended the Beta Nu chapter on November 6, 2025. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, shutting it down. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised disciplinary action and cooperation with law enforcement.
This case, covered by [Click2Houston](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](https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/), and [Hoodline](https://hoodline.com/2025/11/university-of-houston-and-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity-face-10m-lawsuit-over-alleged-hazing-and-abuse/), is not an isolated event. It is proof of the brutal reality of hazing at a major Texas university and the complex, multi-defendant litigation required to seek justice.
### Texas A&M University – College Station
**Campus & Culture Snapshot:** Known for its deep traditions and the Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M has a massive Greek life system and a culture where hazing risks exist in both arenas.
**Hazing Policy & Reporting:** Texas A&M has a zero-tolerance policy. Reports go to the Student Conduct Office, the Corps of Cadets Commandant’s Office (for Corps-related issues), or University Police.
**Selected Documented Incidents & Responses:**
* **Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) – Chemical Burns Case (~2021):** Pledges alleged being covered in substances including industrial-strength cleaner, causing severe chemical burns that required skin graft surgeries. The chapter was suspended, and the victims filed a lawsuit.
* **Corps of Cadets Lawsuit (2023):** A cadet alleged degrading hazing, including being bound in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth. The lawsuit sought over $1 million, highlighting that hazing is not exclusive to Greek life.
**How a Texas A&M Hazing Case Might Proceed:** Jurisdiction involves University Police and possibly Bryan/College Station PD. Civil cases may be filed in Brazos County. The university’s status as a state agency triggers sovereign immunity considerations.
### The University of Texas at Austin (UT)
**Campus & Culture Snapshot:** UT Austin boasts one of the largest and most transparent Greek life systems in the state, with a publicly accessible hazing violations log.
**Hazing Policy & Reporting:** UT has a strict policy and maintains a public **Hazing Violations** page listing organizations, conduct, and sanctions—a valuable resource for families.
**Selected Documented Incidents & Responses (from Public Log):**
* **Pi Kappa Alpha (2023):** New members were directed to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Sanction: probation and mandatory hazing-prevention education.
* **Other Spirit & Greek Groups:** The public log shows repeated sanctions for forced workouts, alcohol-related hazing, and punishment-based practices across various organizations.
**How a UT Hazing Case Might Proceed:** Involves UTPD and possibly Austin PD. Civil suits are typically filed in Travis County. The public violation log can be powerful evidence in a civil case to demonstrate a pattern or the university’s prior knowledge of an organization’s conduct.
### Southern Methodist University (SMU) & Baylor University
**Private University Context:** Both SMU in Dallas and Baylor in Waco are private institutions with strong Greek life and athletic traditions. Their private status affects transparency but not liability.
* **SMU:** Has faced hazing incidents, such as the Kappa Alpha Order suspension mentioned earlier. Its internal processes are less public, but civil discovery can pierce that veil.
* **Baylor:** Has faced public hazing issues within its baseball program (2020 suspension of 14 players) and operates in the shadow of prior institutional scandals, which can influence its response to allegations.
For families at these schools, understanding that internal “resolution” processes are not a substitute for independent legal advice is crucial. These universities have powerful legal teams, and victims need equivalent advocacy.
## Fraternities, Sororities & Their National Histories: The Pattern Evidence That Builds Your Case
When a hazing incident occurs at a Texas chapter, it is almost never the first time that national organization has seen such behavior. This pattern evidence is a cornerstone of civil litigation, proving foreseeability and strengthening claims against deep-pocketed national headquarters.
### Why National Histories Matter
National fraternities and sororities have anti-hazing policies and risk management manuals **precisely because** they have long histories of deaths, injuries, and lawsuits. When a chapter at UH, TCU, or Texas A&M repeats the same dangerous “tradition” that caused a death at another campus, it demonstrates the national organization knew or should have known the risk was foreseeable. This can support claims of negligent supervision and training, and even arguments for punitive damages.
### Organization Mapping: National Patterns with Local Impact
Here is how some prominent national organizations with chapters at Texas schools connect to documented hazing histories:
| Organization (Selected Chapters in TX) | National Hazing History & Pattern Evidence |
| :— | :— |
| **Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠΚΑ) “Pike”**
(Chapters at UH, UT, Texas A&M, others) | **Stone Foltz (BGSU, 2021):** $10M settlement. **David Bogenberger (NIU, 2012):** $14M settlement. Pattern of alcohol hazing during “Big/Little” events. |
| **Sigma Alpha Epsilon (ΣΑΕ) “SAE”**
(Chapters at UH, UT, Texas A&M, TCU) | Nationwide pattern of incidents. **Texas A&M Chemical Burns Case (~2021):** $1M lawsuit. **University of Alabama TBI Case (2023):** Ongoing litigation. SAE eliminated pledging in 2014 due to deaths. |
| **Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ)**
(UH Beta Nu chapter now closed) | **Andrew Coffey (FSU, 2017):** Fatal alcohol poisoning. The national was named in our ongoing UH lawsuit regarding the Bermudez case. |
| **Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ)**
(Chapters at UH, Texas A&M, others) | **Max Gruver (LSU, 2017):** Hazing death that led to Louisiana’s felony hazing law. |
| **Kappa Alpha Order (ΚΑ)**
(Chapters at TCU, Texas A&M, others) | Multiple chapter suspensions for hazing, including TCU (2017) and other schools nationwide for paddling and alcohol hazing. |
### The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: How We Uncover the Full Picture
At The Manginello Law Firm, we don’t just take a client’s word—we investigate using a proprietary data-driven approach. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine compiles public records to map the entire Greek ecosystem in Texas. This means when a family from Blue Mound comes to us, we already understand the landscape behind the fraternity or sorority letters.
**Public Records: Fraternity, Sorority & Greek Organizations Connected to Texas Campuses**
This directory, synthesized from IRS filings (B83 organizations), university rosters, and commercial databases, illustrates the complex web of legally recognized entities operating in Texas. For example, our research identifies over **125 Texas-registered Greek organizations** in IRS records and tracks over **1,423 Greek-related entities** across 25 Texas metros. Here is a snapshot of the kind of organizational data we maintain:
**In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metro (Home to TCU, UTA, SMU):**
* Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity, EIN: 742911848, Fort Worth, TX 76244
* Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc., EIN: 741380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147
* Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Lambda Lambda Chapter, EIN: 521278573, Dallas, TX 75241
* Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. – Psi Zeta Chapter, EIN: 521345182, Fort Worth, TX 76105
**Statewide & Other Major Hubs:**
* Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Epsilon Kappa Chapter, EIN: 746064445, Nederland, TX 77627 (Connected to Lamar University in Beaumont)
* Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, EIN: 364091267, Waco, TX 76710 (Connected to Baylor)
* Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas A&M Chapter, EIN: 900293166, College Station, TX 77843
This is more than a list; it’s a roadmap for investigation. Each EIN and registered address represents a potential entity that may hold insurance, own property, or exercise control—all crucial for building a comprehensive case to ensure full accountability and maximum recovery for our clients.
## Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Damages, and Strategic Litigation
Pursuing a hazing case requires a meticulous, strategic approach. For Blue Mound families, understanding this process demystifies what lies ahead and highlights why experienced legal counsel is non-negotiable.
### Critical Evidence in the Digital Age
The evidence that wins modern hazing cases is often digital and ephemeral. Immediate preservation is key:
* **Digital Communications:** GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord, and fraternity-specific apps. We use digital forensics to recover deleted messages that show planning, coercion, and cover-ups.
* **Photos & Videos:** Content filmed by members during events, shared in group chats, or posted to social media. Doorbell and security camera footage from houses.
* **Internal Organization Documents:** Pledge manuals, “tradition” scripts, emails between officers, and national risk management policies.
* **University Records:** Prior conduct files, probation letters, incident reports, and Clery Act disclosures obtained through discovery or public records requests.
* **Medical & Psychological Records:** ER reports, hospitalization records, toxicology screens, and diagnoses of PTSD, depression, or anxiety from a treating psychologist.
* **Witness Testimony:** Other pledges, former members, roommates, RAs, and bystanders.
We have a dedicated video on how to properly use your phone to document evidence, which you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs.
### Categories of Recoverable Damages
In a civil lawsuit, damages aim to compensate the victim and their family for their losses. Key categories include:
* **Economic Damages:** Past and future medical bills, lost wages, diminished future earning capacity (if injuries are permanent), and educational costs (missed semesters, lost scholarships).
* **Non-Economic Damages:** Physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
* **Wrongful Death Damages (for families):** Funeral costs, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of companionship, love, and guidance.
* **Punitive Damages:** In cases of egregious conduct, these may be available to punish the defendant and deter future behavior.
We work with life-care planners, economists, and medical experts to build a comprehensive picture of our clients’ lifetime needs, ensuring settlement demands or jury verdicts reflect the true cost of the harm done.
### Navigating Insurance and Institutional Defenses
National fraternities and universities have robust insurance policies and experienced defense firms. Common defenses we overcome include:
* **“The Pledge Consented”:** We cite Texas law where consent is not a defense and demonstrate the coercive power imbalance.
* **“It Was a Rogue Chapter”:** We subpoena national records to show prior incidents and patterns, proving foreseeability.
* **“It Happened Off-Campus”:** We establish liability based on control, sponsorship, and the organization’s knowledge of where its members conduct initiation activities.
* **Insurance Coverage Disputes:** Insurers often try to deny coverage, arguing hazing is an “intentional act.” Our team, with Mr. Lupe Peña’s background as a former insurance defense attorney, knows how to counter these arguments and fight for coverage.
Our experience in complex litigation against billion-dollar defendants in the BP Texas City explosion cases has prepared us for the battles these institutional defendants will wage.
## Practical Guides & FAQs for Blue Mound Parents and Students
### For Parents: A Step-by-Step Guide
**Warning Signs Your Child May Be Being Hazed:**
* Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
* Extreme exhaustion or sleep deprivation beyond normal college stress.
* Drastic mood changes: withdrawal, anxiety, depression, or defensiveness about the organization.
* Constant, anxious phone use related to group chats.
* Sudden secrecy or vague answers about activities.
* Requests for unusual amounts of money for “fines,” “dues,” or alcohol.
**What to Do If You Suspect Hazing:**
1. **Talk Calmly:** Ask open-ended questions. “How are things really going with your fraternity/sorority? Is anything making you uncomfortable?”
2. **Prioritize Safety:** If there is immediate danger or injury, call 911.
3. **Document Everything:** Write down what your child tells you with dates. If they show you messages, take screenshots immediately.
4. **Seek Medical Care:** A medical evaluation documents injuries and can diagnose hidden conditions like rhabdomyolysis or psychological trauma.
5. **Consult a Lawyer Before Acting:** Do not confront the organization or sign anything from the university. Contact us to strategize.
### For Students: Know Your Rights
* **Is This Hazing?** If you feel coerced, unsafe, humiliated, or forced to do something you wouldn’t otherwise do to belong, it likely is.
* **You Have the Right to Leave.** You can de-pledge or quit at any time. Send a simple email or text and inform a trusted adult or university official.
* **Reporting Safely:** You can report to the Dean of Students, campus police, or use anonymous hotlines. Texas law offers protections for good-faith reporters.
* **Preserve Evidence:** Take screenshots of group chats, photograph injuries, and save everything. Do not delete anything, no matter how embarrassing.
### Critical Mistakes That Can Damage a Hazing Case
We have an entire video detailing common client errors, which you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY. Key mistakes include:
1. **Deleting Evidence:** This looks like a cover-up and destroys your case.
2. **Confronting the Organization Directly:** This triggers their defense playbook and allows evidence to be destroyed.
3. **Signing University “Resolution” Forms:** These often contain waivers of your right to sue.
4. **Posting on Social Media:** Defense lawyers scour social media for inconsistencies.
5. **Waiting Too Long:** Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and the statute of limitations runs. Texas generally allows 2 years from the date of injury to file suit, but exceptions exist. Learn more about statutes of limitations here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c.
## Why Attorney911 for Your Family’s Hazing Case
When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need a firm with the specific expertise, resources, and determination to take on powerful universities and national fraternities. Here is why The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) is uniquely qualified to help families in Blue Mound and across Texas.
**1. Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation Experience:** We are not theorists. We are lead counsel in the **$10 million Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit**, one of the most serious active hazing cases in Texas. We know firsthand what it takes to litigate against a major university system, a national fraternity, and numerous individuals.
**2. Data-Driven Investigation with the Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine:** We don’t start from scratch. We maintain a proprietary database of over 1,400 Greek organizations in Texas. We understand the corporate structures, insurance carriers, and prior histories before we even take your case, allowing us to immediately identify all potentially liable parties.
**3. Insider Insurance Knowledge:** Our attorney, **Mr. Lupe Peña**, spent years as an insurance defense attorney at a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, fight coverage, and employ delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to help write it. You can learn more about his background here: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/.
**4. Proven Complex Litigation Capability:** Managing Partner **Ralph Manginello** was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the multi-billion dollar BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced the largest institutional defendants and their armies of lawyers. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets of a national fraternity or a university system. Learn more about Ralph’s background here: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/ralph-manginello/.
**5. Comprehensive Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury Experience:** We have recovered millions for families in wrongful death and life-altering injury cases. We know how to work with economists and life-care planners to document the full lifetime impact of a severe hazing injury, ensuring we fight for compensation that truly covers your family’s future needs.
**6. Bilingual Services & Community Commitment:** Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish (Se habla Español). We are committed to serving the diverse families of Texas with compassion and respect.
We operate on a **contingency fee basis** for personal injury cases, including hazing litigation. This means you pay **no upfront fees**. We only get paid if we successfully recover compensation for you. Learn how contingency fees work in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc.
## Call to Action: Contact Attorney911 for a Confidential Consultation
If you are a parent in Blue Mound, Fort Worth, or anywhere in Tarrant County and you believe your child has been hazed at TCU, UTA, or any Texas university, we urge you to reach out. You have the right to answers, accountability, and justice.
**Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911 today for a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation.**
During your consultation, we will:
* Listen carefully to your story without judgment.
* Review any evidence you have gathered.
* Explain your family’s legal rights and options under Texas law.
* Discuss the realistic paths forward, including potential civil litigation.
* Answer all your questions about the process, timelines, and our fee structure.
**You are not alone in this fight. Let us help you hold the responsible parties accountable and prevent this from happening to another family.**
**Call us 24/7:** 1-BAD-ATTY-911
**Phone:** 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
**Direct:** (713) 528-9070
**Website:** https://attorney911.com
**Email:** ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
—
### Plain Text Links to Key Resources
**News Coverage of the Leonel Bermudez / UH Pi Kappa Phi Hazing Lawsuit:**
* Click2Houston 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 coverage: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/
* Hoodline summary: https://hoodline.com/2025/11/university-of-houston-and-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity-face-10m-lawsuit-over-alleged-hazing-and-abuse/
**Attorney911 Educational YouTube Videos:**
* Using your phone to document evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
* Understanding statutes of limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
* Client mistakes that can ruin a case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
* How contingency fees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc
**Attorney911 Main Website & Attorney Profiles:**
* Main Website: https://attorney911.com
* Ralph Manginello profile: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/ralph-manginello/
* Lupe Peña profile: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/
—
**Legal Disclaimer**
This article is provided for **informational and educational purposes only**. It is **not legal advice** and does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC.
Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors.
If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified Texas attorney who can review your specific situation, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.
**The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911**
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
**Call:** 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
**Website:** https://attorney911.com
