🚨 San Luis Obispo County Hazing Lawyers — Fraternity & Sorority Abuse Attorneys
Justice for Hazing Victims in San Luis Obispo County and Beyond
If your child was hazed at Cal Poly, Cuesta College, or any other San Luis Obispo County institution — we can help.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 | ralph@atty911.com | attorney911.com
🔥 San Luis Obispo County Families: This Is Happening Here Too
You’ve seen the headlines from Houston, Texas. A fraternity pledge was waterboarded with a garden hose, forced to do 500 squats until his muscles broke down, struck with wooden paddles, and forced to eat until he vomited — all as part of “initiation.” He ended up in the hospital with kidney failure and is now suing for $10 million.
That same fraternity — Pi Kappa Phi — has chapters at universities near San Luis Obispo County.
That same torture happens in San Luis Obispo County.
Your child could be next.
At Attorney 911, we’re fighting this battle right now in Texas. We’re suing the fraternity, the national organization, the university, and the individuals responsible. We will bring this same fight to San Luis Obispo County.
🏛️ Greek Life in San Luis Obispo County — The Same Organizations, The Same Risks
San Luis Obispo County is home to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo — one of the largest universities in California — and Cuesta College, along with other educational institutions where Greek life thrives.
The same national fraternities and sororities that have paid millions in hazing settlements nationwide operate right here in San Luis Obispo County:
| Fraternity/Sorority | Notable Hazing Cases Nationwide | San Luis Obispo County Presence |
|---|---|---|
| Pi Kappa Phi | $10M lawsuit (2025, UH); Andrew Coffey death (2017, FSU) | Yes — Cal Poly |
| Sigma Alpha Epsilon | Multiple hazing deaths; $14M settlement (2012, NIU) | Yes — Cal Poly |
| Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) | Stone Foltz death (2021, BGSU); $10.1M settlement | Yes — Cal Poly |
| Sigma Chi | Multiple hazing incidents; recent lawsuit (2025, UT Austin) | Yes — Cal Poly |
| Kappa Sigma | Max Gruver death (2017, LSU); $6.1M verdict | Yes — Cal Poly |
| Phi Delta Theta | Timothy Piazza death (2017, Penn State); $110M+ settlement | Yes — Cal Poly |
| Beta Theta Pi | Timothy Piazza death (2017, Penn State) | Yes — Cal Poly |
| Delta Chi | Adam Oakes death (2021, VCU); $4M+ settlement | Yes — Cal Poly |
| Sigma Phi Epsilon | Tucker Hipps death (2014, Clemson); settlement | Yes — Cal Poly |
These are not just names on a list. These are organizations with documented histories of hazing deaths and serious injuries. They have chapters at Cal Poly and other San Luis Obispo County institutions. They have the same culture of abuse that hospitalized our client in Houston.
⚠️ What Hazing Looks Like in San Luis Obispo County
Hazing isn’t just “boys being boys” or “harmless tradition.” In San Luis Obispo County, just like everywhere else, hazing includes:
🚨 Physical Abuse
- Extreme exercise — Forced to do 100+ pushups, 500+ squats, bear crawls, “suicides” (running drills) until collapse
- Beatings — Struck with wooden paddles, objects, fists
- Branding — Burned with hot objects
- Waterboarding — Simulated drowning with hoses or buckets (yes, this happens in San Luis Obispo County)
- Exposure — Forced to strip in cold weather; left outside for hours
🚨 Forced Consumption
- Alcohol poisoning — Forced to drink until vomiting, passing out, or death
- Food torture — Forced to eat large amounts of milk, hot dogs, peppercorns, or other substances until vomiting
- Non-food substances — Forced to consume items that cause physical harm
🚨 Psychological Torture
- Sleep deprivation — Forced to stay awake for days; early morning/late night activities
- Humiliation — Forced to wear embarrassing clothing, carry sexual objects, perform degrading acts
- Isolation — Cut off from friends, family, support systems
- Threats — Threatened with physical harm, expulsion, or social ostracism if they speak out
🚨 Sexual Abuse
- Sexual assault — Forced sexual acts as part of “initiation”
- Sexual humiliation — Forced nudity, sexualized tasks, carrying sexual objects
- Sexual harassment — Verbal abuse, unwanted touching
🚨 Medical Consequences in San Luis Obispo County
Hazing doesn’t just cause emotional trauma — it causes life-threatening physical injuries:
| Injury | Cause | Real-World Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rhabdomyolysis | Extreme physical exertion (500 squats, etc.) | Our Houston client — hospitalized with kidney failure |
| Acute Kidney Failure | Rhabdomyolysis; severe dehydration | Our Houston client — 4 days in hospital |
| Alcohol Poisoning | Forced binge drinking | Stone Foltz (2021) — died from BAC 0.495 |
| Traumatic Brain Injury | Falls, beatings | Timothy Piazza (2017) — fell down stairs, died from brain bleed |
| Hypothermia | Forced exposure to cold | Multiple cases nationwide |
| Heat Stroke | Extreme exercise in hot conditions | Multiple cases nationwide |
| Internal Bleeding | Physical trauma | Jared Munoz (2017, UH) — lacerated spleen |
| PTSD, Anxiety, Depression | Psychological abuse | Documented in nearly every hazing case |
| Death | Any of the above | At least one hazing death every year since 2000 |
These injuries happen in San Luis Obispo County. They happen at Cal Poly. They happen at Cuesta College. They happen to San Luis Obispo County students.
💔 This Could Be Your Child
In Houston, our client was a “ghost rush” — not even enrolled at the university yet. He was expected to transfer for the upcoming semester. They hazed someone who wasn’t even a student.
Your child doesn’t have to be in a fraternity or sorority to be hazed. Hazing happens in:
- Sports teams (varsity, club, intramural)
- Marching bands
- ROTC programs
- Honor societies
- Service organizations
- Academic clubs
- Any group that uses “initiation” as an excuse for abuse
San Luis Obispo County parents: If your child is involved in any organization at Cal Poly, Cuesta College, or other local institutions, they are at risk.
⚖️ San Luis Obispo County Hazing Laws — Know Your Rights
California Anti-Hazing Law (Education Code § 32050-32054)
California has strong anti-hazing laws. Under Education Code § 32050, hazing is defined as:
Any method of initiation or pre-initiation into a student organization or student body, whether or not the organization or body is officially recognized by an educational institution, which is likely to cause serious bodily injury to any former, current, or prospective student of any school, community college, college, university, or other educational institution in this state.
Key Provisions:
- Hazing is a crime — punishable as a misdemeanor (up to 1 year in county jail)
- If hazing causes death or serious bodily injury, it’s a felony (up to 3 years in state prison)
- Consent is not a defense — even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law says consent doesn’t matter
- Organizations can be held liable — fraternities, sororities, teams, clubs can be sued
- Universities can be held liable — if they knew or should have known about hazing
San Luis Obispo County Application:
- Cal Poly and other local institutions are subject to California hazing laws
- Greek organizations at Cal Poly and Cuesta College are covered
- Any student organization in San Luis Obispo County is covered
Civil Liability in San Luis Obispo County — You Can Sue
In addition to criminal charges, hazing victims and their families in San Luis Obispo County can file civil lawsuits to recover compensation for:
| Liability Theory | Who Can Be Sued | Why They’re Liable |
|---|---|---|
| Negligence | University, national organization, individuals | Failed to prevent foreseeable harm |
| Premises Liability | University, fraternity/sorority house owners | Owned property where hazing occurred |
| Negligent Supervision | University, national organization | Failed to properly oversee student organizations |
| Assault & Battery | Individual perpetrators | Direct physical harm |
| Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress | All defendants | Extreme and outrageous conduct causing severe distress |
| Wrongful Death | All defendants | If hazing results in death |
Who We Sue for San Luis Obispo County Families:
- The local chapter that conducted the hazing
- The national fraternity/sorority that failed to supervise
- The university that failed to protect students
- The individual members who participated
- The house corporation that owned the property
- The alumni who facilitated or allowed hazing
💰 Hazing Settlements and Verdicts — What San Luis Obispo County Families Can Recover
Hazing cases win big. Juries and courts award millions when institutions fail to protect students.
| Case | University | Fraternity | Outcome | Total Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz | Bowling Green State | Pi Kappa Alpha | Settlement | $10,100,000+ |
| Maxwell Gruver | Louisiana State | Phi Delta Theta | Jury Verdict | $6,100,000 |
| Timothy Piazza | Penn State | Beta Theta Pi | Settlement | $110,000,000+ (est.) |
| Andrew Coffey | Florida State | Pi Kappa Phi | Settlement | Confidential (major) |
| Adam Oakes | Virginia Commonwealth | Delta Chi | Settlement | $4,000,000+ |
What This Means for San Luis Obispo County Families:
- $10 million settlements are possible — Stone Foltz case proves it
- Juries award millions — Gruver case shows juries will punish hazing
- Universities pay millions — Penn State’s $110M+ settlement shows institutional liability
- Individuals can be held personally liable — Stone Foltz chapter president ordered to pay $6.5 million personally
Compensation San Luis Obispo County Families Can Recover:
| Category | Examples | San Luis Obispo County Application |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Expenses | Hospital bills, ER visits, surgery, therapy | Covers treatment at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, Twin Cities Community Hospital, or other local facilities |
| Future Medical Care | Ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, mental health care | Covers long-term care at San Luis Obispo County medical providers |
| Lost Wages | Time missed from work during recovery | Applies to San Luis Obispo County students working local jobs |
| Lost Earning Capacity | If injuries affect future career | Applies to Cal Poly students in high-earning fields |
| Pain and Suffering | Physical pain from injuries | Covers the agony of rhabdomyolysis, broken bones, etc. |
| Mental Anguish | PTSD, anxiety, depression from abuse | Covers therapy at San Luis Obispo County mental health providers |
| Emotional Distress | Humiliation, shame, loss of trust | Covers the psychological impact of hazing |
| Loss of Enjoyment | Inability to participate in activities | Applies to San Luis Obispo County students missing out on college life |
| Punitive Damages | To punish egregious conduct | Applies when hazing is especially cruel or reckless |
🏆 Why San Luis Obispo County Families Choose Attorney 911
1. We’re Fighting This Fight Right Now
While other firms talk about hazing, we’re actively litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit in Texas. We’re not theoretical — we’re in the courtroom, in the media, and in the fight.
Our Current Case:
- Victim: Leonel Bermudez (hospitalized with kidney failure)
- Fraternity: Pi Kappa Phi (same fraternity with Cal Poly chapter)
- University: University of Houston
- Hazing: Waterboarding, 500 squats, wooden paddles, forced eating
- Status: $10 million lawsuit filed; media coverage in ABC13, KHOU 11, Houston Chronicle
San Luis Obispo County families get the same aggressive representation we’re bringing to Texas.
2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys — We Know Their Playbook
Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena worked for insurance defense firms before switching sides to represent victims.
This means we know exactly how the other side thinks.
- We know how they value claims
- We know how they delay cases
- We know how they try to deny liability
- We know how they lowball settlements
We used to work for them. Now we work against them — for victims like you.
3. Nationwide Reach — We Serve San Luis Obispo County Families
While we’re based in Texas, we represent hazing victims nationwide, including San Luis Obispo County.
How We Serve San Luis Obispo County Families:
- Federal court authority — U.S. District Court admission allows us to file in California
- Video consultations — Meet with us remotely from San Luis Obispo County
- Travel commitment — We come to San Luis Obispo County for depositions, trials, and client meetings
- Local partnerships — We work with California attorneys when needed for state-specific issues
Distance is not a barrier to justice.
4. Bilingual Services — Se Habla Español
Many hazing victims in San Luis Obispo County come from Spanish-speaking families. We provide full bilingual legal services:
- Initial consultations in Spanish
- Case communications in Spanish
- Document translation
- Court interpreter coordination
- Spanish-language legal guidance
No language barriers to justice.
5. Contingency Fee — $0 Upfront for San Luis Obispo County Families
We understand that the cost of legal representation can be a barrier, especially when your child has been injured. We take hazing cases on contingency:
- $0 upfront cost
- $0 out-of-pocket expenses
- We don’t get paid unless you get paid
- No financial risk to your family
We level the playing field so San Luis Obispo County families can fight powerful institutions.
6. Proven Results in High-Stakes Litigation
Our attorneys have decades of experience winning big cases against powerful defendants:
| Case | Outcome | Relevance to Hazing |
|---|---|---|
| BP Texas City Explosion | Involved in multi-billion dollar litigation | Experience with complex, high-stakes cases against massive corporate defendants |
| Ryan Smith Case | High-profile criminal defense with media coverage | Experience handling sensitive, emotionally charged cases with public attention |
| Assault Family Member | Secured trial dismissal — charges dropped | Experience dismantling prosecution cases through aggressive pre-trial litigation |
| Federal Civil Rights Cases | Represented clients in U.S. Second Circuit | Experience with federal constitutional litigation — applicable to hazing cases involving institutional cover-ups |
We have the experience to take on universities and national fraternities.
7. We Travel to San Luis Obispo County
We don’t just serve San Luis Obispo County remotely — we come to you.
We will travel to San Luis Obispo County for:
- Client meetings
- Depositions
- Court appearances
- Media interviews
- Campus investigations
Your case gets our full attention, no matter the distance.
8. We Protect Your Child from Retaliation
Many hazing victims are afraid to come forward because they fear retribution from the organization or their peers.
Our client in the Pi Kappa Phi case is “fearful of doing an interview due to retribution.” We understand this fear, and we protect our clients.
How We Protect San Luis Obispo County Victims:
- Confidentiality — We protect your identity and case details
- Legal protections — We ensure no retaliation occurs
- Evidence preservation — We document everything before it disappears
- Media strategy — We control the narrative to protect your child
You don’t have to face this alone.
🏛️ Who We Sue for San Luis Obispo County Hazing Victims
When your child is hazed in San Luis Obispo County, everyone who participated or allowed it can be held liable. We pursue all responsible parties:
1. The Local Chapter
- The fraternity or sorority that directly conducted the hazing
- The officers (president, pledgemaster, etc.) who organized it
- The members who participated
- Example: Pi Kappa Phi at Cal Poly
2. The National Organization
- The national fraternity or sorority that failed to supervise
- The national organization that knew about hazing culture and did nothing
- Example: Pi Kappa Phi National — they had 8 years to fix their culture after Andrew Coffey died; they didn’t
3. The University
- Cal Poly, Cuesta College, or other San Luis Obispo County institutions
- Why they’re liable:
- They have a duty to protect students
- They own or control fraternity/sorority houses (premises liability)
- They know hazing happens (institutional knowledge)
- They failed to act despite having the power to stop it
4. Individual Perpetrators
- The students who directly hazed your child
- The officers who directed the hazing
- The alumni who facilitated it
- Example: Stone Foltz chapter president ordered to pay $6.5 million personally
5. The House Corporation
- The entity that owns the fraternity/sorority house
- They are responsible for premises liability — the condition of the property
6. Alumni and Advisors
- Former members who allowed hazing to occur
- Advisors who failed to supervise
- Example: In our Houston case, a former member and his spouse are named defendants for allowing hazing at their home
7. Insurance Companies
- The deep pockets that actually pay the settlements
- National fraternities and universities have multi-million dollar insurance policies
- We know how to pursue these policies — we’re former insurance defense attorneys
📋 What to Do If Your Child Is Hazed in San Luis Obispo County
Step 1: Ensure Immediate Safety
- Remove your child from the dangerous situation — get them out of the fraternity house, team facility, or other location
- Call 911 if there’s a medical emergency — rhabdomyolysis, alcohol poisoning, severe injuries require immediate medical attention
Step 2: Seek Medical Attention
- Go to the emergency room — even if injuries seem minor, get them documented
- San Luis Obispo County hospitals:
- Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center
- Twin Cities Community Hospital
- French Hospital Medical Center
- Marian Regional Medical Center (Santa Maria)
- Document everything — medical records are critical evidence
Step 3: Preserve All Evidence
Evidence disappears quickly. Preserve everything:
| Evidence Type | What to Save | How to Preserve |
|---|---|---|
| Photos/Videos | Injuries, hazing activities, locations | Take screenshots; back up to cloud; don’t delete |
| Text Messages | GroupMe, Snapchat, iMessage, WhatsApp | Screenshot conversations; don’t delete |
| Social Media | Posts, messages, comments about hazing | Screenshot; download data; don’t delete |
| Documents | Pledge manuals, schedules, rules | Scan or photograph; keep originals |
| Witness Info | Names and contact info of other victims, bystanders | Write down immediately |
| Medical Records | Hospital records, doctor notes, therapy records | Request copies from providers |
| Financial Records | Medical bills, lost wages, tuition/fees | Keep all receipts and statements |
DO NOT:
- Delete any messages or posts
- Talk to fraternity/sorority leadership without legal counsel
- Sign anything from the organization
- Post about the incident on social media
- Give statements to university administration alone
Step 4: Report the Incident
- File a police report — hazing is a crime in California
- Report to the university — Cal Poly, Cuesta College, etc. have reporting procedures
- Report to the national organization — fraternity/sorority headquarters
- Document all reports — get confirmation emails/receipts
Step 5: Contact an Attorney Immediately
Time is critical. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. Statutes of limitations expire.
Call Attorney 911 immediately:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com
We will:
- Advise you on next steps
- Send preservation letters to all defendants
- Begin investigating the incident
- Protect your child from retaliation
- File a lawsuit if necessary
⏳ San Luis Obispo County Statute of Limitations — Act Now
California has strict deadlines for filing lawsuits:
| Claim Type | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Injury | 2 years from date of injury | Most hazing cases fall under this |
| Wrongful Death | 2 years from date of death | If hazing results in death |
| Minor Victims | 2 years from 18th birthday | If victim was under 18 at time of injury |
Do not wait. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. Your rights expire.
🎯 Our Strategy for San Luis Obispo County Hazing Cases
1. Immediate Evidence Preservation
- Send preservation letters to all defendants demanding they preserve all evidence
- Obtain security camera footage from fraternity houses, campus facilities
- Secure text messages, social media posts, emails before they’re deleted
- Interview witnesses while memories are fresh
2. Aggressive Discovery
- Demand all communications about hazing from the organization
- Request all prior hazing reports from the university
- Subpoena chapter records, meeting minutes, pledge manuals
- Depose chapter officers, national representatives, university administrators
3. Pattern Evidence Development
- Identify prior hazing incidents at the same chapter
- Identify prior hazing incidents at the same university
- Identify prior hazing incidents by the same national organization
- Example: Pi Kappa Phi had a hazing death in 2017 (Andrew Coffey) and now a hospitalization in 2025 — this is a pattern
4. Multi-Defendant Litigation
- Sue everyone responsible — local chapter, national organization, university, individuals
- No defendant gets off the hook
- Every defendant shares liability
5. Media and Public Pressure
- Publicize the case to shame the organization
- Pressure universities to take action
- Encourage other victims to come forward
- Example: Our Houston case received coverage in ABC13, KHOU 11, Houston Chronicle, Houston Public Media
6. Legislative Advocacy
- Work with California legislators to strengthen hazing laws
- Support federal legislation like the Stop Campus Hazing Act
- Turn tragedy into change
7. Trial-Ready Preparation
- Prepare every case as if it’s going to trial
- Build irrefutable evidence of liability
- Be ready to take the case to a jury if defendants won’t settle fairly
🔥 Fraternities and Sororities in San Luis Obispo County — We’re Watching You
To the fraternities and sororities operating in San Luis Obispo County:
We know who you are. We know your chapters. We know your national organizations. We know your house corporations. We know your insurance companies.
We are watching.
The same legal strategies that secured $10 million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapters.
If you haze students in San Luis Obispo County, we will find every liable entity.
Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon — if your chapter operates in San Luis Obispo County, know that Attorney 911 represents hazing victims across America.
The Beta Nu chapter at University of Houston learned this the hard way. Your chapter could be next.
🏛️ Universities in San Luis Obispo County — The Same Institutional Negligence Exists Here
To Cal Poly, Cuesta College, and other San Luis Obispo County institutions:
The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus.
- You own or control fraternity/sorority houses
- You have the power to regulate Greek life
- You know hazing happens — it’s endemic to Greek culture
- You fail to act until someone is hospitalized or dies
You will be held accountable.
San Luis Obispo County universities: The Bermudez case is a warning. Clean up your chapters before we clean them out in court.
📢 Message to San Luis Obispo County Parents
San Luis Obispo County parents: Your child trusted these people.
They trusted the fraternity. They trusted the sorority. They trusted the university. They trusted that these institutions would keep them safe.
That trust was betrayed.
Your child was abused. Tortured. Humiliated. Hospitalized. Or worse — taken from you forever.
We understand the pain you’re feeling. We understand the rage.
We are here to turn that pain and rage into accountability.
When our client’s mother rushed him to the hospital with kidney failure, she became a witness to institutional failure. When San Luis Obispo County parents lose children to hazing, they deserve answers and justice.
We will fight for your San Luis Obispo County family. We will honor your loved one by ensuring this never happens to another San Luis Obispo County family.
📞 San Luis Obispo County Families: Contact Us Now
If your child has been hazed in San Luis Obispo County, call us immediately.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
Free Consultation — $0 Upfront — We Don’t Get Paid Unless You Get Paid
We serve hazing victims in San Luis Obispo County and nationwide. Distance is not a barrier to justice.
🏆 San Luis Obispo County Hazing Lawyers — We Fight for Justice
At Attorney 911, we don’t just talk about hazing. We’re fighting it in court right now. We’re holding fraternities, sororities, and universities accountable. We’re winning millions for victims.
San Luis Obispo County families deserve the same aggressive representation we provide in Texas.
If your child was hazed at Cal Poly, Cuesta College, or any other San Luis Obispo County institution — we can help.
Call now: 1-888-ATTY-911
Justice for San Luis Obispo County hazing victims starts here.
