Louisiana Hazing Lawyer – Fraternity & Sorority Abuse Attorney

Hazing Victims in Louisiana Deserve Justice – We Fight for You

At Attorney 911, we are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston—proving that fraternities and universities can and will be held accountable. Louisiana families face the same risks. If your child was hazed in a fraternity, sorority, sports team, or other student organization in Louisiana, we will fight for you with the same aggression.

Call now for a free, confidential consultation:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com

The Hazing Crisis in Louisiana – It’s Happening Here

Hazing is not just a problem in Texas—it’s happening at Louisiana universities right now. The same fraternities, the same “traditions,” and the same negligence that hospitalized our client in Houston exist in Louisiana.

Louisiana Universities Where Hazing Occurs

While we cannot comment on specific incidents without investigation, we know that major Louisiana universities have active Greek life chapters, including:

• Louisiana State University (LSU) – Home of the Max Gruver case, where Phi Delta Theta hazing led to a $6.1 million jury verdict and Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act (felony hazing law)
• Tulane University
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Louisiana Tech University
• Southern University
• Xavier University of Louisiana
• Loyola University New Orleans
• Centenary College of Louisiana
• McNeese State University
• Nicholls State University
• Grambling State University
• Dillard University

The same national fraternities operate in Louisiana:

• Pi Kappa Phi (our current case)
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) (multiple hazing incidents nationwide)
• Kappa Sigma
• Sigma Chi
• Phi Delta Theta (Gruver case)
• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike)
• Beta Theta Pi (Penn State case)
• And many more

If your child was hazed in any Louisiana fraternity or sorority, we can help.

What Is Hazing? Louisiana Law & Real Examples

Louisiana’s Anti-Hazing Law (Max Gruver Act)

Louisiana Revised Statutes § 14:40.7 defines hazing as:

“Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act by a person acting alone or with others that is directed against a student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization.”

Hazing is a FELONY in Louisiana if it results in:

• Serious bodily injury (Class D felony – up to 5 years in prison)
• Death (Class C felony – up to 10 years in prison)

Consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law still holds perpetrators accountable.

Real Hazing Activities – This Is What Happens in Louisiana

Our current case against Pi Kappa Phi reveals the brutal reality of hazing—and it’s happening in Louisiana too.

Physical Abuse

• Waterboarding with a garden hose (simulated drowning – considered torture)
• Forced exercise to exhaustion (500+ squats, 100+ pushups, bear crawls, “suicides”)
• Being struck with wooden paddles (assault with a weapon)
• Extreme calisthenics in cold weather while stripped to underwear
• Repeated 100-yard crawls until collapse

Forced Consumption

• Drinking until vomiting (alcohol, milk, hot dogs, peppercorns)
• Forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass after being sick
• Continued exercise while vomiting (reckless endangerment)

Psychological Torture & Humiliation

• Hog-tying pledges face-down on tables with objects in their mouths
• Forced to carry fanny packs with sexual objects at all times
• Sleep deprivation (forced to drive members during early morning hours)
• Threats of expulsion or physical punishment if they refuse

Medical Consequences in Louisiana

• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown leading to kidney failure – our client suffered this)
• Alcohol poisoning (can be fatal)
• Traumatic brain injury (from beatings or falls)
• Hypothermia/hyperthermia (from exposure)
• PTSD, anxiety, depression (long-term psychological damage)

This is not “tradition.” This is abuse. This is illegal. And Louisiana victims have rights.

Who Is Liable for Louisiana Hazing?

When hazing happens, multiple parties can be held legally and financially responsible:

Deep pockets exist. National fraternities and universities have millions in assets and insurance. We know how to pursue them.

Louisiana Hazing Cases – We Know How to Win

The Gruver Case – $6.1 Million Jury Verdict (LSU, 2017)

• Victim: Max Gruver (Phi Delta Theta pledge)
• Hazing: Forced drinking during “Bible Study” event
• Result: Died from alcohol poisoning (BAC 0.495 – 6x legal limit)
• Outcome: $6.1 million jury verdict against the fraternity
• Legislation: Max Gruver Act – made hazing a felony in Louisiana

This proves Louisiana juries will award MILLIONS for hazing deaths and injuries.

Our Current Case – $10 Million Lawsuit (UH, 2025)

• Victim: Leonel Bermudez (Pi Kappa Phi pledge)
• Hazing: Waterboarding, 500 squats, forced eating until vomiting, wooden paddles
• Result: Rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure – 4 days hospitalized
• Outcome: $10 million lawsuit filed – media coverage from ABC13, KHOU, Houston Chronicle
• Status: Pi Kappa Phi chapter shut down – but they’re already planning to return

This is the same fight we’ll bring to Louisiana.

What Louisiana Hazing Victims Can Sue For

If your child was hazed in Louisiana, you may be entitled to compensation for:

Economic Damages (Financial Losses)

• Medical bills (hospitalization, rehabilitation, therapy)
• Future medical expenses (kidney monitoring, potential dialysis/transplant)
• Lost wages (time missed from work during recovery)
• Educational disruption (tuition for missed semesters, scholarship loss)
• Funeral expenses (in wrongful death cases)

Non-Economic Damages (Pain & Suffering)

• Physical pain from injuries (rhabdomyolysis, broken bones, burns)
• Mental anguish (PTSD, anxiety, depression from abuse)
• Emotional distress (humiliation, shame, loss of trust)
• Loss of enjoyment of life (inability to participate in activities)
• Disfigurement (scars from branding, burns, or injuries)

Punitive Damages (Punishment for Egregious Conduct)

• Waterboarding = torture (simulated drowning is a war crime)
• Forced exercise to collapse (reckless endangerment)
• Prior knowledge of hazing risks (institutions that failed to act)
• Cover-up attempts (destroying evidence, intimidating victims)

Louisiana has no cap on pain and suffering damages (unlike some states). Juries can award millions for egregious hazing.

What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Louisiana

Step 1: Seek Medical Attention Immediately

• Even if injuries seem minor, get checked. Rhabdomyolysis, concussions, and internal injuries may not be obvious at first.
• Document everything. Get copies of all medical records.

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

• Save all communications: Texts, GroupMe messages, Snapchats, emails, social media posts
• Take photos/videos: Injuries, hazing locations, alcohol containers, paddles, other objects used
• Get witness names: Other pledges, bystanders, anyone who saw the hazing
• Do NOT delete anything. Destroying evidence can hurt your case.

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

• They will try to control the narrative. Their lawyers will contact you.
• Do NOT give statements to fraternity members, university officials, or insurance companies.
• Do NOT sign anything without legal review.

Step 4: Contact a Louisiana Hazing Lawyer Immediately

• Statute of limitations: Louisiana law gives you only 1 year to file a personal injury lawsuit (shorter than many states).
• Evidence disappears quickly. Witnesses forget, fraternities destroy records.
• We offer free consultations and work on contingency – you pay nothing upfront.

Call now:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com

Why Louisiana Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Currently Fighting a $10 Million Hazing Case – Right Now

• Same strategies apply to Louisiana victims.
• We know how to build these cases, negotiate with fraternities, and take them to trial if needed.

2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys – We Know Their Playbook

• Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena both worked for insurance companies before switching sides.
• We know exactly how they try to minimize or deny claims.
• We use that insider knowledge to maximize your compensation.

3. Nationwide Reach – We Can Handle Louisiana Cases

• Federal court admission (U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas)
• Dual-state bar licenses (Texas and New York)
• Willingness to travel to Louisiana for depositions, trials, and client meetings
• Remote consultations available for Louisiana families

4. Proven Results in High-Stakes Litigation

• BP Texas City explosion litigation (multi-billion dollar mass tort)
• Multi-million dollar settlements in personal injury cases
• Hundreds of cases won by exposing flawed evidence

5. We Speak Spanish – Se Habla Español

• Lupe Pena is fluent in Spanish.
• We serve Louisiana’s Hispanic families without language barriers.

6. We Work on Contingency – $0 Upfront Costs

• You pay NOTHING unless we win your case.
• No hourly fees, no retainers.
• We take the financial risk so you can focus on recovery.

Louisiana Hazing FAQs

Q: Can I sue if my child “consented” to hazing?

A: YES. Louisiana law (RS § 14:40.7) explicitly states that consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child agreed to participate, the fraternity and university can still be held liable.

Q: What if the hazing happened off-campus?

A: You can still sue. Hazing is illegal on or off campus in Louisiana. If it was part of fraternity activities, the national organization and university may still be liable.

Q: How long do I have to file a lawsuit in Louisiana?

A: 1 year for personal injury. Louisiana has a shorter statute of limitations than many states. Do not wait. Evidence disappears, and your rights expire.

Q: Can I sue the university if they didn’t know about the hazing?

A: YES. Universities have a duty to protect students. If they failed to implement proper oversight (especially after prior hazing incidents), they can be held liable for negligent supervision.

Q: What if my child was hazed but not seriously injured?

A: You may still have a case. Even without hospitalization, hazing can cause PTSD, anxiety, depression, and academic disruption. These damages can be compensated.

Q: Can I sue if my child was a “ghost rush” (not yet enrolled)?

A: YES. Our current client was a “ghost rush”—he wasn’t even a UH student yet. Fraternities that recruit non-students and haze them are especially reckless.

Q: What if the fraternity chapter was already shut down?

A: You can still sue. The national organization and individual members may still be liable. Our current case involves a chapter that was shut down before the lawsuit was filed—and we’re still pursuing them.

Q: Will my child’s name be made public?

A: Not necessarily. We can file under “John Doe” to protect privacy, especially in sensitive cases involving sexual assault or extreme humiliation.

Louisiana Hazing Warning Signs – What Parents Should Watch For

Hazing is often hidden, but these red flags may indicate your child is being hazed:

✅ Sudden secrecy – Avoiding questions about fraternity/sorority activities
✅ Unexplained injuries – Bruises, cuts, burns, or limping
✅ Extreme fatigue – Sleep deprivation is a common hazing tactic
✅ Sudden weight loss – Forced exercise or food deprivation
✅ Emotional changes – Anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or fear
✅ Missing classes or declining grades – Hazing disrupts academics
✅ Unexplained expenses – “Dues” that seem excessive or vague
✅ Strange behavior – Wearing odd clothing, carrying unusual objects
✅ Fear of retribution – Not wanting to talk about Greek life for fear of consequences

If you notice these signs, ask questions. If your child is in danger, get help immediately.

Louisiana Hazing Resources

Report Hazing in Louisiana

• Louisiana State Police Hazing Hotline: (225) 925-6113
• University Title IX Offices (for sexual assault or harassment)
• Local Police (for criminal hazing reports)

Hazing Prevention Organizations

• Hank Nuwer Anti-Hazing Hotline: 1-888-NOT-HAZE
• StopHazing.org (Research and education)
• Inside Hazing (Resources for students and parents)

Mental Health Support

• Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
• Louisiana Department of Health – Behavioral Health: ldh.la.gov

Louisiana Hazing Lawyer – Free Consultation

If your child was hazed in Louisiana, you have rights. We will fight for you.

📞 Call now for a free, confidential case evaluation:
1-888-ATTY-911

📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com

📍 Serving all of Louisiana from our Texas offices (Houston, Austin, Beaumont)
✈️ We travel to Louisiana for client meetings, depositions, and trials

$0 upfront costs. We don’t get paid unless you win.

Enough Is Enough. Louisiana Hazing Must End.

We are Attorney 911. We fight for hazing victims nationwide—including Louisiana.

Call now before evidence disappears and your rights expire.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 | 📧 ralph@atty911.com