🚨 Hazing Victims in Plaquemines Parish: You Are Not Alone
Plaquemines Parish families: If your child has been hazed at a college or university near Plaquemines Parish, you need to know this is happening right now in Louisiana and across America. The same fraternities operating at Louisiana universities are the ones we’re currently suing in Texas for waterboarding a student until he developed kidney failure. This isn’t “tradition.” This is abuse. And it’s illegal.
🏥 What Happened in Houston Could Happen in Louisiana
Right now, our attorneys Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena are fighting a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and the University of Houston. Our client, Leonel Bermudez, wasn’t even a UH student yet when he was subjected to:
- Waterboarding with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
- 500 squats and 100 pushups until he collapsed
- Being struck with wooden paddles
- Forced to eat until vomiting, then forced to keep running
- Another pledge lost consciousness during hazing – they kept going
He ended up in the hospital for four days with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure. And here’s what makes this relevant to Plaquemines Parish families:
Pi Kappa Phi has chapters at universities across Louisiana. The same national organization that allowed this to happen in Houston operates at colleges near Plaquemines Parish. The same culture exists. The same negligence exists. And the same legal rights exist for Louisiana victims.
🏛️ Louisiana Universities Where This Could Happen
While we can’t name specific incidents at Louisiana schools without verified information, we know that:
- Pi Kappa Phi has active chapters at multiple Louisiana universities
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) has chapters across the state
- Sigma Chi has a strong presence in Louisiana
- Kappa Sigma operates at several Louisiana campuses
- And many other national fraternities with documented hazing histories maintain chapters near Plaquemines Parish
These are the same organizations that have paid millions in settlements for hazing deaths and injuries nationwide. The same fraternities that have been involved in wrongful death lawsuits. The same groups that continue to operate despite their deadly track records.
⚖️ Louisiana Hazing Laws Protect Your Child
Louisiana has strong anti-hazing laws that apply to Plaquemines Parish students:
Louisiana Revised Statutes § 17:1801 defines hazing as:
“Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act by a person acting alone or acting with others that is directed against a student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, and that is committed for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, participating in, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization.”
Key provisions for Plaquemines Parish families:
- Hazing is a CRIME in Louisiana – up to 5 years in prison
- Consent is NOT a defense – even if your child “agreed” to participate
- Organizations can be held liable – not just individual members
- Universities can be held liable – for failing to protect students
The Max Gruver Act (named after an LSU student who died from hazing) made hazing a FELONY in Louisiana. This law shows how seriously our state takes hazing – and your family has the same legal rights as the Gruver family.
💰 Multi-Million Dollar Settlements Are Possible in Louisiana
Hazing cases result in substantial settlements and verdicts:
- $6.1 million jury verdict for the family of Max Gruver (LSU/Phi Delta Theta)
- $10.1 million settlement for Stone Foltz’s family (Bowling Green/Pi Kappa Alpha)
- Confidential multi-million dollar settlements in other cases
These amounts reflect the seriousness of hazing injuries and the legal responsibility of fraternities and universities. Plaquemines Parish families can pursue the same level of compensation.
📞 Plaquemines Parish Families: We Can Help
You don’t have to fight this alone. Our attorneys are currently litigating a $10 million hazing case and have experience with:
- Rhabdomyolysis cases (like our current client)
- Kappa Sigma fraternity litigation
- Texas A&M University hazing cases
- Hospitalization compensation claims
- Wrongful death from hazing activities
How We Serve Plaquemines Parish Families:
✅ Free consultations – No cost to discuss your case
✅ Contingency fee basis – $0 upfront; we only get paid if you win
✅ Nationwide representation – We can handle cases anywhere in Louisiana
✅ Federal court authority – Can pursue cases across state lines
✅ Travel to Plaquemines Parish – For depositions, meetings, and court appearances
✅ Video consultations – Available for Plaquemines Parish families who can’t travel
✅ Bilingual services – Se habla español
Call us 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911
🛑 What Plaquemines Parish Families Should Do Right Now
If your child has been hazed:
- Get medical attention immediately – Even if injuries seem minor
- Preserve all evidence – Texts, photos, videos, social media posts
- Do NOT talk to the fraternity or university alone – They will try to minimize what happened
- Do NOT post about the incident on social media – Anything you post can be used against you
- Call us immediately – The statute of limitations is running
🏆 Why Plaquemines Parish Families Choose Attorney 911
We’re currently fighting this battle
We’re not just talking about hazing – we’re actively litigating a $10 million case against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. Plaquemines Parish families get the same aggressive representation.
We know how fraternities operate
Both of our attorneys are former insurance defense lawyers. We know how fraternities and universities try to avoid responsibility. We know their playbook – and we use it against them.
We have federal court authority
We can pursue cases in federal court, which gives us more leverage against national fraternities and universities.
We travel to Plaquemines Parish
Distance is not a barrier. We will come to Plaquemines Parish for depositions, meetings, and court appearances.
We offer bilingual services
We serve Spanish-speaking families in Plaquemines Parish without language barriers.
We work on contingency
Plaquemines Parish families pay $0 upfront. We only get paid if we win your case.
📢 A Message to Fraternities Operating Near Plaquemines Parish
To Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma, and all other national fraternities with chapters near Plaquemines Parish:
We are watching. The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your Louisiana chapters. If you haze students in Plaquemines Parish or anywhere in Louisiana, we will find every liable entity.
Pi Kappa Phi: We’re already suing your national organization. We know about Andrew Coffey’s death in 2017. We know about Leonel Bermudez’s hospitalization in 2025. We know you had 8 years to fix your culture and did nothing.
Universities near Plaquemines Parish: The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campuses. Act now or face the same accountability.
To Greek life leadership at Louisiana institutions: The Bermudez case is a warning. Clean up your chapters before we clean them out in court.
🎯 The Hazing Must Stop
Plaquemines Parish families: This isn’t about “tradition” or “brotherhood.” This is about abuse. This is about assault. This is about institutions failing to protect our children.
Enough is enough.
If your child has been hazed at a Louisiana university, call us now: 1-888-ATTY-911
We will fight for your family. We will hold the responsible parties accountable. And we will make sure this never happens to another Plaquemines Parish family.
The time to act is now.
