🚨 Bristol County Hazing Attorney: Holding Fraternities & Universities Accountable
Attorney 911 — Fighting for Bristol County Hazing Victims Nationwide
⚠️ Bristol County Parents: Your Child Is at Risk
Hazing doesn’t just happen at big universities in Texas or California. It happens right here in Rhode Island — at Roger Williams University, Bristol Community College, and other institutions across Bristol County. The same national fraternities that waterboarded a student in Houston have active chapters near Bristol County. The same culture of abuse exists here.
If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority in Bristol County, they are at risk.
🏢 Who We Are: Bristol County’s Hazing Litigation Experts
Attorney 911 is a Texas-based personal injury and hazing litigation firm with offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. While we’re headquartered in Texas, we represent hazing victims nationwide — including in Bristol County, Rhode Island.
Why Bristol County Families Choose Attorney 911:
| Advantage | How It Helps Bristol County Victims |
|---|---|
| 25+ Years of Courtroom Experience | Proven trial attorneys who win big cases |
| Former Insurance Defense Attorneys | We know how insurance companies and fraternities fight back — and how to beat them |
| Federal Court Authority | Can pursue Bristol County cases in federal court if needed |
| Dual-State Bar Admission | Licensed in Texas AND New York — strategic advantage against national fraternities |
| Se Habla Español | Bilingual staff serving Bristol County’s Spanish-speaking families |
| Nationwide Hazing Expertise | Currently litigating a $10 MILLION hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and University of Houston |
| Contingency Fee Representation | $0 upfront — we only get paid if we win your case |
🔥 The Hazing Crisis in Bristol County — What’s Really Happening
Bristol County’s Greek Life Culture
Bristol County is home to Roger Williams University, a private institution with a vibrant Greek life community. While RWU promotes Greek life as a way to build leadership and community, the reality is that hazing is widespread and often unreported.
Fraternities and sororities near Bristol County with hazing risks:
- Pi Kappa Phi — Same fraternity that waterboarded a student in Houston (2025)
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) — Paid $1 million in a Texas hazing case (2021)
- Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) — Responsible for multiple hazing deaths nationwide
- Phi Delta Theta — $6.1 million verdict for hazing death (LSU, 2017)
- Beta Theta Pi — $110 million settlement for hazing death (Penn State, 2017)
These same organizations operate right here in Rhode Island. If your child is pledging, they face the same risks.
🚨 What Bristol County Parents Need to Know About Hazing
Hazing Doesn’t Look Like “Tradition” — It Looks Like Abuse
Hazing isn’t about “building brotherhood” or “paying your dues.” It’s about power, control, and torture. What’s happening in Bristol County fraternities and sororities includes:
| Type of Hazing | Examples | Medical Risks |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Abuse | Beatings, paddling, branding, forced exercise to exhaustion | Broken bones, rhabdomyolysis (kidney failure), traumatic brain injury |
| Forced Consumption | Binge drinking, forced eating (hot sauce, raw eggs, milk), drugs | Alcohol poisoning, choking, aspiration, overdose |
| Psychological Torture | Waterboarding, simulated drowning, verbal abuse, humiliation | PTSD, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation |
| Sleep Deprivation | All-night activities, forced driving, disrupted sleep schedules | Exhaustion, accidents, impaired judgment |
| Sexual Abuse | Forced nudity, sexual acts, carrying sexual objects | Sexual assault, trauma, long-term psychological damage |
| Exposure | Forced to stay outside in cold/heat, confined spaces | Hypothermia, heat stroke, suffocation |
The Medical Consequences of Hazing
Hazing doesn’t just cause bruises — it can ruin lives or end them. Bristol County parents need to know:
- Rhabdomyolysis — Muscle breakdown causing kidney failure (like our Houston client)
- Acute Alcohol Poisoning — Can be fatal (like Stone Foltz at Bowling Green)
- Traumatic Brain Injury — From beatings or falls
- Hypothermia/Hyperthermia — From exposure to extreme temperatures
- Sexual Assault Trauma — Long-term psychological damage
- PTSD, Anxiety, Depression — From psychological torture
- Death — At least one hazing death per year in the U.S. since 2000
If your child comes home with unexplained bruises, extreme fatigue, or changes in behavior — ask questions. Hazing could be the cause.
⚖️ Bristol County Hazing Laws — Your Legal Rights
Rhode Island Hazing Law (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-21-1)
Rhode Island has strong anti-hazing laws that apply to Bristol County:
“Hazing” means 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 Provisions for Bristol County Families:
- Criminal penalties — Hazing is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail and/or $1,000 fine
- Consent is NOT a defense — Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law still holds perpetrators accountable
- Organizational liability — Fraternities, sororities, and universities can be held responsible
- Reporting requirements — Schools must report hazing incidents
Civil Liability — Suing for Damages in Bristol County
Even if criminal charges aren’t filed, Bristol County families can sue for:
| Legal Theory | What It Means for Bristol County Victims |
|---|---|
| Negligence | Fraternities and universities had a duty to protect your child and failed |
| Premises Liability | If hazing occurred on university-owned property, the school is responsible |
| Assault & Battery | Physical abuse (paddling, beatings, waterboarding) is illegal |
| Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress | Psychological torture (waterboarding, humiliation) causes severe trauma |
| Wrongful Death | If hazing causes death, families can sue for loss of their child |
Bristol County families can recover compensation for:
- Medical bills (past and future)
- Therapy and mental health treatment
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages (to punish egregious conduct)
💰 Precedent Cases: Bristol County Families Can Win Big
These verdicts and settlements prove that hazing cases win — and win big.
| Case | Fraternity | Outcome | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz (Bowling Green, 2021) | Pi Kappa Alpha | Settlement | $10.1 MILLION |
| Maxwell Gruver (LSU, 2017) | Phi Delta Theta | Jury Verdict | $6.1 MILLION |
| Timothy Piazza (Penn State, 2017) | Beta Theta Pi | Settlement | $110 MILLION+ |
| Andrew Coffey (FSU, 2017) | Pi Kappa Phi | Settlement | Confidential (multi-million) |
The same legal strategies apply to Bristol County cases. Your child deserves justice.
🏛️ Who Is Liable for Bristol County Hazing?
When hazing happens in Bristol County, we sue EVERYONE responsible:
- The Local Chapter — The fraternity/sorority that organized the hazing
- The National Organization — They knew about hazing risks and failed to stop it
- The University — They have a duty to protect students and often own the fraternity houses
- Individual Members — The president, pledgemaster, and active members who participated
- Alumni & Advisors — Those who knew about hazing and did nothing
- Housing Corporations — The entities that own the fraternity/sorority property
In our current $10 million lawsuit, we’re suing:
- Pi Kappa Phi National
- The UH chapter
- The fraternity housing corporation
- The University of Houston
- The UH Board of Regents
- Individual members and their spouses
We will pursue the same strategy for Bristol County families.
📋 What Bristol County Families Should Do If Their Child Is Hazed
Step-by-Step Action Plan
| Step | Action | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ensure Safety | Remove your child from the dangerous situation immediately | Prevent further injury |
| 2. Seek Medical Attention | Take your child to the ER or urgent care — even if injuries seem minor | Document injuries; rhabdomyolysis and alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening |
| 3. Preserve Evidence | Save all texts, social media posts, photos, videos, and witness contact info | Evidence disappears quickly; fraternities will delete messages |
| 4. Do NOT Confront the Organization | Do not talk to fraternity/sorority leadership without legal counsel | They will coordinate their story and destroy evidence |
| 5. Do NOT Post on Social Media | Anything you post can be used against your child | Insurance companies and fraternities monitor social media |
| 6. Contact an Attorney | Call Attorney 911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free consultation | We’ll guide you through the legal process and protect your rights |
| 7. Report to Authorities | File a police report and report to the university | Creates official record; may lead to criminal charges |
🎯 Why Bristol County Families Need a Specialized Hazing Attorney
Hazing cases are NOT like other personal injury cases. They require:
✅ Deep knowledge of Greek life culture — Understanding the power dynamics, peer pressure, and organizational structures
✅ Experience with institutional defendants — Universities and national fraternities have teams of lawyers; you need one too
✅ Medical expertise — Hazing injuries like rhabdomyolysis require specialized medical knowledge
✅ Pattern evidence — Proving that hazing is systemic, not an isolated incident
✅ Criminal/civil overlap — Coordination with law enforcement if criminal charges are filed
✅ Media strategy — Public pressure can force institutions to take responsibility
Attorney 911 has all of this expertise — and we’re fighting this battle RIGHT NOW.
🔥 Our Current Case: The $10 Million Fight That Shows Bristol County Families What’s Possible
Bermudez v. Pi Kappa Phi & University of Houston (2025)
**What Happ