🚨 Hazing Victims in Berkshire County: You Are Not Alone. We Are Fighting For You.
Berkshire County families — if your child was hazed at a college or university near you, we can help.
At Attorney 911, we are currently representing a hazing victim in a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and the University of Houston. Our client was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats until his muscles broke down, and hospitalized with kidney failure — all as part of so-called “initiation.”
This isn’t happening just in Texas. It’s happening at colleges and universities across America — including near Berkshire County.
The same fraternities operate near Berkshire County. The same negligence exists at Berkshire County institutions. The same culture of abuse is being passed down as “tradition.”
And we are fighting to stop it.
📞 Berkshire County Hazing Victims — Call Now for Free Consultation
1-888-ATTY-911
Available 24/7 for Berkshire County families
We work on contingency — $0 upfront. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
🔥 What Happened in Houston Could Happen in Berkshire County
The Reality of Hazing — It’s Not “Tradition.” It’s Torture.
Our client, Leonel Bermudez, accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi fraternity at the University of Houston in September 2025. He wasn’t even enrolled at the university yet — he was a “ghost rush,” expected to transfer for the upcoming semester.
What followed was weeks of systematic abuse and torture disguised as “pledge activities”:
- Waterboarding with a garden hose — simulated drowning
- Forced to do 500 squats, 100+ pushups, bear crawls, 100-yard crawls — until he collapsed
- Struck with wooden paddles
- Forced to eat milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting — then forced to continue running
- Forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass
- Stripped to underwear in cold weather
- Sprayed with a hose while minimally clothed
- Another pledge hog-tied face-down on a table with an object in his mouth for over an hour
- A pledge lost consciousness during a workout — fraternity members had to elevate his legs
On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was punished for missing an event. He was forced to perform extreme exercise until he could not stand without help. He crawled up the stairs when he got home. The next day, he could not move. His mother rushed him to the hospital on November 6. He was diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. He spent three nights and four days in the hospital fighting for his life.
This is not “hazing.” This is torture. This is assault. This is a crime.
⚖️ Berkshire County Families: You Have Legal Rights
If your child was hazed at a college or university near Berkshire County, you have the right to hold the perpetrators and institutions accountable.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Berkshire County Hazing?
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable |
|---|---|
| Local Fraternity/Sorority Chapter | Directly organized and conducted hazing |
| National Fraternity/Sorority Organization | Failed to supervise chapter; knew about hazing culture |
| University/College | Failed to protect students; may own fraternity house |
| Chapter Officers (President, Pledgemaster, etc.) | Leadership responsibility; directed hazing |
| Individual Members | Participated in hazing activities |
| Former Members/Alumni | Hosted hazing at their homes |
| Housing Corporations | Owned property where hazing occurred |
In our Pi Kappa Phi case, we are suing:
- Pi Kappa Phi National
- The local chapter
- The housing corporation
- The University of Houston (they owned the fraternity house)
- The fraternity president
- The pledgemaster
- Current and former members
- A former member and his spouse (hazing occurred at their residence)
💰 Berkshire County Hazing Victims Can Win Millions
Hazing cases result in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. Here’s what other families have won:
| Case | University | Fraternity | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz | Bowling Green State | Pi Kappa Alpha | $10.1 million settlement |
| Maxwell Gruver | Louisiana State | Phi Delta Theta | $6.1 million jury verdict |
| Timothy Piazza | Penn State | Beta Theta Pi | $110+ million settlement |
| Andrew Coffey | Florida State | Pi Kappa Phi | Confidential settlement |
| Adam Oakes | Virginia Commonwealth | Delta Chi | $4+ million settlement |
Our client is seeking $10 million. This is in line with what other families have recovered.
Berkshire County families deserve the same justice.
📋 What Berkshire County Families Should Do If Their Child Was Hazed
Immediate Action Steps:
- Get medical attention — Even if injuries seem minor, document everything
- Preserve all evidence — Text messages, photos, videos, social media posts
- Do NOT talk to the fraternity, sorority, or university without legal counsel
- Do NOT post on social media about the incident
- Do NOT sign anything from the organization
- Call Attorney 911 immediately — 1-888-ATTY-911
Evidence to Preserve:
| Evidence Type | What to Save |
|---|---|
| Medical Records | Hospital records, doctor notes, therapy records |
| Photos/Videos | Injuries, hazing activities, locations |
| Communications | Text messages, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs, emails |
| Witness Information | Names and contact info of other victims or witnesses |
| Documents | Pledge manuals, schedules, rules given to your child |
| Financial Records | Medical bills, lost wages, tuition/fees paid |
🎯 Why Berkshire County Families Choose Attorney 911
We Are Fighting This Battle Right Now — And We’ll Fight For Berkshire County Families Too
| Advantage | Why It Matters for Berkshire County Families |
|---|---|
| 25+ Years of Litigation Experience | Battle-tested in courtrooms across Texas — available for Berkshire County cases |
| Former Insurance Defense Attorneys | Know exactly how insurance companies try to deny claims — use this against Berkshire County defendants |
| Multi-Billion Dollar Case Experience | BP Texas City explosion litigation proves we can take on massive corporate defendants — same skills apply to Berkshire County hazing cases |
| Federal Court Authority | U.S. District Court admission — can pursue Berkshire County cases in federal court |
| Dual-State Bar Admission | Texas AND New York licensed — strategic advantage for Berkshire County cases against national fraternities |
| Hazing-Specific Expertise | Direct experience with fraternity litigation, rhabdomyolysis cases, and university accountability |
| Currently Litigating $10M Hazing Case | Same strategies available for Berkshire County victims |
| Se Habla Español | Bilingual staff serving Spanish-speaking clients — Berkshire County Hispanic families welcome |
| Nationwide Service | We represent hazing victims across America, including Berkshire County |
| We Will Travel to Berkshire County | For depositions, trials, and client meetings — distance is not a barrier |
🏛️ The Legal Framework Supporting Berkshire County Hazing Victims
Massachusetts Hazing Law
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 269, Section 17-19 addresses hazing:
“Whoever is a principal organizer or participant in the crime of hazing, as defined herein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment.”
Definition of Hazing in Massachusetts:
Any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person.
Key Points for Berkshire County Families:
- Criminal penalties — up to 1 year in jail and $3,000 fine
- Civil liability — victims can also sue for damages
- Consent is not a defense — even if your child “agreed” to participate, it doesn’t matter
- Organizations can be held liable — fraternities, sororities, universities
Federal Civil Rights Claims
In addition to state law claims, hazing victims may have federal civil rights claims under:
- 42 U.S.C. § 1983 — If a state actor (like a public university) was involved
- Title IX — If the hazing was gender-based or created a hostile environment
These claims can be pursued in federal court and may result in additional damages.
🚫 Common Defenses — And Why They Fail
“He Consented to Participate”
Massachusetts Law: Consent is not a defense to hazing.
The Reality: Victims are often coerced through:
- Peer pressure
- Fear of social exclusion
- Threats of expulsion from the organization
- Power dynamics between older members and pledges
- Misrepresentation of what “initiation” would entail
“It’s Just Tradition”
The Law: “Tradition” does not justify illegal conduct.
The Reality: Many “traditions” in Greek life are actually forms of abuse that have been passed down for generations. Waterboarding, forced exercise, and physical abuse are not traditions — they’re crimes.
“We Didn’t Know It Was Happening”
The Law: Organizations have a duty to supervise their members.
The Reality:
- National organizations know hazing happens at their chapters
- Universities know hazing happens on their campuses
- They have the power to stop it
- When they fail to act, they’re liable
In our Pi Kappa Phi case:
- Pi Kappa Phi National knew about a “hazing crisis”
- The University of Houston had a prior hazing incident in 2017
- Neither took effective action
- They cannot claim ignorance
🏆 What Berkshire County Hazing Victims Can Win
Economic Damages:
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Lost wages
- Lost academic opportunities
- Tuition and fees for disrupted education
Non-Economic Damages:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- PTSD, anxiety, depression
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Humiliation and shame
Punitive Damages:
- Awarded when conduct is particularly egregious
- Meant to punish the wrongdoer and deter future misconduct
- Appropriate in hazing cases due to the intentional and reckless nature of the conduct
🎯 Berkshire County Colleges and Universities With Greek Life
Berkshire County is home to several colleges and universities where Greek life is active. These institutions include:
Williams College
- Located in Williamstown, Massachusetts
- Active Greek organizations
- Private liberal arts college
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA)
- Located in North Adams, Massachusetts
- Public liberal arts college
- Greek life presence
Nearby Institutions With Significant Greek Life:
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (Amherst, MA)
- Amherst College (Amherst, MA)
- Smith College (Northampton, MA)
- Mount Holyoke College (South Hadley, MA)
- Hampshire College (Amherst, MA)
The same national fraternities and sororities involved in hazing deaths and injuries nationwide have chapters at these institutions.
If your child attends or plans to attend any of these schools, they face the same risks that hospitalized our client in Houston.
📢 To Fraternities and Sororities Near Berkshire County:
We Are Watching. We Are Coming.
Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma, Phi Gamma Delta, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Delta Chi, Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Nu, Lambda Chi Alpha, Alpha Tau Omega, Chi Psi —
If your chapter operates near Berkshire County, know this:
We are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi. We have proven these cases can be won. We have shut down chapters. We have held individuals personally liable.
Your chapter could be next.
The same legal strategies that secured multi-million dollar verdicts for hazing victims nationwide apply to your chapter. The same pattern evidence we are using in our current case — showing that national organizations know about hazing and fail to stop it — applies to your organization.
We track your house corporations. We track your alumni chapters. We track your insurance policies. We track your history of hazing incidents.
If you haze students near Berkshire County, we will find you. We will sue you. And we will win.
📞 Berkshire County Families — Call Now
If your child was hazed at a college or university near Berkshire County, call Attorney 911 immediately.
1-888-ATTY-911
Available 24/7 for Berkshire County hazing emergencies
Free consultation — no obligation
We work on contingency — $0 upfront. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
We will travel to Berkshire County for your case. Distance is not a barrier to justice.
💔 To the Parents of Berkshire County:
We know what you’re feeling right now. You sent your child to college expecting them to be safe. You trusted the university to protect them. You trusted the fraternity or sorority to provide a positive experience.
That trust was betrayed.
Your child was abused. Humiliated. Tortured. Hospitalized. Or worse — taken from you forever.
We understand the pain. We understand the anger. We understand the desire for justice.
You are not alone.
We are fighting this battle right now in Texas. We are fighting for a young man who was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats until his muscles broke down, and hospitalized with kidney failure.
We will fight for Berkshire County families with the same fury.
Call us. Let us help you hold them accountable. Let us help you protect the next student.
1-888-ATTY-911
🔥 Enough Is Enough.
Berkshire County families — it’s time to fight back.
Call Attorney 911 now: 1-888-ATTY-911