Hazing Lawyer in McCone County, Montana – Protecting Students & Families

🚨 Hazing in McCone County: A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight

Hazing isn’t just a problem at big universities—it happens right here in McCone County, Montana, and the surrounding communities. Whether your child attends Dawson Community College, Montana State University-Northern, or another institution in the region, they face the same risks that have hospitalized and killed students across the country.

At Attorney 911, we’re currently fighting a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston—a case that proves fraternities, sororities, and universities will go to extreme lengths to protect their reputations while students suffer. The same fraternities operate near McCone County. The same negligence exists at Montana schools. And we will fight for McCone County families with the same aggression.

If your child has been hazed, abused, or injured in a Greek organization, sports team, or student group in McCone County, you have legal rights—and we can help.

📞 Call Now: 1-888-ATTY-911

Free, confidential consultation – Available 24/7

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

Hazing isn’t just “harmless tradition”—it’s abuse, assault, and often criminal behavior. Under Montana law (MCA § 45-5-627), hazing is defined as:

“Any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them—regardless of their willingness to participate.”

Examples of Hazing in McCone County Schools:

✅ Forced alcohol consumption (binge drinking, “drink until you vomit”)
✅ Physical abuse (beatings, paddling, branding, forced exercise to exhaustion)
✅ Psychological torture (waterboarding, sleep deprivation, humiliation rituals)
✅ Sexual assault (forced nudity, degrading acts)
✅ Dangerous stunts (blindfolded activities, extreme weather exposure)
✅ Servitude (forced errands, cleaning, or driving members at all hours)

If your child experienced any of these, they were hazed—and the organization, university, and individuals involved may be liable.

💔 The Devastating Consequences of Hazing

Hazing doesn’t just leave emotional scars—it can destroy lives physically, academically, and financially.

Physical Injuries We’ve Seen in Hazing Cases:

🩸 Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown leading to kidney failure – like our current client)
🩸 Alcohol poisoning (coma, death)
🩸 Traumatic brain injuries (from beatings or falls)
🩸 Broken bones, burns, and internal bleeding
🩸 Hypothermia or heatstroke (from forced outdoor activities)
🩸 Sexual assault injuries

Long-Term Effects on McCone County Students:

🔹 PTSD, anxiety, and depression (many victims drop out of school)
🔹 Academic struggles (missed classes, failing grades)
🔹 Financial ruin (medical bills, lost scholarships, therapy costs)
🔹 Social isolation (fear of retaliation, loss of friendships)
🔹 Career damage (permanent records, reputation harm)

Universities and Greek organizations will try to silence victims—but we won’t let them.

🏛️ Who Can Be Held Liable for Hazing in McCone County?

When hazing happens, everyone involved can be sued—not just the students who participated.

Potential Defendants in a McCone County Hazing Lawsuit:

Defendant	Why They’re Liable	Example from Our Case
Local fraternity/sorority chapter	Directly organized and carried out hazing	Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter at UH
National Greek organization	Failed to supervise chapters, ignored warnings	Pi Kappa Phi National (knew about “hazing crisis”)
University/college	Owned the property, failed to prevent hazing	University of Houston owned the fraternity house
Chapter officers (President, Pledgemaster, etc.)	Directed hazing activities	Named as individual defendants in our lawsuit
Individual members	Participated in or enabled hazing	Multiple members named in lawsuit
Alumni & housing corporations	Allowed hazing on their property	Former member’s spouse named for hosting hazing
Insurance companies	Cover liability for hazing incidents	Deep pockets for settlements

We don’t just sue broke college students—we go after the institutions and insurance policies that can actually pay.

💰 How Much Is a Hazing Case Worth in McCone County?

Hazing lawsuits can result in multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts. Here’s what McCone County families can recover:

1. Economic Damages (Actual Financial Losses)

💵 Medical bills (ER visits, hospital stays, therapy, future treatment)
💵 Lost wages (time missed from work due to injuries)
💵 Educational costs (tuition refunds, lost scholarships)
💵 Rehabilitation expenses (physical therapy, counseling)

2. Non-Economic Damages (Pain & Suffering)

😢 Physical pain (from injuries, surgeries, recovery)
😢 Emotional distress (PTSD, anxiety, depression)
😢 Humiliation & shame (from degrading hazing rituals)
😢 Loss of enjoyment of life (inability to participate in activities)
😢 Permanent disability or disfigurement

3. Punitive Damages (Punishing the Wrongdoers)

💥 For extreme negligence or intentional harm
💥 To send a message that hazing won’t be tolerated
💥 Can exceed $1 million in egregious cases

Recent Hazing Settlements & Verdicts:

Case	University	Fraternity	Amount	Injury
Stone Foltz	Bowling Green State	Pi Kappa Alpha	$10.1M	Death (alcohol poisoning)
Maxwell Gruver	LSU	Phi Delta Theta	$6.1M	Death (alcohol poisoning)
Timothy Piazza	Penn State	Beta Theta Pi	$110M+	Death (traumatic brain injury)
Our Current Case	University of Houston	Pi Kappa Phi	$10M	Rhabdomyolysis, kidney failure

If your child was hazed in McCone County, they deserve the same justice—and we know how to get it.

🚨 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in McCone County

Time is critical. Evidence disappears, memories fade, and statutes of limitations expire. If your child was hazed, follow these steps immediately:

📌 Step 1: Get Medical Help (Even If Injuries Seem Minor)

Go to the ER or urgent care—some injuries (like rhabdomyolysis) aren’t obvious at first.
Document everything—take photos of injuries, save medical records.
Tell the doctor your child was hazed—this creates a paper trail.

📌 Step 2: Preserve Evidence

📱 Save all communications (texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs)
📸 Take screenshots of social media posts about hazing
📝 Write down everything (dates, times, locations, people involved)
🎥 Save photos/videos (even if they seem harmless)
📧 Do NOT delete anything—this could be considered destruction of evidence

📌 Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Organization or University Alone

They will try to control the narrative—don’t give statements without a lawyer.
They may offer a “settlement”—these are almost always lowball offers.
They may pressure your child to “drop it”—this is about protecting them, not your child.

📌 Step 4: Call a Hazing Lawyer Immediately

Montana has a 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
Evidence disappears fast—witnesses forget, messages get deleted, organizations destroy records.
The sooner we get involved, the stronger your case will be.

📞 Call Attorney 911 Now: 1-888-ATTY-911

🏆 Why McCone County Families Choose Attorney 911

✅ We’re Currently Fighting a $10M Hazing Case (Right Now!)

We’re representing Leonel Bermudez, a student hospitalized with kidney failure after being waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, and beaten with wooden paddles at Pi Kappa Phi (University of Houston).
The same fraternities operate near McCone County—and we’re holding them accountable.

✅ Former Insurance Defense Attorneys (We Know Their Tricks)

Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena used to work for insurance companies—we know how they try to lowball victims.
We’ve seen their playbook—and now we use it against them.

✅ Federal Court Authority (We Can Sue Anywhere in the U.S.)

We’re admitted to U.S. District Court (Southern District of Texas)—meaning we can pursue hazing cases nationwide, including in Montana.
We’ll travel to McCone County for depositions, trials, and client meetings.

✅ No Upfront Costs – We Only Get Paid If You Win

$0 out of pocket—we work on a contingency fee basis.
No recovery, no fee—if we don’t win, you owe us nothing.
We take the risk, you get the justice.

✅ We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)

Hazing affects all communities, including Spanish-speaking families.
We provide full legal services in Spanish—no language barriers.

✅ Aggressive, Compassionate Representation

We treat every client like family.
We fight as hard for McCone County families as we do for our Houston clients.
We won’t back down—even against powerful universities and national Greek organizations.

🎯 Common Hazing Scenarios in McCone County Schools

1. Greek Life (Fraternities & Sororities)

Forced drinking games (binge drinking, “chugging” contests)
Physical punishment (paddling, calisthenics to exhaustion)
Psychological abuse (sleep deprivation, humiliation rituals)
Dangerous stunts (blindfolded activities, extreme weather exposure)

Fraternities with chapters near McCone County that have hazing histories:

Pi Kappa Phi (our current case – waterboarding, 500 squats)
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (Texas A&M hazing case)
Pi Kappa Alpha (Stone Foltz case – $10.1M settlement)
Phi Delta Theta (Max Gruver case – $6.1M verdict)
Beta Theta Pi (Tim Piazza case – $110M+ settlement)

2. Sports Teams (High School & College)

Forced alcohol consumption (underage drinking rituals)
Physical abuse (beating rookies, extreme conditioning)
Sexual humiliation (degrading initiation rituals)
Dangerous pranks (blindfolded activities, extreme weather exposure)

3. Marching Bands & Performing Arts Groups

Physical exhaustion (forced rehearsals until collapse)
Sleep deprivation (all-night practices)
Humiliation rituals (degrading performances, public shaming)

4. ROTC & Military-Style Groups

Extreme physical training (beyond standard military requirements)
Sleep deprivation (forced overnight exercises)
Psychological abuse (verbal harassment, intimidation)

5. Honor Societies & Student Clubs

Forced servitude (running errands for members)
Financial exploitation (paying dues for “initiation”)
Public humiliation (degrading tasks in front of peers)

If your child was hazed in any of these groups, we can help.

📝 Montana Hazing Laws – Know Your Rights

Montana has strong anti-hazing laws—but many victims don’t realize they’ve been hazed or that they can sue.

Montana Code Annotated § 45-5-627 – Hazing Prohibited

“A person commits the offense of hazing when, in connection with initiation into or affiliation with any organization, the person intentionally or knowingly engages in conduct that creates a substantial risk of physical injury or mental harm to any person.”

Penalties in Montana:

Misdemeanor (up to 6 months in jail, $500 fine)
Felony (if serious bodily injury or death occurs – up to 10 years in prison)

Key Points:
✔ Consent is NOT a defense—even if your child “agreed” to participate, hazing is still illegal.
✔ Universities can be held liable—if they knew or should have known about hazing.
✔ Individuals can be sued personally—chapter officers, members, and alumni.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Hazing Lawsuits in McCone County

Q: My child signed a waiver—can we still sue?

A: Yes. Waivers do not protect organizations from liability for illegal activities like hazing. Montana law explicitly states that consent is not a defense.

Q: The fraternity says it was “just tradition”—does that matter?

A: No. “Tradition” is not an excuse for abuse. If the activity was dangerous, humiliating, or illegal, it’s hazing—and the organization is liable.

Q: We’re in McCone County—can you still help us?

A: Absolutely. We represent hazing victims nationwide, including in Montana. We offer video consultations and will travel to McCone County for your case.

Q: How long do we have to file a lawsuit?

A: In Montana, you have 3 years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, the sooner you act, the stronger your case will be.

Q: Will my child have to testify?

A: Possibly, but we’ll prepare them thoroughly. Many cases settle before trial, meaning your child may never have to face the defendants in court.

Q: How much does it cost to hire a hazing lawyer?

A: $0 upfront. We work on a contingency fee basis—we only get paid if we win your case.

Q: Can we sue the university?

A: Yes, if they knew or should have known about hazing. In our current case, the University of Houston owned the fraternity house—meaning they had full control and responsibility.

📢 Our Message to McCone County Fraternities & Universities

To the fraternities operating near McCone County:

We are watching.

The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter.

If your members haze students in McCone County, we will pursue every liable entity—the national organization, the university, the housing corporation, and every individual member.

We already shut down the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. Your chapter could be next.

To the universities in Montana:

The same institutional negligence that made the University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus.

If you own fraternity houses, if you have oversight of Greek life, if you’ve had prior hazing incidents—you are on notice.

Act now, or face the same accountability.

🚨 Time Is Running Out – Act Now

Hazing victims in McCone County deserve justice. But evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and statutes of limitations expire.

If your child was hazed, don’t wait—call us today.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911