🛡️ Hazing Victims in Vanderburgh County Deserve Justice
If your child was hazed at a fraternity, sorority, or student organization in Vanderburgh County, you are not alone. We are fighting this battle right now — and we will fight for Vanderburgh County families with the same fury.
🚨 THIS IS HAPPENING IN VANDERBURGH COUNTY
Hazing isn’t just a problem at major universities like the University of Houston. It happens right here in Vanderburgh County — at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), Ivy Tech Community College, and other local institutions where Greek life and student organizations thrive.
The same national fraternities and sororities that waterboarded, paddled, and hospitalized our client in Houston have active chapters near Vanderburgh County. The same “traditions” that led to kidney failure in Texas exist here. And the same institutional failures that allowed hazing to continue for years are happening in Vanderburgh County.
Vanderburgh County parents: Your children are at risk.
💔 WHAT HAZING LOOKS LIKE IN VANDERBURGH COUNTY
This is not “boys being boys.” This is not “tradition.” This is abuse.
Hazing in Vanderburgh County can include:
| Category | Examples | Medical Risks |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Abuse | Beatings, paddling, branding, forced exercise to exhaustion | Broken bones, rhabdomyolysis, kidney failure |
| Forced Consumption | Alcohol binge drinking, food until vomiting, non-food substances | Alcohol poisoning, choking, organ damage |
| Waterboarding | Simulated drowning with hoses or buckets | Panic attacks, PTSD, drowning |
| Sleep Deprivation | Late-night activities, forced driving, disrupted sleep | Exhaustion, accidents, mental health crises |
| Psychological Torture | Humiliation, degradation, verbal abuse, isolation | PTSD, anxiety, depression, suicide risk |
| Sexual Abuse | Forced nudity, carrying sexual objects, assault | Trauma, STIs, pregnancy |
| Extreme Exposure | Cold weather, heat, confined spaces | Hypothermia, heat stroke, dehydration |
These aren’t hypotheticals. This is happening right now in Vanderburgh County.
🏥 THE MEDICAL CONSEQUENCES — IT’S NOT JUST “A PRANK”
Hazing can cause life-threatening injuries that require emergency medical treatment:
| Injury | What It Is | Why It’s Dangerous | Vanderburgh County Hospitals See This |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhabdomyolysis | Muscle breakdown from extreme exertion | Can cause kidney failure and death | Deaconess Hospital, Ascension St. Vincent Evansville |
| Acute Kidney Failure | Kidneys stop filtering waste | Requires dialysis; can be permanent | Deaconess Hospital |
| Alcohol Poisoning | Toxic blood alcohol levels | Can cause coma or death | Emergency rooms across Vanderburgh County |
| Traumatic Brain Injury | From beatings or falls | Can cause permanent cognitive damage | Neurology departments at local hospitals |
| Hypothermia | Dangerously low body temperature | Can cause organ failure or death | Emergency rooms in winter months |
| Heat Stroke | Dangerously high body temperature | Can cause organ failure or death | Emergency rooms in summer months |
| PTSD | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Long-term anxiety, depression, flashbacks | Local therapists and mental health professionals |
If your child comes home with these symptoms after a Greek event, it may be hazing — and it may be life-threatening.
📚 VANDERBURGH COUNTY’S GREEK LIFE LANDSCAPE
These organizations operate near Vanderburgh County — and they have hazing histories.
| University | Fraternities with Hazing Histories | Sororities with Hazing Histories | Local Hazing Risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern Indiana (USI) | Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, others | Delta Zeta, Alpha Sigma Alpha, others | Active Greek life; new students vulnerable |
| Ivy Tech Community College | Phi Theta Kappa (honor society), others | Various honor societies | Smaller campus; less oversight |
| Nearby Universities | Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma, others | Sigma Kappa, others | Students may rush chapters at larger schools |
Note: This list is not exhaustive. Hazing happens in fraternities, sororities, sports teams, marching bands, ROTC, and other student organizations across Vanderburgh County.
⚖️ VANDERBURGH COUNTY HAZING LAWS — YOU HAVE RIGHTS
Indiana Hazing Laws — Criminal and Civil Liability
Indiana has strong anti-hazing laws that apply to Vanderburgh County:
Indiana Code § 35-42-2-2 — Hazing
(a) A person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally:
(1) engages in hazing; or
(2) facilitates hazing;
commits a Class B misdemeanor.(b) However, the offense is a Level 6 felony if the hazing results in serious bodily injury.
Penalties:
- Class B Misdemeanor: Up to 180 days in jail and $1,000 fine
- Level 6 Felony: 6 months to 2.5 years in prison and up to $10,000 fine
Consent is NOT a Defense
Indiana law explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the hazing is still illegal.
Civil Liability — You Can Sue
In addition to criminal charges, Vanderburgh County families can file civil lawsuits against:
- The local chapter
- The national organization
- The university
- Individual members
- Housing corporations
You can sue for:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Lost wages
- Punitive damages
💰 PRECEDENT CASES — THEY WILL PAY
Hazing cases result in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts.
| Case | University | Fraternity | Outcome | Why It Matters for Vanderburgh County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz | Bowling Green State | Pi Kappa Alpha | $10.1 Million | Same fraternities operate near Vanderburgh County |
| Maxwell Gruver | Louisiana State | Phi Delta Theta | $6.1 Million Jury Verdict | Juries punish hazing with millions |
| Timothy Piazza | Penn State | Beta Theta Pi | $110 Million+ | Strong evidence = massive outcome |
| Andrew Coffey | Florida State | Pi Kappa Phi | Confidential | Same fraternity as our current case |
| Leonel Bermudez | University of Houston | Pi Kappa Phi | $10 Million Lawsuit Pending | We’re fighting this battle RIGHT NOW |
Vanderburgh County families: These same results are possible for you.
🔍 WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD WAS HAZED IN VANDERBURGH COUNTY
Step-by-Step Action Plan
| Step | Action | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ensure Safety | Remove your child from the dangerous situation immediately | Prevent further harm |
| 2. Seek Medical Attention | Take your child to Deaconess Hospital or Ascension St. Vincent Evansville | Document injuries; prevent complications |
| 3. Preserve Evidence | Save all texts, social media, photos, videos, witness names | Critical for legal case |
| 4. Do NOT Talk to the Organization | They will try to control the narrative and destroy evidence | Protect your rights |
| 5. Contact an Attorney | Call Attorney 911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 | Know your legal options |
| 6. Report to Authorities | File a police report with the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office | Criminal investigation may follow |
| 7. Report to the University | File a formal complaint with USI, Ivy Tech, or other institution | Institutional accountability |
| 8. Document Everything | Keep a timeline of events, medical records, communications | Strengthen your case |
📞 VANDERBURGH COUNTY FAMILIES: CALL US NOW
We are fighting this battle right now — and we will fight for you.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7 for Vanderburgh County hazing emergencies)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
We offer:
- Free consultations for Vanderburgh County families
- Contingency fee representation — $0 upfront; we only get paid if you win
- Remote consultations — no need to travel to Houston
- Willingness to travel — we come to Vanderburgh County for your case
- Bilingual staff — Se habla español
🛡️ WHY VANDERBURGH COUNTY FAMILIES CHOOSE ATTORNEY 911
We are the hazing litigation experts.
| Advantage | Why It Matters for Vanderburgh County |
|---|---|
| 25+ Years of Litigation Experience | Proven courtroom success |
| Former Insurance Defense Attorneys | We know how fraternities and universities will fight back |
| Federal Court Admission | Can pursue cases in federal jurisdiction |
| Dual-State Bar Licenses (Texas & New York) | Strategic advantage against national fraternities |
| Currently Litigating $10M Hazing Case | We’re in the fight RIGHT NOW |
| Se Habla Español | Bilingual staff serving Spanish-speaking families |
| Nationwide Reach | We represent hazing victims across America, including Vanderburgh County |
| Aggressive Representation | We don’t back down from powerful institutions |
🎯 THE MESSAGE TO VANDERBURGH COUNTY FRATERNITIES AND UNIVERSITIES
To the fraternities and sororities operating near Vanderburgh County:
We know who you are. We know your corporate structures. We know your national organizations have paid millions in hazing settlements. If you haze students in Vanderburgh County, we will find every liable entity.
Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma — if your chapter operates near Vanderburgh County, know that Attorney 911 represents hazing victims across America.
To the University of Southern Indiana and other Vanderburgh County institutions:
The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus. Act now — or face the same accountability.
The $10 million lawsuit we filed in Houston is a warning. Your chapter could be next.
📢 ENOUGH IS ENOUGH — VANDERBURGH COUNTY
Hazing has no place in Vanderburgh County. It has no place at the University of Southern Indiana. It has no place at Ivy Tech. It has no place in our community.
Vanderburgh County families deserve better. Vanderburgh County students deserve to be safe.
If your child was hazed, call us now. We will fight for you with everything we have.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
This is not just a legal case. This is a movement to protect our children.
