🚨 Hazing Victim Legal Representation in Yolo County, California

Attorney 911 – Legal Emergency Lawyers™
Serving Yolo County Families from Houston, Austin & Beaumont

Yolo County Parents: Your Child Could Be Next

Hazing doesn’t just happen at big universities. It happens right here in Yolo County—at UC Davis, Woodland Community College, and other local institutions where Greek life thrives. The same national fraternities involved in deadly hazing cases nationwide—Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Chi—have active chapters near Yolo County. If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority, they face the same risks that hospitalized our client in Houston.

This isn’t just happening elsewhere. It’s happening in Yolo County.

The Hazing Crisis in Yolo County

What Is Hazing?

Hazing is any activity expected of someone joining or maintaining membership in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them—regardless of their willingness to participate. In Yolo County, this includes:

• Forced alcohol consumption (binge drinking, chugging)
• Physical abuse (paddling, beatings, extreme exercise)
• Psychological torture (sleep deprivation, humiliation, threats)
• Sexual abuse (forced nudity, sexual acts)
• Dangerous stunts (blindfolded activities, exposure to extreme weather)

These aren’t “traditions.” They’re crimes.

Hazing in Yolo County: The Facts

1. UC Davis has a thriving Greek life system, with over 60 fraternities and sororities. Many of these organizations are chapters of the same national fraternities that have been involved in hazing deaths and lawsuits nationwide.
2. Yolo County’s close-knit community values trust and safety, but hazing thrives in secrecy. Parents often don’t know what’s happening until it’s too late.
3. The same national fraternities operate in Yolo County as those involved in high-profile hazing cases:
   • Pi Kappa Phi (involved in our $10 million lawsuit against University of Houston)
   • Sigma Alpha Epsilon (multiple hazing deaths, including at Texas A&M)
   • Kappa Sigma (hazing incidents at multiple universities)
   • Sigma Chi (recent hazing lawsuit at University of Texas)
4. Hazing isn’t limited to fraternities. It happens in sororities, sports teams, marching bands, ROTC, and other student organizations in Yolo County.
5. 95% of hazing victims never report it due to fear of retaliation, shame, or loyalty to the group. Your child might be suffering in silence.

Why Yolo County Families Are at Risk

• Universities prioritize reputation over safety. Schools like UC Davis have Greek life oversight, but they often fail to act until a tragedy occurs.
• Fraternities and sororities operate with little accountability. National organizations claim to have anti-hazing policies, but they rarely enforce them until forced to by lawsuits.
• Yolo County’s college culture normalizes hazing. What starts as “harmless fun” can quickly escalate into life-threatening abuse.
• Parents are often the last to know. Hazing is designed to be secretive. By the time you find out, the damage may already be done.

The Landmark Case That Shows What’s Happening in Yolo County

Bermudez v. Pi Kappa Phi – $10 Million Lawsuit (2025)

What Happened:
Leonel Bermudez, a “ghost rush” (not even enrolled at the University of Houston yet), accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi. Over the next seven weeks, he was subjected to systematic torture, including:

• Waterboarding with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
• Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups until he collapsed
• Struck with wooden paddles
• Forced to eat until vomiting, then made to lie in vomit-soaked grass
• Another pledge lost consciousness during a workout (October 15, 2025)
• On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was punished with extreme exercise until he couldn’t stand. He crawled up the stairs when he got home. The next day, he was rushed to the hospital with rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, requiring a 4-day hospital stay.

Why This Matters to Yolo County:

• Pi Kappa Phi has chapters at universities near Yolo County, including UC Davis. The same culture of abuse exists here.
• The University of Houston owned the fraternity house where the hazing occurred. UC Davis and other Yolo County institutions have similar oversight failures.
• This isn’t an isolated incident. The same fraternity was involved in the 2017 death of Andrew Coffey at Florida State University. They had 8 years to fix their culture—they did nothing.
• The defendants knew. Pi Kappa Phi National admitted to knowing about “a hazing crisis” but failed to enforce their own anti-hazing policies.

The Result:
Attorney 911 filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi, the University of Houston, and individual members. The fraternity immediately closed the chapter, proving they knew the conduct was indefensible.

Yolo County Families: This is what’s happening at universities near you. The same fraternities. The same negligence. The same risks to your child.

Hazing Laws in California: What Yolo County Families Need to Know

California’s Anti-Hazing Law (Education Code § 32050-32054)

California law defines hazing as:

“Any method of initiation or pre-initiation into a student organization or any pastime or amusement engaged in with respect to such an organization that causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger, physical harm, or personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm to any student or other person.”

Key Provisions for Yolo County Families:

1. Hazing is a crime in California.
   • Misdemeanor: Hazing that does not result in serious injury (up to 1 year in jail, $5,000 fine).
   • Felony: Hazing that results in serious bodily injury or death (up to 3 years in prison).
2. Consent is not a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law says consent does not matter.
3. Organizations can be held liable. Fraternities, sororities, and universities can be sued for damages.
4. Universities must report hazing. Schools like UC Davis are required to report hazing incidents to the state.

Yolo County Parents: If your child is hazed, the law is on your side. You can hold the perpetrators—and the institutions that enabled them—accountable.

Civil Liability: Who Can Be Sued in Yolo County?

If your child is hazed in Yolo County, you can sue:

Yolo County Families: These defendants have deep pockets. National fraternities and universities carry millions in insurance and assets. We know how to pursue them.

Precedent Cases: Hazing Victims Win Millions

Hazing lawsuits result in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. Here’s what other families have recovered:

Yolo County Families: These cases prove that hazing victims can and do win. The same legal strategies apply to Yolo County cases.

What to Do If Your Child Is Hazed in Yolo County

Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately

• If your child shows signs of injury (bruises, vomiting, difficulty walking, brown urine), take them to the ER immediately.
• Document all medical treatment. Medical records are critical evidence.

Step 2: Preserve Evidence

• Take photos of injuries, hazing locations, and any items used in hazing (paddles, alcohol bottles, etc.).
• Save all communications (texts, GroupMe messages, Snapchats, emails).
• Get witness names and contact information (other pledges, bystanders).
• Do not delete anything, even if it seems embarrassing or incriminating.

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Organization

• Do not confront the fraternity/sorority or university alone. They will try to control the narrative and destroy evidence.
• Do not sign anything from the organization or their insurance company.
• Do not give a statement to anyone without legal counsel.

Step 4: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

• Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.
• We will guide you through the next steps and protect your child’s rights.

Why Yolo County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now

We are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. This isn’t theoretical—we’re in the fight. Yolo County families get the same aggressive representation.

2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys

Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña worked for insurance companies and national defense firms before switching sides to represent victims. We know their playbook—and we use it against them.

3. Nationwide Reach for Yolo County Families

While we’re based in Texas, we serve hazing victims nationwide, including Yolo County. We have:

• Federal court authority (U.S. District Court admission)
• Dual-state bar licenses (Texas and New York)
• Willingness to travel to Yolo County for depositions, trials, and client meetings
• Remote consultation technology for Yolo County families

4. Proven Results in High-Stakes Litigation

• BP Texas City Explosion (multi-billion dollar mass tort litigation)
• $10 Million Hazing Lawsuit (currently pending against Pi Kappa Phi)
• Hundreds of personal injury cases with multi-million dollar recoveries
• Criminal defense experience (helps when hazing leads to criminal charges)

5. We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)

Many hazing victims in Yolo County come from Hispanic families. We provide bilingual legal services to ensure language is never a barrier to justice.

6. Contingency Fee Representation

• $0 upfront. We don’t get paid unless you win.
• No hourly fees. We take a percentage of your recovery.
• No risk. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing.

What Yolo County Families Can Recover

If your child is hazed, you may be entitled to compensation for:

Yolo County Families: Our goal is to maximize your recovery so your child can focus on healing.

The Time to Act Is Now

Statute of Limitations in California

• Personal Injury: 2 years from the date of injury
• Wrongful Death: 2 years from the date of death

Do not wait. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and your legal rights expire. Contact us immediately if your child has been hazed.

Yolo County Hazing Victims: You Are Not Alone

Hazing is designed to isolate victims. We’re here to break that isolation.

• We understand the fear. Our client in the Pi Kappa Phi case was “fearful of doing an interview due to retribution.”
• We know the shame. Hazing thrives on secrecy and embarrassment.
• We’ve seen the damage. From rhabdomyolysis to PTSD, we know the long-term consequences.

But we also know the power of holding them accountable. When one brave victim steps forward, they protect others. When one family fights back, they change the system.

Yolo County Families: Your child’s case could save lives. Let’s fight this together.

Contact Attorney 911 Today

For Yolo County Hazing Victims:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

Free Consultation • No Upfront Costs • Nationwide Representation

We will travel to Yolo County for your case. Distance is not a barrier to justice.

Yolo County Parents: This Is Your Warning

The same fraternities that hospitalized our client in Houston operate at universities near Yolo County. The same negligence exists here. The same risks to your child.

If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority in Yolo County, they could be next.

Call us before it’s too late. 🚨 1-888-ATTY-911