The Definitive Guide to Hazing Lawsuits for Bee Cave Families: What Every Texas Parent Must Know

If you are a parent in Bee Cave, Texas, and your child is joining a fraternity, sorority, Corps program, or campus athletic team at a Texas university, you need to understand the modern reality of hazing. It is not a relic of the past or harmless fun. Right now, in our own state, a young man named Leonel Bermudez is fighting for his future after alleged hazing at the University of Houston’s Pi Kappa Phi chapter left him with kidney failure.

From the rolling hills of Bee Cave in Travis County, our children often attend the University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University, or other major campuses across the state. They enter a world of tradition and belonging, but hidden within can be coercion, abuse, and severe danger. This guide is for you—the Bee Cave parent, the Texas family—to understand what hazing truly looks like in 2025, the legal landscape that governs it, and how to protect your child if the unthinkable happens.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES:

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for medical emergencies.
• Call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) for immediate legal guidance.

In the First 48 Hours:

• Get Medical Attention: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” seek a professional evaluation.
• Preserve Evidence BEFORE It’s Deleted:
  • Take screenshots of all group chats, texts, and DMs.
  • Photograph any injuries from multiple angles.
  • Save physical items (clothing, receipts, or objects used).
• Document Everything: Write down who, what, when, and where while memories are fresh.
• Do NOT:
  • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
  • Sign anything 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 quickly. Universities and organizations move fast to control the narrative. We can help you preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential, immediate consultation.

Part 1: A Case in Point – The Hazing Reality in Texas Right Now

We do not need to look to another state or years past to see the catastrophic consequences of hazing. It is happening here, now. In late 2025, our firm, Attorney911, filed a $10 million hazing and abuse lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student and Pi Kappa Phi pledge.

This case, covered by Click2Houston and ABC13, alleges a campaign of humiliation and abuse. Pledges were forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 filled with condoms, sex toys, and other degrading items. Hazing occurred at the UH chapter house, a residence on Culmore Drive, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.

The physical abuse included “save-your-brother” drills, sprints, bear crawls, and being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.” On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was forced through over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. Days later, he was hospitalized for four days, diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure after passing brown urine.

The lawsuit names not only the 13 individual fraternity members but also the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, and the chapter’s housing corporation. This case exemplifies the multi-defendant nature of serious hazing litigation. Following the allegations, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters suspended the chapter, and members voted to surrender their charter. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

For families in Bee Cave and across Texas, this case is a stark warning: the organizations behind the Greek letters on your child’s campus are complex legal entities, and when hazing occurs, holding them accountable requires specific, data-driven legal expertise.

Part 2: The Texas Greek Ecosystem – A Data-Driven Look at Who’s Behind the Letters

When your child joins a fraternity or sorority, they are not just joining a social club. They are entering a legal and financial network of local chapters, alumni associations, housing corporations, and national organizations—each with its own insurance, policies, and potential liability.

Our firm maintains a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, built from public records, to cut through the confusion. For Bee Cave families, whose students often engage with the Austin-Round Rock metro area’s Greek life, this data is critical.

Public Records: Greek Organizations Serving the Austin-Round Rock Metro & Bee Cave Families

The Austin-Round Rock metro area hosts 154 Greek-related organizations, according to Cause IQ data. These are not just undergraduate chapters; they include housing corporations, alumni chapters, and honor societies that form the backbone of Greek life financially and legally. Here are examples recorded in public filings:

In the Austin-Round Rock Metro & Statewide:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon – Texas Rho Corp. – Austin, TX (House corporation at University of Texas). Cause IQ Metro Listing.
• Delta Tau Delta – Gamma Iota Chapter – Austin, TX (Chapter house at UT Austin). Cause IQ Metro Listing.
• Building Corporation – Alpha Delta Pi (Delta) – Austin, TX (UT chapter property). Cause IQ Metro Listing.
• Beta Xi House Corp. of Kappa Kappa Gamma – Austin, TX (UT chapter house corporation). Cause IQ Metro Listing.
• Chi Omega Fraternity – 2711 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78705. EIN: 740555581. IRS B83 Filing (House Corporation).
• Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Inc. – 1908 San Gabriel St, Austin, TX 78705. EIN: 741130606. IRS B83 Filing.
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – 2307 Vanderbilt Cir, Austin, TX 78723. EIN: 463831593. IRS B83 Filing (Texas State University Chapter).
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – 1855 Highway 69 N, Nederland, TX 77627. EIN: 746064445. IRS B83 Filing (Epsilon Kappa Chapter).
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – PO Box 2142, Prairie View, TX 77446. EIN: 237279532. IRS B83 Filing.
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – PO Box 143674, Austin, TX 78714. EIN: 746084912. IRS B83 Filing (Alpha Omega Chapter).

This directory illustrates a key point: the friendly faces at a chapter house are supported by formal legal entities with Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) and official addresses. When hazing causes injury, these entities—and their insurance policies—are often where true accountability and recovery lie.

Where Bee Cave Families Send Their Kids: Campus Connections

Bee Cave is in the heart of Central Texas, with students attending a range of universities. Our data tracks 96 Texas campuses. For Bee Cave families, relevant schools include:

Major Local & Regional Hubs:

• The University of Texas at Austin (Austin, Travis County)
• Texas State University (San Marcos, Hays County)
• Southwestern University (Georgetown, Williamson County)
• Austin Community College (Various campuses, Travis County)
• Concordia University Texas (Austin, Travis County)

Key Statewide Destinations:

• Texas A&M University (College Station, Brazos County)
• University of Houston (Houston, Harris County)
• Baylor University (Waco, McLennan County)
• Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Dallas County)
• Texas Tech University (Lubbock, Lubbock County)

Each of these campuses has its own Greek community, comprising chapters of national organizations. The Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH is part of the same national network that has chapters at UT, Texas A&M, and others. The patterns of risk are often similar.

Part 3: Texas Hazing Law Explained for Bee Cave Families

Texas has some of the nation’s clearest anti-hazing statutes, found in Chapter 37, Subchapter F of the Texas Education Code. Understanding this law is your first step toward protecting your child.

What Texas Law Defines as Hazing:
Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, initiation, affiliation, holding office, or maintaining membership in any organization. The act must endanger the student’s mental or physical health or safety. This includes forced drinking, physical brutality, sleep deprivation, and extreme mental stress.

Critical Legal Principles for Parents:

1. Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): It does not matter if your child “agreed” to participate. Texas law explicitly states that the victim’s consent is not a defense to prosecution. Courts understand the power imbalance and coercion inherent in pledging.
2. Criminal Penalties Are Serious (Sec. 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. If it causes bodily injury, it becomes a Class A misdemeanor. If it causes serious bodily injury or death, it is a state jail felony. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing.
3. Organizations Can Be Liable (Sec. 37.153): If the organization (fraternity, sorority, team) authorized or encouraged the hazing, or if an officer knew and failed to report it, the organization itself can be fined up to $10,000 and lose its university recognition.
4. Immunity for Good-Faith Reporters (Sec. 37.154): A person who reports hazing in good faith to school officials or law enforcement is immune from civil or criminal liability. Many universities extend this to provide amnesty for underage drinking when seeking medical help.

Civil Liability Goes Further:
A criminal case is brought by the state to punish wrongdoing. A civil lawsuit, which we handle, is brought by the victim or their family to recover damages and force institutional change. In a civil case, we can sue:

• The individual students who planned and carried out the hazing.
• The local chapter and its officers.
• The national fraternity or sorority headquarters for negligent supervision.
• The university for negligent oversight and failure to protect its students.
• Housing corporations and property owners.

Part 4: National Hazing Patterns That Repeat in Texas

The tragedy at UH is not an isolated incident. It fits a decades-long pattern of dangerous traditions that national organizations have failed to eradicate. These national cases create legal precedents and show patterns of “foreseeability” that strengthen lawsuits in Texas.

• The Alcohol Poisoning Pattern: The death of Stone Foltz at Bowling Green State University (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021) from forced consumption of a bottle of alcohol led to a $10 million settlement. This mirrors the forced drinking alleged in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case.
• The Deadly “Tradition” Pattern: Max Gruver died at LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017) during a “Bible study” drinking game, leading to Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.” Andrew Coffey died at Florida State (Pi Kappa Phi, 2017) at a “Big Brother” night. These are scripted, repeatable events.
• The Physical Brutality Pattern: Chun “Michael” Deng died (Pi Delta Psi, 2013) during a violent “glass ceiling” ritual at a retreat, leading to the national fraternity’s criminal conviction.
• The Catastrophic Injury Pattern: Danny Santulli (Phi Gamma Delta, Univ. of Missouri, 2021) suffered permanent brain damage from forced drinking, resulting in multi-defendant, multi-million dollar settlements.

These patterns matter because when a Texas chapter engages in forced drinking or violent rituals, we can demonstrate that its national headquarters was on notice that these exact activities have killed and maimed students for years. Their failure to effectively prevent it can form the basis for gross negligence claims.

Part 5: Building a Hazing Case with Data & Experience

If your family is facing a hazing crisis, know that you are not just up against a group of college students. You are facing national organizations with deep-pocketed insurers and universities with powerful legal teams. Winning requires a strategic, evidence-based approach.

1. Immediate Evidence Preservation is Everything.
Digital evidence is the cornerstone of modern hazing litigation. As we explain in our video, using your phone to document a legal case is critical. This includes:

• Group Chats: Screenshot entire threads from GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Discord—with timestamps and sender names visible.
• Social Media: Preserve posts, stories, and DMs from Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok that reference events or show injuries.
• Photos/Videos: Document injuries from multiple angles over several days. Photograph locations where hazing occurred.
• Medical Records: Seek immediate care and tell providers you were hazed. Obtain all ER reports, lab results (like those showing rhabdomyolysis), and psychological evaluations.

2. Identifying All Liable Parties.
Using our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we move beyond just naming the visible chapter. We identify:

• The local chapter’s housing corporation (like the “Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc.” in Frisco, TX, EIN 462267515).
• Alumni associations and educational foundations that support the chapter.
• The national headquarters and its insurers.
• The university and its board of regents.
• Individual members who acted as officers or ringleaders.

3. Overcoming Institutional Defenses.
We anticipate and counter common defenses:

• “They Consented”: We cite Texas law 37.155 and demonstrate the coercive environment.
• “It Was Off-Campus”: We establish the university’s and national’s control and knowledge of off-campus activities.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We use national hazing history databases and prior incident reports to show foreseeable patterns the national failed to stop.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover Intentional Acts”: Our co-founder, Mr. Lupe Peña, is a former insurance defense attorney. He knows how insurers argue and how to navigate coverage disputes to secure compensation.

4. Calculating Full & Fair Damages.
Hazing damages are not just about hospital bills. We work with experts to account for:

• Economic Damages: Past/future medical care, lost wages, diminished earning capacity (especially for catastrophic injuries like brain damage), and educational costs.
• Non-Economic Damages: Physical pain, emotional distress, PTSD, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the worst cases, we seek compensation for funeral costs, loss of companionship, and the family’s grief.

Part 6: Why Choose Attorney911 for Your Bee Cave Family’s Hazing Case

When your family is in crisis, you need more than a generic personal injury lawyer. You need attorneys who understand the unique landscape of campus institutional law, Greek life, and high-stakes insurance battles.

Our Proven Advantage for Texas Hazing Cases:

1. We Are Leading a Major Texas Hazing Case Right Now. We represent Leonel Bermudez in the $10 million lawsuit against UH and Pi Kappa Phi. We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively litigating one of the most serious cases in the country. You can read the initial coverage from Hoodline here.

2. Insider Knowledge of Insurance Company Tactics. Our associate attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as a defense attorney for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We use this insider knowledge to build leverage and maximize recovery for our clients. Learn more about Mr. Peña’s background here.

3. Experience Against Billion-Dollar Institutions. Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello, was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced the deepest-pocketed, most sophisticated defense teams in the country. National fraternities and major universities do not intimidate us. Learn more about Ralph’s experience here.

4. A Data-Driven Investigative Engine. We don’t start from scratch. Our proprietary directory of Texas Greek organizations allows us to immediately identify housing corporations, alumni groups, and national entities that may bear liability. We combine this with digital forensics and expert testimony to build unbeatable cases.

5. Compassionate, Client-Focused Representation. We know this is the most difficult time your family may ever face. We guide you through every step, preserve your child’s privacy, and fight not just for compensation, but for accountability and change to prevent future harm. We operate on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win. See how contingency fees work.

Call to Action for Bee Cave Families

If you suspect your child has been hazed at any Texas university—whether it’s UT Austin, Texas State, Texas A&M, UH, or any other campus—you have the right to answers and accountability. The institutions involved will have their lawyers from day one. You should too.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911 for a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation. We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont.

During your consultation, we will:

• Listen to your story with empathy and without judgment.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your legal options under Texas and federal law.
• Discuss the realistic path forward, including potential civil claims.
• Answer all your questions about the process, timeline, and costs.

Don’t wait. Critical evidence disappears within days. Statutes of limitations apply. Learn about Texas filing deadlines here.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ today: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911).
Direct Line: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Hablamos Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources:

News Coverage of the UH Pi Kappa Phi Case:

• 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 Videos:

• Using Your Phone for Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Texas Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes to Avoid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Main Website & Contact:

• https://attorney911.com

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 an attorney directly. The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911. Principal office in Houston, TX.