Hazing Victims in McDowell County, West Virginia: Know Your Rights and How to Get Justice
This Could Happen to Your Child. It’s Happening Right Now.
McDowell County families send their children to college expecting them to be safe. They trust universities to protect their kids. They believe Greek organizations will provide friendship and leadership opportunities.
That trust is being betrayed.
Right now, in West Virginia and across America, students are being waterboarded, forced to drink until they vomit, paddled, sleep-deprived, and tortured—all in the name of “tradition” and “brotherhood.” These aren’t pranks. They aren’t team-building exercises. They’re crimes.
And when students get hurt—or worse, killed—the institutions that allowed it try to silence the victims and protect themselves. They claim it’s “just kids being kids.” They say the victims “consented.” They offer quiet settlements to make the problem go away.
We don’t let them get away with it.
At Attorney 911, we’re fighting this battle right now in Texas. A student at the University of Houston was hospitalized with kidney failure after being waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, and beaten with wooden paddles by Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. We’ve filed a $10 million lawsuit to hold them accountable.
The same fraternities operate at universities near McDowell County. The same hazing happens here. And we will fight for McDowell County families with the same fury.
What Is Hazing? It’s Not What You Think.
Hazing isn’t just “roughing someone up a little.” It’s systematic abuse designed to humiliate, degrade, and break students down. In our current case, the hazing included:
✅ Waterboarding with a garden hose – Simulated drowning, a form of torture
✅ Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups – Until muscles broke down, causing kidney failure
✅ Struck with wooden paddles – Physical assault with weapons
✅ Forced to eat until vomiting – Then made to keep running through their own vomit
✅ Sleep deprivation – Forced to drive fraternity members at all hours
✅ Humiliation – Carrying sexual objects, stripping in cold weather
✅ Another pledge collapsed unconscious – They kept going
This isn’t “tradition.” It’s torture.
Hazing Is Illegal in West Virginia
West Virginia has strong laws against hazing. Under W. Va. Code §18-28-1, hazing is defined as:
“Any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with any organization.”
This includes:
- Physical brutality (paddling, beating, forced exercise)
- Forced consumption of alcohol or drugs
- Sleep deprivation
- Psychological abuse
- Any activity that creates a risk of injury
West Virginia law is clear: Consent is NOT a defense. Even if a student “agrees” to participate, the hazers—and the institutions that allow it—are still liable.
Who Is Responsible When Hazing Happens?
When your child is hazed, everyone who allowed it is responsible. In our current case, we’re suing:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable |
|---|---|
| The Fraternity Chapter | Directly organized and conducted the hazing |
| National Fraternity Organization | Knew about hazing culture; failed to stop it |
| University | Owned the fraternity house; failed to protect students |
| Individual Members | Participated in or allowed the abuse |
| Alumni Who Hosted Hazing | Allowed abuse at their homes |
Universities and fraternities have deep pockets. They have insurance. They have assets. They can—and should—pay when they fail to protect students.
What Can McDowell County Families Recover?
Hazing cases can result in millions of dollars in compensation, including:
💰 Medical Expenses – Hospital bills, therapy, future treatment
💰 Pain and Suffering – Physical and emotional trauma
💰 Lost Wages – Time missed from work or school
💰 Punitive Damages – To punish the institution and prevent future hazing
💰 Wrongful Death – If your child dies from hazing
Precedent Cases Show What’s Possible:
- $10.1 million – Stone Foltz (Pi Kappa Alpha, Bowling Green State)
- $6.1 million – Maxwell Gruver (Phi Delta Theta, LSU)
- $110 million+ – Timothy Piazza (Beta Theta Pi, Penn State)
Our current case seeks $10 million. That’s not a random number—it’s what it takes to send a message that hazing will not be tolerated.
What Should You Do If Your Child Is Hazed in McDowell County?
Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately
Even if your child says they’re “fine,” get them checked out. Some injuries—like rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) or alcohol poisoning—can be life-threatening and may not show symptoms right away.
Step 2: Preserve All Evidence
✔ Take photos of injuries at all stages
✔ Save all communications – texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs
✔ Document everything – dates, times, locations, who was involved
✔ Get witness names – other pledges, bystanders
DO NOT:
❌ Delete any messages or social media posts
❌ Talk to the fraternity, university, or their lawyers without legal counsel
❌ Sign anything from the organization
❌ Post about the incident on social media
Step 3: Report the Hazing
- File a police report – Hazing is a crime in West Virginia
- Report to the university – They are required to investigate
- Report to the national fraternity organization – They may claim they didn’t know, but they should
Step 4: Contact an Attorney Immediately
Do not wait. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. West Virginia has a 2-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims. If you don’t act fast, you may lose your right to sue.
Why McDowell County Families Choose Attorney 911
We’re not just lawyers. We’re fighters. And we’re fighting this battle right now.
🔥 We’re Currently Litigating a $10 Million Hazing Case
We represent a student who was hospitalized with kidney failure after being waterboarded and forced to do 500 squats by Pi Kappa Phi at the University of Houston. This isn’t theoretical—we’re in the fight right now. McDowell County families get the same aggressive representation.
🏛️ We Have Federal Court Authority
While we’re based in Texas (Houston, Austin, Beaumont), we can represent hazing victims anywhere in America through our federal court admission. Distance is not a barrier.
👨🏽⚖️👨🏻⚖️ Both Attorneys Are Former Insurance Defense Lawyers
That means we know exactly how the other side thinks. We’ve seen their playbook from the inside, and now we use that knowledge to dismantle their defenses and maximize your recovery.
💬 Se Habla Español
We serve Spanish-speaking families without language barriers. No family should be denied justice because of language.
💰 We Work on Contingency – $0 Upfront
You pay nothing unless we win your case. We don’t get paid unless you get paid. This levels the playing field against institutions with deep pockets.
🚑 We Come to You
We will travel to McDowell County for depositions, client meetings, and trials. You don’t have to come to us.
What Happens If You Don’t Act?
If you don’t hold them accountable, they will do it again.
Pi Kappa Phi’s own statement after our lawsuit said:
“We look forward to returning to campus at the appropriate time.”
They’re not sorry. They’re planning their comeback.
Universities and fraternities only change when they’re forced to. That’s why we need $10 million lawsuits, criminal charges, and public outrage—to make them take this seriously.
If we don’t act, who will be next?
McDowell County Families: You Are Not Alone
We know how overwhelming this feels. We know your child is traumatized. We know the fraternity and university will try to intimidate you into silence.
We won’t let them.
We’ve seen what these institutions do to victims who speak up. Our client is fearful of retribution for even talking to the media. That fear is real. But silence protects the abusers.
We will protect you. We will fight for you. And we will make sure this never happens to another McDowell County family.
📞 Call Us Now – Free Consultation
If your child has been hazed in McDowell County or anywhere in West Virginia, call us immediately.
24/7 Hazing Victim Hotline: 1-888-ATTY-911
Email: ralph@atty911.com
Website: attorney911.com
We offer:
✔ Free, confidential case evaluation
✔ Immediate evidence preservation guidance
✔ Aggressive legal representation
✔ Travel to McDowell County for your case
✔ Video consultations for families who can’t travel
You pay nothing unless we win.
The Time to Act Is Now
Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. The 2-year statute of limitations is running.
McDowell County families: Don’t let them get away with this.
Call 1-888-ATTY-911 today.
