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February 22, 2026 11 min read
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Hazing Victims in Seward County, Kansas: Your Legal Rights and How We Can Help

A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight

Every year, thousands of students across America—including right here in Seward County, Kansas—are subjected to hazing rituals that cross the line from tradition into abuse. What starts as “initiation” or “team bonding” can quickly escalate into physical torture, psychological trauma, and life-threatening injuries.

At Attorney 911, we’re currently fighting one of the most egregious hazing cases in the nation—a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi fraternity 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 isn’t just happening in Texas—it’s happening at universities near Seward County, and it could be happening to your child right now.

If your son or daughter has been hazed in Seward County, Liberal, or anywhere in Kansas, you have legal rights. We can help.

What Is Hazing? (And Why It’s Illegal in Kansas)

Hazing isn’t just “harmless fun.” Under Kansas law (K.S.A. 21-5414), hazing is defined as:

“Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a student against another student in connection with an initiation into, admission into, or affiliation with a school organization, team, or group that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of the student.”

Examples of Hazing (From Our Current Case & Others)

Physical Abuse – Being struck with wooden paddles, forced to do extreme exercises (500 squats, 100 pushups), bear crawls until collapse
Waterboarding & Simulated Drowning – Sprayed with hoses while doing calisthenics, held underwater
Forced Consumption – Made to drink alcohol until vomiting, forced to eat hot dogs, milk, or peppercorns until sick
Sleep Deprivation – Forced to drive fraternity members at 3 AM, leading to exhaustion
Psychological Torture – Hog-tied with objects in mouth, carried sexual items as “punishment,” threatened with expulsion
Sexual Humiliation – Forced nudity, carrying sexual objects, degrading acts

In Kansas, hazing is a crime. If your child was injured, the fraternity, university, and individuals involved can be held civilly and criminally liable.

Why Seward County Families Need an Experienced Hazing Lawyer

1. Universities & Fraternities Will Try to Silence You

When hazing is exposed, institutions circle the wagons. They’ll:

  • Pressure victims to stay quiet (“It’s just tradition, don’t ruin it for everyone”)
  • Destroy evidence (deleting texts, erasing videos, intimidating witnesses)
  • Offer lowball settlements to make the problem go away
  • Blame the victim (“They consented,” “They knew the risks”)

We’ve seen it before. In our current case, the fraternity closed its chapter immediately—not out of remorse, but to limit liability. The university called the hazing “deeply disturbing” but didn’t stop it from happening in the first place.

You need a lawyer who knows how they operate—and how to fight back.

2. The Same Fraternities Operate in Seward County

The Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, and other national fraternities involved in hazing deaths and lawsuits have chapters near Seward County, including at:

  • Fort Hays State University (Hays, KS – ~2.5 hours from Liberal)
  • Wichita State University (Wichita, KS – ~3.5 hours from Liberal)
  • University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS – ~6 hours from Liberal)
  • Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS – ~5 hours from Liberal)

If these organizations hazed students in Houston, they’re hazing students in Kansas.

3. Kansas Has Weak Oversight—But Strong Legal Options

Kansas does not have a statewide anti-hazing law as strong as Texas or Louisiana, but:
Criminal charges can be filed under K.S.A. 21-5414 (hazing is a misdemeanor or felony, depending on severity)
Civil lawsuits can be filed for negligence, assault, battery, and emotional distress
Universities can be held liable if they knew (or should have known) about hazing and failed to stop it

We know how to build these cases—and win.

What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Seward County

✅ Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately

  • Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown), alcohol poisoning, and internal injuries can be life-threatening.
  • Document everything—photos of injuries, hospital records, doctor’s notes.

✅ Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

  • Save all texts, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs (screenshots + metadata)
  • Take photos/videos of injuries, hazing locations, and any items used (paddles, hoses, etc.)
  • Get witness names and contact info (other pledges, bystanders)
  • Do NOT delete anything—even if it seems embarrassing or incriminating.

✅ Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity or University Alone

  • They will try to control the narrative (“It was just a prank,” “He agreed to it”)
  • They will pressure you to sign releases that waive your rights
  • They will destroy evidence if they think they can get away with it

✅ Step 4: Call an Experienced Hazing Lawyer

We offer free, confidential consultations for Seward County families.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com

We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Seward County Hazing Case?

Defendant Why They’re Liable
Local Fraternity Chapter Directly organized and conducted hazing
National Fraternity Organization Failed to supervise, knew about hazing culture, ignored warnings
University/College Owns fraternity houses, failed to monitor Greek life, ignored prior incidents
Individual Members Participated in hazing, failed to stop it, threatened victims
Alumni & Housing Corporations Allowed hazing at their homes, failed to intervene
Insurance Companies Coverage for institutional liability (we know how to pursue these policies)

Real Cases, Real Results: What Hazing Victims Can Recover

Case Fraternity Injury Outcome
Stone Foltz (BGSU, 2021) Pi Kappa Alpha Died from forced alcohol consumption $10.1 million settlement
Maxwell Gruver (LSU, 2017) Phi Delta Theta Died from “Bible Study” drinking game $6.1 million jury verdict
Timothy Piazza (Penn State, 2017) Beta Theta Pi Fell down stairs after forced drinking, died $110+ million settlement
Andrew Coffey (FSU, 2017) Pi Kappa Phi Died from forced bourbon consumption Confidential settlement
Leonel Bermudez (UH, 2025) Pi Kappa Phi Waterboarded, 500 squats, kidney failure $10 million lawsuit (pending)

These results are possible for Seward County victims too.

Why Choose Attorney 911 for Your Seward County Hazing Case?

✅ We’re Currently Fighting a $10 Million Hazing Case

  • We know the playbook fraternities and universities use to avoid accountability.
  • We won’t let them intimidate or silence your family.

✅ Former Insurance Defense Attorneys

  • We know how insurance companies think—because we used to work for them.
  • We know their tricks to lowball victims, and we won’t let them get away with it.

✅ Nationwide Experience, Local Focus

  • Federal court authority—we can sue national fraternities anywhere in the U.S.
  • Dual-state bar licenses (Texas & New York)—strategic advantage in multi-state cases.
  • We travel to Seward County for depositions, meetings, and trials.

✅ We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)

  • Hazing affects all communities, including Hispanic students in Seward County.
  • No language barriers—we ensure every family understands their rights.

✅ No Upfront Costs—You Pay Nothing Unless We Win

  • Contingency fee basis—we only get paid if we recover money for you.
  • No financial risk—we take the case only if we believe in it.

What’s Next for Seward County Hazing Victims?

1. Free Case Evaluation

We’ll review your case confidentially and for free. We’ll tell you:

  • If you have a strong claim
  • Who can be held liable
  • What compensation you may be entitled to

2. Evidence Preservation & Investigation

  • Send preservation letters to fraternities, universities, and individuals
  • Subpoena texts, social media, fraternity records
  • Interview witnesses and medical experts

3. Demand Compensation

  • Medical bills (past and future)
  • Lost wages (if your child missed work or internships)
  • Pain and suffering (physical and emotional trauma)
  • Punitive damages (to punish the organization and prevent future hazing)

4. Negotiate or Go to Trial

  • Most cases settle out of court (we’ve won millions without trial).
  • If needed, we take it to trial—and we win.

Seward County Families: You Are Not Alone

Hazing is not tradition—it’s abuse. It’s not bonding—it’s torture. And it’s not inevitable—it’s preventable.

If your child has been hazed at a Seward County school, Liberal college, or any Kansas university, we can help.

📞 Call Now: 1-888-ATTY-911

📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com

🌐 Visit: attorney911.com

Free consultation. No obligation. No upfront costs.
We fight for justice—because no family should go through this alone.

🔥 A Message to Fraternities Near Seward County:

We are watching.
The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter.
If your fraternity harms students in Seward County, Liberal, or anywhere in Kansas, we will pursue every liable entity.

Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha—if your chapter operates near Seward County, know that Attorney 911 represents victims across America. We already shut down Beta Nu. Your chapter could be next.

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