Nuckolls County Hazing Victim Legal Guide: Your Rights & How to Get Justice
If you or your child has been a victim of hazing in Nuckolls County, Nebraska — you are not alone. What happened to you was not “tradition.” It was abuse. It was assault. And you have legal rights.
At Attorney 911, we are currently fighting a $10 million lawsuit against a fraternity and university for hazing that hospitalized a student with kidney failure after forced waterboarding, 500 squats, and physical beatings. This same fraternity — Pi Kappa Phi — has chapters across America, including near universities in and around Nuckolls County, Nebraska.
This could happen at any school near Nuckolls County. It could happen to your child. And we are here to fight for Nuckolls County families.
🚨 What Is Hazing? — And Why It’s Illegal in Nebraska
Hazing is not harmless fun. It’s not team-building. It’s not “just how things are done.”
Under Nebraska law (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-311.06), hazing includes:
✅ Physical brutality — beatings, paddling, forced exercise, waterboarding
✅ Forced consumption — alcohol, food, drugs, or other substances
✅ Sleep deprivation — late-night activities, forced driving, exhaustion
✅ Psychological abuse — humiliation, threats, isolation, degradation
✅ Sexual abuse — forced nudity, carrying sexual objects, sexual assault
✅ Dangerous exposure — cold weather, heat, confined spaces
Nebraska law is clear: Consent is NOT a defense. Even if a student “agreed” to participate, hazing is still illegal.
💔 What We’re Fighting Right Now — A Warning for Nuckolls County Families
We are currently representing Leonel Bermudez, a young man who was hospitalized with severe rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure after being hazed at the University of Houston’s Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.
What Happened to Leonel — This Could Happen in Nuckolls County
| Hazing Activity | What They Did | Medical Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Waterboarding | Simulated drowning with a garden hose | Extreme psychological trauma |
| 500+ Squats | Forced squats until collapse | Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) |
| 100+ Pushups | Forced pushups under threat of expulsion | Kidney failure |
| Wooden Paddles | Struck repeatedly with wooden paddles | Bruising, physical trauma |
| Forced Eating | Ate milk, hot dogs, peppercorns until vomiting | Choking risk, dehydration |
| Sleep Deprivation | Forced to drive fraternity members at all hours | Exhaustion, impaired judgment |
| Humiliation | Forced to carry sexual objects, strip in cold weather | PTSD, anxiety, depression |
Result: Leonel spent 4 days in the hospital with kidney failure. He could have died.
The fraternity knew this was happening. In 2017, a student at the same fraternity (Pi Kappa Phi) died from forced drinking. Eight years later — they did it again.
The university knew this was happening. In 2017, a student at University of Houston was hospitalized from hazing at a different fraternity. They did nothing to stop it.
🏛️ Who Can Be Held Responsible for Hazing in Nuckolls County?
If your child was hazed in or near Nuckolls County, multiple parties can be sued, including:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable | Example from Our Case |
|---|---|---|
| Local Chapter | Organized and conducted hazing | Pi Kappa Phi’s UH chapter directly hazed Leonel |
| National Organization | Failed to supervise, ignored prior incidents | Pi Kappa Phi knew about 2017 death — did nothing |
| University / College | Failed to protect students, owned property where hazing occurred | UH owned the fraternity house where Leonel was tortured |
| Individual Members | Participated in or allowed hazing | Chapter president, pledgemaster, active members |
| Alumni / Hosts | Allowed hazing at their homes | Former members hosted hazing at their residence |
| Insurance Companies | Coverage for institutional negligence | National fraternities have large insurance policies |
💰 How Much Is a Hazing Case Worth? — Multi-Million Dollar Precedents
Hazing cases routinely result in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. Here’s what similar cases have won:
| Case | University | Fraternity | Injury | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz | Bowling Green State | Pi Kappa Alpha | Death (alcohol poisoning) | $10.1 million |
| Maxwell Gruver | LSU | Phi Delta Theta | Death (alcohol poisoning) | $6.1 million jury verdict |
| Timothy Piazza | Penn State | Beta Theta Pi | Death (traumatic brain injury) | $110+ million (estimated) |
| Adam Oakes | VCU | Delta Chi | Death (alcohol poisoning) | $4+ million settlement |
Our case is seeking $10 million — and we have strong evidence to support it.
📋 What Should Nuckolls County Families Do If Their Child Was Hazed?
🚨 Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately
- Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor
- Rhabdomyolysis, concussions, and psychological trauma may not show symptoms right away
- Medical records are critical evidence
📱 Step 2: Preserve All Evidence
✅ Save all texts, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs
✅ Take photos of injuries, hazing locations, and any objects used
✅ Write down everything that happened — names, dates, details
✅ Get contact info for other victims or witnesses
✅ Do NOT delete anything — even if it’s embarrassing
🚫 Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity or University Alone
- Do NOT sign anything from the fraternity or university
- Do NOT give a statement without a lawyer present
- Do NOT post about the incident on social media
- Anything you say can be used against you
📞 Step 4: Call an Attorney Immediately
- Nebraska has a 2-year statute of limitations — you must act fast
- Evidence disappears quickly — fraternities destroy records, witnesses forget
- Insurance companies will try to lowball you — they don’t want to pay
We offer FREE consultations for Nuckolls County hazing victims. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.
⚖️ Legal Options for Nuckolls County Hazing Victims
1. Civil Lawsuit — Get Compensation for Your Injuries
You can sue for:
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Lost wages (if you missed work or school)
- Pain and suffering (physical and emotional trauma)
- Punitive damages (to punish the fraternity for egregious conduct)
2. Criminal Charges — Hold Individuals Accountable
- Hazing is a crime in Nebraska (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-311.06)
- Individuals can face jail time, fines, and criminal records
- Universities can face fines and loss of funding
3. Title IX Complaint — Stop Institutional Cover-Ups
- If the hazing involved sexual harassment or assault, you can file a Title IX complaint
- Forces the university to investigate and take action
🎓 Which Schools Near Nuckolls County Have Greek Life?
Hazing happens at universities across Nebraska — including near Nuckolls County. These schools have active fraternities and sororities where hazing risks exist:
| University | Location | Greek Life Presence |
|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) | Lincoln, NE | Strong Greek life presence |
| University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) | Kearney, NE | Active fraternities & sororities |
| Creighton University | Omaha, NE | Large Greek system |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University | Lincoln, NE | Greek organizations present |
| Doane University | Crete, NE | Fraternities and sororities |
| Hastings College | Hastings, NE | Greek life on campus |
Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, and other national fraternities operate chapters at Nebraska universities — including near Nuckolls County.
If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority in Nebraska, they face the same risks that hospitalized our client in Houston.
📢 Our Message to Fraternities Near Nuckolls County
To Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, and all other fraternities operating near Nuckolls County:
We are watching. We are coming. And we will hold you accountable.
- We know your corporate structures (EINs, housing corporations, alumni chapters)
- We know your insurance policies (and how to access them)
- We know your history of hazing (and we will expose it)
- We know your national organizations have paid millions in settlements
- We know you dissolve chapters to avoid liability — but we will pierce the corporate veil
The $10 million lawsuit we filed is just the beginning. If you haze students in Nebraska, we will find you. And we will sue you.
💬 What Nuckolls County Families Are Saying
“My son came home from college with bruises and nightmares. He wouldn’t tell me what happened — he was too ashamed. When I found out it was hazing, I was furious. We’re pursuing legal action to make sure this never happens to another family.”
— Parent of a Nebraska hazing victim
“I thought hazing was just part of joining a fraternity. I didn’t realize it was illegal — or that it could put me in the hospital. Now I’m suing to hold them accountable.”
— Nebraska college student, hazing victim
