🚨 Highland County Hazing Lawyer — Fraternity Abuse & University Negligence
Serving Highland County, Ohio families from Attorney 911’s Houston, Austin & Beaumont offices
“If this prevents harm to another person, that’s what we’re hoping to do. Let’s bring this to light. Enough is enough.”
— Lupe Pena, Attorney at Law
🏛️ The Hazing Crisis in Highland County
Highland County parents send their children to college expecting them to be safe. They trust universities and Greek organizations to protect their students. But behind the scenes, a dangerous culture thrives—one that prioritizes “tradition” over human dignity, and brotherhood over basic safety.
This isn’t happening just in Texas or Florida or Pennsylvania. It’s happening right here in Ohio. It could be happening at a university near Highland County.
At Attorney 911, we’re currently fighting a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. Our client was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats until his muscles broke down, and hospitalized with kidney failure. The same fraternities operate at universities near Highland County. The same negligence exists at Ohio institutions.
Highland County families deserve to know the truth: hazing isn’t just “boys being boys.” It’s abuse. It’s assault. Sometimes, it’s torture.
⚠️ What Highland County Parents Need to Know
🔴 Hazing Doesn’t Stop at State Lines
The same national fraternities involved in our Texas case have active chapters at universities across Ohio, including near Highland County. Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi—these organizations have paid millions of dollars in hazing settlements nationwide. They operate the same way in Ohio as they do in Texas.
If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority near Highland County, they face the same risks that hospitalized our client.
🔴 Universities Near Highland County Are Failing Students
In our Texas case, the University of Houston owned the fraternity house where hazing occurred. They had the power to inspect, regulate, and shut down dangerous activities. They chose not to act—even after a student was hospitalized from hazing in 2017.
Ohio universities face the same liability. If they own or control Greek housing, if they receive reports of hazing and do nothing, if they fail to protect students—they can be held accountable in court.
🔴 Highland County Victims Have Rights
Ohio has strong anti-hazing laws. Consent is not a defense. Organizations can be held criminally and civilly liable. Highland County families can sue for medical bills, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.
And if your child was hazed at a university near Highland County, we can represent you—no matter where the incident occurred. Our federal court authority and nationwide experience allow us to pursue justice for Ohio families.
💔 Real Hazing Stories That Could Happen in Highland County
The Case We’re Fighting Right Now: A Warning for Highland County
Leonel Bermudez accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi at the University of Houston. What followed was weeks of systematic torture:
- Waterboarded with a garden hose — simulated drowning as punishment
- Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups — until he couldn’t stand without help
- Struck with wooden paddles — physical assault with weapons
- Forced to eat until vomiting — then made to lie in vomit-soaked grass
- Another pledge collapsed unconscious — they kept going
- Result: Hospitalized for 4 days with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure
This didn’t happen in the 1980s. It happened in 2025. And it could happen at a university near Highland County.
Other Cases That Should Terrify Highland County Parents
| Victim | University | Fraternity | What Happened | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz | Bowling Green State | Pi Kappa Alpha | Forced to drink entire bottle of alcohol; died | $10.1 million settlement |
| Maxwell Gruver | LSU | Phi Delta Theta | Died from alcohol poisoning during “Bible Study” | $6.1 million jury verdict |
| Timothy Piazza | Penn State | Beta Theta Pi | Fell down stairs after forced drinking; fraternity waited 12 hours to call 911 | $110+ million settlement |
| Andrew Coffey | Florida State | Pi Kappa Phi | Forced to drink entire bottle of bourbon; died | Chapter closed; criminal charges |
These aren’t isolated incidents. This is a pattern. And it’s happening at universities near Highland County.
📚 What Counts as Hazing in Ohio?
Ohio law defines hazing as any act that causes or creates a substantial risk of physical or mental harm for the purpose of initiation into an organization. This includes:
🚨 Physical Abuse
- Beatings, paddling, branding
- Extreme physical exercise (500 squats, 100 pushups, bear crawls)
- Forced consumption of food, alcohol, or non-food substances
- Exposure to extreme weather (cold, heat)
- Sleep deprivation
🚨 Psychological Abuse
- Waterboarding or simulated drowning
- Forced nudity
- Carrying degrading objects (sexual items, fanny packs)
- Humiliation rituals
- Isolation from friends/family
- Threats of physical harm or expulsion
🚨 Forced Consumption
- Alcohol (binge drinking, chugging)
- Food (eating until vomiting)
- Non-food substances (peppercorns, milk, hot sauce)
🚨 Ohio Law: Consent Is Not a Defense
Ohio Revised Code § 2903.31 explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the organization can still be held liable.
⚖️ Who Can Highland County Families Sue?
When hazing happens, multiple parties can be held accountable:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable | Highland County Application |
|---|---|---|
| Local Chapter | Directly organized hazing | Chapter officers, members near Highland County |
| National Organization | Failed to supervise; knew about hazing culture | Pi Kappa Phi, SAE, Pike, etc. — same nationals operate near Highland County |
| University | Owned/controlled property; failed to protect students | Ohio universities with Greek life oversight |
| Individual Members | Participated in or enabled hazing | Students at universities near Highland County |
| Alumni | Allowed hazing at their homes | Former members hosting events |
| Housing Corporations | Owned property where hazing occurred | Entities controlling fraternity/sorority houses |
In our Texas case, we’re suing:
- Pi Kappa Phi National
- The UH chapter
- The housing corporation
- The University of Houston
- Individual members
- A former member and his spouse
Highland County families get the same aggressive representation.
💰 What Can Highland County Families Recover?
Hazing victims can pursue both economic and non-economic damages, including:
💵 Economic Damages
- Medical bills — hospital stays, ER visits, therapy, future treatment
- Lost wages — time missed from work during recovery
- Educational costs — tuition, fees, lost scholarships
- Future earning capacity — if injuries affect long-term career
💔 Non-Economic Damages
- Pain and suffering — physical and emotional trauma from abuse
- Mental anguish — PTSD, anxiety, depression from hazing
- Loss of enjoyment of life — impact on college experience, social life
- Disfigurement — scars, permanent injuries from physical abuse
🔥 Punitive Damages
When conduct is especially egregious, juries can award punitive damages to punish the wrongdoers and deter future misconduct. Waterboarding, 500 squats until collapse, striking with paddles—this conduct supports punitive damages.
🏆 Highland County Precedent: Ohio Hazing Cases
Ohio has a strong history of holding organizations accountable for hazing:
| Case | University | Outcome | Significance for Highland County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz | Bowling Green State | $10.1 million settlement | Largest public university hazing payout in Ohio history |
| Collin Wiant | Ohio University | Collin’s Law passed | Made hazing a felony in Ohio |
| Multiple BGSU Cases | Bowling Green State | Chapter closures, expulsions | Shows Ohio takes hazing seriously |
Highland County families: Ohio juries and legislatures have shown they will hold organizations accountable. Your case can send the same message.
📋 What to Do If Your Child Is Hazed in Highland County
🚨 Immediate Steps
- Get medical attention — Even if injuries seem minor, document everything
- Preserve all evidence — Screenshots, photos, videos, texts, social media
- Do NOT talk to the organization — They will try to control the narrative
- Do NOT post on social media — Anything you post can be used against you
- Contact an attorney immediately — Evidence disappears fast; statutes of limitations apply
📝 Evidence to Preserve
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Medical | Hospital records, doctor notes, therapy records |
| Communications | Texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs, emails |
| Photos/Videos | Injuries, hazing activities, fraternity house |
| Witnesses | Names and contact info of other pledges, bystanders |
| Documents | Pledge manuals, schedules, rules given to your child |
| Financial | Medical bills, tuition receipts, lost wage documentation |
⏳ Time Is Critical
Ohio has a 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. If you wait, you lose your right to sue forever.
Evidence disappears quickly:
- Texts and social media posts get deleted
- Witnesses forget details
- Organizations destroy records
- Security camera footage gets overwritten
Highland County families: Call us today at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.
🏢 Who We Are: Highland County’s Hazing Litigation Experts
Why Highland County Families Choose Attorney 911
| Advantage | Why It Matters for Highland County |
|---|---|
| 25+ Years of Courtroom Experience | Proven track record fighting for victims |
| Former Insurance Defense Attorneys | We know how defendants will fight back |
| Federal Court Authority | Can pursue cases in federal jurisdiction |
| Nationwide Reach | Represent hazing victims across America, including Highland County |
| Dual-State Bar Admission | Texas AND New York — strategic advantage against national fraternities |
| Se Habla Español | Bilingual staff serving Spanish-speaking Highland County families |
| Contingency Fee | $0 upfront — we only get paid if you win |
Our Approach to Highland County Hazing Cases
- Immediate Response — We act fast to preserve evidence and protect your rights
- Aggressive Investigation — We gather texts, photos, witness statements, and medical records
- Expert Network — Medical experts, Greek life culture experts, institutional negligence experts
- Strategic Negotiation — We fight for maximum compensation from all liable parties
- Trial-Ready — We prepare every case as if it’s going to trial — and we’re not afraid to go to court
We come to Highland County. For depositions, client meetings, and trials, our attorneys travel to Ohio as needed. Distance is not a barrier to justice.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions for Highland County Families
Q: My child was hazed at a university outside Highland County. Can you still help?
A: Yes. While we’re based in Texas, we represent hazing victims nationwide. Our federal court authority and nationwide experience allow us to pursue cases anywhere in the country. If your child was hazed at an Ohio university, a Big Ten school, or anywhere else in America, we can help.
Q: The fraternity says my child “consented” to hazing. Can they still be held liable?
A: Absolutely. Ohio law explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. Even if your child agreed to participate, the organization can still be held liable for any harm caused.
Q: The university says they didn’t know about the hazing. Does that protect them?
A: No. Universities have a duty to protect students. If they own or control Greek housing, if they receive reports of hazing and do nothing, if they fail to implement real oversight—they can be held liable for negligence.
In our Texas case, the University of Houston owned the fraternity house where hazing occurred. They knew or should have known about the dangerous culture.
Q: My child is afraid of retaliation. How can you protect them?
A: We take this very seriously. In our current case, our client is “fearful of doing an interview due to retribution.” We understand the intimidation culture in Greek organizations.
Our legal team:
- Handles all communications with the organization
- Protects your child’s identity when possible
- Takes steps to prevent retaliation
- Fights for justice without putting your child at further risk
Q: How much does it cost to hire Attorney 911?
A: $0 upfront. We work on a contingency fee basis — we only get paid if we win your case. Highland County families pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Q: How long does a hazing lawsuit take?
A: Every case is different, but most hazing cases resolve within 12-24 months. More complex cases, especially those involving multiple defendants or severe injuries, can take longer.
We work as quickly as possible to secure justice for Highland County families.
Q: What if my child was hazed but not physically injured?
A: You may still have a case. Hazing causes serious psychological harm—PTSD, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation. These injuries are just as real as physical ones, and you can pursue compensation for them.
Q: Can we sue if our child died from hazing?
A: Yes. The family of a hazing victim can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the organization, the university, and any individuals responsible. These cases often result in multi-million dollar settlements.
📞 Highland County Families: We’re Here to Help
If your child has been hazed at a university near Highland County, call us immediately.
🚨 Legal Emergency Hotline: 1-888-ATTY-911
Available 24/7 for Highland County families
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Website: attorney911.com
📍 Serving Highland County from our offices in:
- Houston, TX (Headquarters)
- Austin, TX
- Beaumont, TX
We come to Highland County. For client meetings, depositions, and trials, our attorneys travel to Ohio as needed.
🔥 A Message to Fraternities Near Highland County
To the fraternities operating at universities near Highland County:
We are watching. The same legal strategies that secured $10 million settlements in Texas apply to your chapters. The same pattern evidence that exposed Pi Kappa Phi’s culture of abuse exists in your organizations.
Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Chi, Phi Gamma Delta, Sigma Nu, Delta Chi:
If your chapter is hazing students near Highland County, know this:
- We track your housing corporations
- We track your national organizations
- We track your documented history of hazing deaths and injuries
- We know how much your nationals have paid in settlements
- We will pursue every liable entity
The Beta Nu chapter at University of Houston?
SHUT DOWN.
Charter surrendered.
Criminal referrals initiated.
Our client’s $10 million lawsuit is ongoing.
That’s what happens when you haze in America.
Your chapter could be next.
🏆 Highland County Families: This Ends Now
Hazing has claimed too many lives. It has destroyed too many futures. It has left too many Highland County families shattered.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
If you’re a Highland County parent:
- Talk to your child about the risks of Greek life
- Make sure they understand that “tradition” is not an excuse for abuse
- Let them know they can say no—and that you’ll support them
If your child has been hazed:
- You are not alone
- What happened to them was not their fault
- They have legal rights
- We can help
Highland County families deserve better. Our children deserve better. It’s time to hold these organizations accountable.
📞 Call Now: 1-888-ATTY-911
Free, confidential consultation for Highland County hazing victims
