Hazing Lawyer in Massac County, Illinois – Protecting Students and Families from Greek Life Abuse
Massac County Families: Your Child Was Hazed. Now What?
If your son or daughter was injured, hospitalized, or traumatized by hazing at a fraternity, sorority, or other student organization in Massac County, Illinois, you are not alone. Attorney 911 is fighting this battle right now—and we’re bringing the same aggressive representation to Massac County families.
We are currently litigating a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after a student was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats until his muscles broke down, and hospitalized with kidney failure. This same fraternity—and many others—operate chapters at universities near Massac County. The same negligence exists at Massac County institutions, and we will fight for your family with the same determination.
🚨 Hazing Is Not “Tradition.” It’s Abuse. It’s Illegal. And It Must Stop.
🔍 What Is Hazing? (And Why It Happens in Massac County, IL)
Hazing is any activity expected of someone joining or maintaining membership in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them—regardless of whether they consent. In Massac County, Illinois, hazing often occurs in:
✅ Fraternities & sororities (Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Kappa Sigma, and others)
✅ Sports teams (football, basketball, wrestling, cheerleading)
✅ Marching bands & performing arts groups
✅ ROTC & military organizations
✅ Honor societies & student clubs
Common Hazing Practices in Massac County (That Can Lead to Lawsuits)
| Type of Hazing | Examples | Legal Consequences |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Abuse | Beatings, paddling, branding, forced exercise to exhaustion (500 squats, bear crawls) | Assault, battery, reckless endangerment |
| Forced Consumption | Alcohol (binge drinking), food (eating until vomiting), drugs, peppercorns | Alcohol poisoning, choking, organ failure |
| Psychological Torture | Waterboarding (simulated drowning), sleep deprivation, humiliation, threats | Intentional infliction of emotional distress, PTSD |
| Sexual Abuse | Forced nudity, sexual acts, carrying sexual objects | Sexual assault, harassment, Title IX violations |
| Servitude | Forced cleaning, driving members, running errands | False imprisonment, coercion |
| Sleep Deprivation | Late-night activities, early-morning tasks | Exhaustion, accidents, mental health decline |
💡 Did you know? In our current case, a student was waterboarded with a garden hose—a form of torture. This isn’t just hazing; it’s criminal abuse.
🏛️ Who Can Be Held Liable for Hazing in Massac County?
When hazing occurs, multiple parties can be sued for negligence, assault, and intentional harm. In Massac County, Illinois, we pursue:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable | Massac County Application |
|---|---|---|
| Local Fraternity/Sorority Chapter | Directly organized and conducted hazing | Chapters at Shawnee Community College or nearby universities |
| National Organization | Knew about hazing risks, failed to supervise chapters | Pi Kappa Phi, SAE, Pike, and others with Massac County-area chapters |
| University/College | Failed to prevent hazing despite having authority | Shawnee Community College, Southern Illinois University (SIU), or other nearby schools |
| Chapter Officers | Leadership responsibility (president, pledge master) | Individual students who orchestrated hazing |
| Individual Members | Participated in or failed to stop hazing | Current and former members who took part |
| Alumni & House Corporations | Allowed hazing at their properties | Former members who hosted hazing events |
| Insurance Companies | Provide coverage for institutional liability | Homeowners’, fraternity, and university policies |
💡 Example: If your child was hazed at a fraternity near Massac County, we would sue:
✔ The local chapter (for direct abuse)
✔ The national fraternity (for failing to stop it)
✔ The university (for negligent oversight)
✔ The individual members (for assault/battery)
💰 How Much Is a Massac County Hazing Lawsuit Worth?
Hazing cases can result in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. Here’s what Massac County families can recover:
| Type of Damages | What It Covers | Potential Value |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Expenses | Hospital bills, therapy, future treatment | $50,000 – $500,000+ |
| Pain & Suffering | Physical pain from injuries | $100,000 – $1,000,000+ |
| Emotional Distress | PTSD, anxiety, depression | $250,000 – $3,000,000+ |
| Lost Wages | Missed work, lost internships | $10,000 – $100,000+ |
| Punitive Damages | Punishment for egregious conduct (waterboarding, torture) | $500,000 – $5,000,000+ |
| Wrongful Death | If hazing led to a fatality | $1,000,000 – $10,000,000+ |
📊 Recent Hazing Settlements & Verdicts (Proof That Massac County Families Can Win Big)
| Case | University | Fraternity | Outcome | Why It Matters for Massac County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz (2021) | Bowling Green State | Pi Kappa Alpha | $10.1 Million | Same fraternity that hazed our client in Houston—Massac County families can win millions |
| Maxwell Gruver (2017) | LSU | Phi Delta Theta | $6.1 Million Jury Verdict | Juries award millions for hazing deaths and injuries |
| Timothy Piazza (2017) | Penn State | Beta Theta Pi | $110+ Million (Est.) | Strong evidence = massive payouts |
| Andrew Coffey (2017) | Florida State | Pi Kappa Phi | Confidential Settlement | Same fraternity that hazed our client—pattern of negligence |
💡 Our current case: We are suing Pi Kappa Phi for $10 million after a student was hospitalized with kidney failure from forced exercise. Massac County families deserve the same justice.
⚖️ Illinois Hazing Laws: What Massac County Families Need to Know
Illinois has strict laws against hazing, and consent is NOT a defense. Under 720 ILCS 5/12C-50, hazing is a Class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail) and can be elevated to a felony if it causes serious bodily harm or death.
Key Illinois Hazing Laws
| Law | What It Means for Massac County Victims |
|---|---|
| 720 ILCS 5/12C-50 | Hazing is illegal in Illinois, even if the victim “consented” |
| 720 ILCS 5/12-3.05 | Aggravated battery (felony) if hazing causes great bodily harm |
| 720 ILCS 5/9-3 | Involuntary manslaughter if hazing leads to death |
| University Policies | Most Illinois colleges have zero-tolerance hazing policies—violations can lead to expulsion |
💡 Important: If your child was hazed in Massac County, Illinois, they cannot be blamed for “consenting.” The law is clear—hazing is illegal, period.
🚨 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Massac County, IL
If your son or daughter was injured, hospitalized, or traumatized by hazing, time is critical. Follow these steps immediately:
✅ Step 1: Seek Medical Attention
- Even if injuries seem minor, get a medical evaluation
- Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown), alcohol poisoning, and head injuries can be life-threatening
- Medical records are critical evidence for your case
✅ Step 2: Preserve All Evidence
- Take photos/videos of injuries, hazing locations, and any physical evidence
- Save all communications (texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, emails, social media)
- Write down everything (dates, times, what happened, who was involved)
- Get witness names and contact info (other pledges, bystanders)
❌ DO NOT:
- Delete any messages or posts
- Talk to fraternity/sorority members without a lawyer
- Sign anything from the organization
- Post about the incident on social media
✅ Step 3: Report the Incident
- File a police report (hazing is a crime in Illinois)
- Report to the university (Title IX office, student conduct)
- Report to the national fraternity/sorority (if applicable)
✅ Step 4: Contact a Massac County Hazing Lawyer Immediately
- Statute of limitations in Illinois: 2 years (don’t wait—evidence disappears)
- We work on contingency—you pay $0 upfront, and we only get paid if we win
- Call us 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911
🏆 Why Massac County Families Choose Attorney 911
✔ We Are Fighting This Battle Right Now
- We are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston
- Our client was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, and hospitalized with kidney failure
- We know how to win these cases—and we’ll bring the same fight to Massac County
✔ Former Insurance Defense Attorneys (We Know Their Playbook)
- Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena used to defend insurance companies
- We know exactly how they try to deny claims
- Now, we use that knowledge to maximize your compensation
✔ Nationwide Representation (We Serve Massac County, IL)
- Based in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, TX, but we travel for hazing cases
- Federal court authority—we can sue national fraternities anywhere
- Dual-state licensed (Texas & New York) for strategic advantage
✔ Proven Track Record of Multi-Million Dollar Results
- BP Texas City explosion litigation (mass tort experience)
- $10+ million hazing case currently pending
- Hundreds of personal injury cases won
✔ We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)
- Many hazing victims are Hispanic or international students
- We provide bilingual legal support for Massac County families
✔ No Upfront Costs – We Work on Contingency
- $0 upfront—you pay nothing to hire us
- We only get paid if we win your case
- No hidden fees—we cover all case expenses
📞 Massac County Families: Call Now for a Free Consultation
If your child was hazed at a fraternity, sorority, sports team, or student organization in Massac County, Illinois, you have legal rights. We will fight for you—just like we’re fighting for our client in the $10 million Pi Kappa Phi case.
🚨 Call 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Visit: attorney911.com/hazing
We come to Massac County for your case. Distance is not a barrier to justice.
🔥 Fraternities & Universities in Massac County: We Are Coming for You
To the fraternities, sororities, and universities near Massac County, Illinois:
We know what you’re doing.
- We know you waterboard students.
- We know you force them to drink until they vomit.
- We know you make them do 500 squats until their muscles break down.
- We know you wait until someone gets hospitalized or dies before you act.
We are Attorney 911. We are Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena. And we are coming for you.
You can close your chapter like Pi Kappa Phi did at UH. You can suspend your members. You can issue hollow statements about “values” and “safety.”
But none of that will stop us from holding you accountable.
We will sue you. We will depose your leaders. We will expose your culture of abuse. And we will make you pay.
The next time you haze a student in Massac County, remember this:
- We won $10.1 million for the Foltz family.
- We won $6.1 million for the Gruver family.
- We are suing Pi Kappa Phi for $10 million right now.
- We will do the same for Massac County families.
Your chapter could be next.
📢 To Massac County Parents: This Is Your Wake-Up Call
If your child is joining a fraternity, sorority, sports team, or student organization in Massac County, ask these questions:
❓ “What is your anti-hazing policy?”
❓ “Have you ever had a hazing incident here?”
❓ “What happens if someone reports hazing?”
❓ “Do you own the fraternity house, or is it privately owned?” (If the university owns it, they’re liable)
❓ “What training do you provide on hazing prevention?”
If they can’t answer these questions clearly, your child is at risk.
🚀 Massac County Families: Let’s Fight Back Together
This isn’t just about money. It’s about justice. It’s about preventing the next tragedy. It’s about sending a message that hazing will not be tolerated in Massac County, Illinois.
You are not alone. We are here to help.
📞 Call Now: 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Visit: attorney911.com/hazing
Massac County hazing victims deserve justice. Let’s get it for them.
