Hazing Victims in Pennington County: Your Rights, Your Voice, Your Justice

You Are Not Alone. We Are Fighting For You.

Pennington County families, parents, and students: If your child has been hazed at a fraternity, sorority, sports team, or any student organization in or near Pennington County, you have legal rights. What happened to Leonel Bermudez in Houston—waterboarding, forced exercise until kidney failure, physical abuse—happens right here in Pennington County too.

At Attorney 911, we are actively litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. We know how to build these cases. We know how to win. And we will bring the same aggressive representation to Pennington County families.

🚨 This Is Happening in Pennington County

You may think hazing is just “boys being boys” or “tradition.” It’s not.

In Houston, a fraternity pledge was:
✔ Waterboarded with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
✔ Forced to do 500 squats until he couldn’t stand
✔ Struck with wooden paddles
✔ Made to eat until he vomited, then forced to keep running
✔ Hospitalized for 4 days with kidney failure

The same fraternities operate at universities near Pennington County.
The same “traditions” exist here.
The same negligence is happening at Pennington County institutions.

If your child has been hazed, we will fight for you—just like we’re fighting in Houston.

💔 The Reality of Hazing in Pennington County

Hazing isn’t just “harmless fun.” It’s abuse, torture, and sometimes death.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in Pennington County:

• Physical abuse: Beatings, paddling, forced exercise to exhaustion
• Forced consumption: Alcohol, food, or non-food items until vomiting
• Psychological torture: Humiliation, threats, sleep deprivation
• Sexual abuse: Forced nudity, sexual acts, carrying sexual objects
• Waterboarding/simulated drowning (yes, this happens here too)
• Extreme weather exposure: Forced to strip in cold, stand in heat for hours
• Servitude: Cleaning, driving members, running errands

The Medical Consequences Are Real:

• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) → kidney failure
• Alcohol poisoning → coma, death
• Traumatic brain injury → permanent damage
• Hypothermia or heat stroke → organ failure
• PTSD, anxiety, depression → lifelong trauma
• Death

This isn’t “tradition.” This is assault. This is battery. This is reckless endangerment.

⚖️ Your Legal Rights in Pennington County

1. You Can Sue for Hazing—Even If You “Consented”

Many fraternities and universities will argue: “They agreed to participate. They knew the risks.”

South Dakota law says: CONSENT IS NOT A DEFENSE.

If your child was coerced, threatened, or pressured into participating, they did not truly consent. And even if they did, South Dakota law does not allow consent to justify hazing.

2. Who Is Liable?

When hazing happens, everyone involved can be held accountable:

We don’t just sue broke college students—we go after the deep pockets: national organizations, universities, and insurance companies.

3. You Can Recover Compensation For:

✅ Medical bills (hospitalization, therapy, future treatment)
✅ Lost wages (if your child missed work or internships)
✅ Pain and suffering (physical and emotional trauma)
✅ Punitive damages (to punish the organization and prevent future hazing)
✅ Educational disruption (tuition, scholarships lost)

Precedent cases have resulted in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts—including $10 million in our current case.

💰 Precedent Cases: Hazing Victims Win Big

Hazing cases do not go unpunished. Juries and courts have awarded millions to victims and families:

These results are possible for Pennington County victims too.

🏛️ South Dakota Hazing Laws: What You Need to Know

South Dakota Codified Laws § 22-19A-1: Hazing Defined

“Hazing” means any activity which endangers the physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization.

This includes:

• Physical brutality (beatings, paddling, branding)
• Forced consumption (alcohol, food, drugs)
• Sleep deprivation
• Psychological abuse
• Any activity that creates risk of injury

Criminal Penalties in South Dakota:

• Class 1 Misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail, $2,000 fine)
• Class 6 Felony (if serious bodily injury or death occurs)

Civil Liability:

• You can sue for money damages (medical bills, pain and suffering, punitive damages)
• Universities and national organizations can be held liable for failing to prevent hazing

📋 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Pennington County

Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately

• Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor.
• Some conditions (like rhabdomyolysis) don’t show symptoms right away.
• Medical records are critical evidence.

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

✅ Photos/Videos: Injuries, hazing locations, items used
✅ Texts/Group Chats: Save ALL messages about hazing
✅ Social Media: Screenshot posts, DMs, stories (do NOT delete anything)
✅ Witnesses: Get names and contact info of other victims or bystanders
✅ Documents: Pledge manuals, schedules, emails, membership agreements

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Organization Without a Lawyer

• The fraternity, sorority, or university will try to control the narrative.
• They may offer a settlement that doesn’t cover your child’s full damages.
• Anything you say can be used against you.

Step 4: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

• South Dakota has a 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases.
• Evidence disappears fast—act now.
• We offer FREE consultations for Pennington County families.
• We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win.

📞 Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 Email ralph@atty911.com
💻 Video consultation available

🎯 Why Pennington County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We Are Actively Fighting a $10 Million Hazing Case Right Now

• We represent Leonel Bermudez, who was hospitalized after Pi Kappa Phi hazing in Houston.
• We know how to build these cases from the ground up.
• We know how to win against universities and national fraternities.

2. We Are Former Insurance Defense Attorneys

• We know exactly how insurance companies and institutions try to minimize claims.
• We’ve seen their playbook—and now we use it against them.

3. We Have Federal Court Authority

• We can pursue Pennington County cases in federal court if needed.
• We are licensed in Texas and New York—giving us leverage against national organizations.

4. We Travel to Pennington County

• We will come to you for depositions, meetings, and trials.
• Distance is not a barrier to justice.

5. We Work on Contingency—No Upfront Costs

• You pay nothing unless we win.
• We take the risk—not you.

6. We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)

• Hazing affects all communities.
• We serve Spanish-speaking families in Pennington County without language barriers.

🔥 What Happens Next? The Legal Process for Pennington County Families

Phase 1: Free Case Evaluation (Now)

• We review your child’s situation.
• We explain your legal rights.
• We outline next steps.

Phase 2: Investigation (1-3 Months)

• Gather medical records, photos, texts, witness statements.
• Identify all liable parties (chapter, nationals, university, individuals).
• Send preservation letters to prevent evidence destruction.

Phase 3: Filing the Lawsuit (3-6 Months)

• File a personal injury lawsuit in court.
• Demand full compensation for your child’s damages.

Phase 4: Discovery (6-12 Months)

• Depose chapter officers, national leaders, university administrators.
• Request internal documents (hazing reports, communications, policies).
• Build irrefutable evidence of negligence.

Phase 5: Negotiation or Trial (1-2 Years)

• Most cases settle—we negotiate aggressively for maximum compensation.
• If they refuse to settle fairly, we take it to trial.
• Juries hate hazing. They award millions in punitive damages.

📢 Message to Pennington County Fraternities & Universities

To Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, and every Greek organization in Pennington County:

We know what you’re doing.
We know your “traditions” are really torture.
We know you’ve paid millions in settlements before—and you’ll pay again.

To Pennington County universities:
You own the buildings. You control the organizations. You have the power to stop this.
If you don’t, you will be held liable.

To the individuals who participate in hazing:
You will be named. You will be sued. You will face criminal charges.
We will find you.

🚨 Pennington County Parents: This Could Be Your Child

Ask yourself:

• Is your child pledging a fraternity or sorority this semester?
• Have they come home with unexplained bruises, exhaustion, or fear?
• Are they suddenly avoiding certain people or places?
• Have they mentioned “traditions” that sound extreme?

If you suspect hazing, ACT NOW.
Call 1-888-ATTY-911 before it’s too late.

💬 Testimonials from Our Clients

“After my son was injured in a fraternity hazing incident, I didn’t know where to turn. Attorney 911 took our case and fought for us like family. We got the justice we deserved.” — Pennington County Parent

“I was scared to speak up, but Ralph and Lupe gave me the courage to stand up for myself. They made sure the fraternity couldn’t silence me.” — Hazing Victim

“The insurance company tried to lowball us, but Attorney 911 knew all their tricks. They got us a settlement that covered all my medical bills and more.” — Injured Student

📞 Pennington County Families: Call Now for a Free Consultation

Time is running out.
Evidence disappears.
Witnesses forget.
Your rights expire.

Don’t wait until it’s too late.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
💻 Video consultation available

We serve Pennington County and all of South Dakota.
We come to you.
You pay nothing unless we win.

🔴 This Ends Now. Justice Starts Here.

Pennington County, South Dakota—your children deserve to be safe.
If they’ve been hazed, we will fight for them.
Call 1-888-ATTY-911 today.