Hazing Victims in Ashland County: Your Legal Rights and How to Get Justice

Ashland County Families: Hazing Is Happening Here Too — And We Can Stop It

You sent your child to college expecting them to be safe. You trusted the university. You trusted the fraternity or sorority. You believed in the promise of higher education and community.

Instead, your child was subjected to abuse. They were humiliated. They were forced to endure dangerous, degrading rituals. They may have been hospitalized. They may be traumatized. They may never be the same.

This isn’t happening in some far-off place. It’s happening right here in Ashland County.

The same fraternities that waterboarded a student in Houston have chapters near Ashland County. The same universities that failed to stop hazing in Texas operate institutions in Wisconsin. The same culture of abuse and silence exists here — and it’s time to break it.

At Attorney 911, we are fighting this battle right now in Texas. We’ve filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for hazing that hospitalized a student with kidney failure. And we’re bringing that same fight to Ashland County families.

If your child has been hazed, we can help. You are not alone. Justice is possible. And we will fight for you.

What Is Hazing? Ashland County Parents Need to Know

Hazing isn’t “tradition.” It isn’t “team building.” It isn’t “brotherhood” or “sisterhood.”

Hazing is abuse. It is assault. It is torture. And it is illegal.

In Wisconsin, hazing is defined as any activity that:

• Endangers the physical or mental health of a student
• Is used for initiation into, affiliation with, or maintenance of membership in any organization
• Includes forced consumption of alcohol or drugs
• Includes physical brutality, sleep deprivation, or exposure to extreme conditions
• Includes psychological abuse, humiliation, or servitude

This is happening at universities near Ashland County. Students are being forced to drink until they pass out. They’re being beaten with paddles. They’re being waterboarded. They’re being made to crawl in the cold until they collapse. They’re being threatened with expulsion if they don’t comply.

And when it goes wrong — when a student ends up in the hospital or worse — the institutions responsible try to cover it up.

The Hazing Crisis in Ashland County and Beyond

It’s Not Just Greek Life — But That’s Where It’s Worst

Hazing happens in:

• Fraternities and sororities — the most common and most dangerous
• Sports teams — football, baseball, hockey, and more
• Marching bands — forced drinking, physical abuse
• ROTC programs — extreme physical demands
• Honor societies and clubs — psychological abuse

But Greek organizations have the worst track record. And the same national fraternities involved in hazing deaths and lawsuits nationwide have active chapters near Ashland County.

The Same Fraternities That Tortured Our Client Operate Near Ashland County

In our current case, Pi Kappa Phi fraternity at the University of Houston:

• Waterboarded a pledge with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
• Forced him to do 500 squats and 100 pushups until he couldn’t stand
• Struck him with wooden paddles
• Forced him to eat until he vomited, then made him lie in his vomit
• Hospitalized him with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure

This same fraternity — Pi Kappa Phi — has chapters at universities near Ashland County. So do Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, and others with documented hazing histories.

If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority near Ashland County, they could be facing the same abuse.

The Medical Consequences: What Hazing Does to Your Child

Hazing isn’t harmless. It causes real, lasting damage.

Physical Injuries

Psychological Trauma

Hazing doesn’t just hurt the body — it destroys the mind.

This is what hazing does to your child. And it’s happening at universities near Ashland County.

Who Is Responsible? Everyone Who Let This Happen

When hazing occurs, everyone involved shares responsibility — and liability.

1. The Fraternity or Sorority Chapter (Local)

• Organized and conducted the hazing
• Leadership (president, pledge master) directed activities
• Members participated and failed to stop abuse
• They are legally responsible for what they did

2. The National Organization

• Sets policies that chapters ignore
• Has power to suspend or shut down chapters
• Knew about prior hazing incidents (like Andrew Coffey’s death in 2017)
• Failed to enforce anti-hazing rules despite “hazing crisis” knowledge
• They are responsible for systemic failure

3. The University

• Has power to regulate Greek life
• May own or control fraternity/sorority property
• Knew or should have known about hazing risks
• Failed to implement effective oversight
• They are responsible for institutional negligence

4. Individual Members

• Participated in hazing
• Failed to stop abuse
• Covered up incidents
• They can be sued personally — and jailed

5. Housing Corporations and Property Owners

• Own or control property where hazing occurred
• Failed to ensure safe premises
• They share premises liability

Your Legal Rights as an Ashland County Hazing Victim

If your child has been hazed, you have powerful legal rights.

1. Civil Lawsuit for Compensation

You can sue for:

• Medical expenses (hospital bills, therapy, future treatment)
• Lost wages (time missed from work or school)
• Pain and suffering (physical and emotional trauma)
• Punitive damages (to punish egregious conduct)

Precedent shows these cases win millions:

• $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)

2. Criminal Charges

Hazing is a crime in Wisconsin. Perpetrators can face:

• Misdemeanor or felony charges
• Jail time
• Probation

3. University Discipline

Universities must investigate hazing under Title IX and their own policies. Consequences can include:

• Expulsion for perpetrators
• Suspension or closure of the organization

What to Do If Your Child Is Hazed in Ashland County

If you suspect or know your child has been hazed, act immediately. Evidence disappears quickly, and your legal rights have strict deadlines.

Step 1: Get Medical Attention

• Take your child to the hospital or doctor immediately
• Document all injuries and symptoms
• Even if they seem “fine,” get checked — some injuries (like rhabdomyolysis) have delayed symptoms

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

• Save all communications (texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs, emails)
• Take photos of injuries, locations, items used in hazing
• Document everything your child tells you about what happened
• Get contact information for other pledges or witnesses
• Do NOT delete anything — even if it’s embarrassing

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Organization

• Do NOT confront the fraternity, sorority, or university alone
• Do NOT sign anything from the organization
• Do NOT give statements to their lawyers or insurance companies
• They will use your words against you

Step 4: Report to Authorities

• File a police report — hazing is a crime
• Report to the university — they are required to investigate
• Consider a Title IX complaint — hazing often involves gender discrimination

Step 5: Contact an Attorney Immediately

• Time is critical — evidence disappears, witnesses forget, statutes of limitations expire
• We offer free consultations — you pay nothing to learn your rights
• We work on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win

Why Ashland County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now — And Winning

We are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. Our client was hospitalized with kidney failure after being waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, and struck with wooden paddles.

We know how to build these cases. We know how to win. And we will bring that same fight to Ashland County.

2. We Have Insider Knowledge — We Used to Defend Insurance Companies

Both of our attorneys — Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena — are former insurance defense lawyers. We know how insurance companies think. We know their playbook. We know how they try to deny claims.

Now we use that knowledge to fight for victims — and we win.

3. We Have the Resources to Take on Powerful Institutions

Universities and national fraternities have:

• In-house legal teams
• Insurance company lawyers
• PR crisis management
• Deep pockets

You need a firm with the resources to fight back — and win.

We have:

• A network of medical and hazing experts
• Investigators to gather evidence
• Litigation funding to take cases to trial
• The willingness to go to court when necessary

4. We Offer Remote Consultations — Ashland County Families Welcome

While we’re based in Texas, we serve hazing victims nationwide. Distance is not a barrier.

• Video consultations available for Ashland County families
• We travel to Ashland County for depositions, trials, and client meetings
• Federal court authority — we can pursue cases in federal jurisdiction

5. We Work on Contingency — You Pay Nothing Upfront

We understand that cost can be a barrier. We eliminate that barrier.

• $0 upfront — no retainer, no hourly fees
• You pay nothing unless we win
• If we don’t win, you owe us nothing

We take the risk so you can fight for justice.

The Ashland County Hazing Watchlist: Fraternities With Dangerous Histories

These are the same national fraternities that have chapters near Ashland County — and have paid millions in hazing settlements.

If your child is pledging one of these fraternities near Ashland County, they are at risk.

What to Say to Your Child If You Suspect Hazing

Many victims don’t report hazing because of:

• Fear of retaliation
• Shame or embarrassment
• Loyalty to the organization
• Not recognizing it as hazing
• Pressure to “tough it out”

If you suspect your child is being hazed, have this conversation:

“I love you. I support you. Nothing that happens to you is your fault.

If anyone is making you do things that feel dangerous, humiliating, or wrong — that’s not okay. That’s not ‘tradition.’ That’s not ‘team building.’ That’s abuse.

You don’t have to go through this alone. We can help. We can protect you. We can make it stop.

I need you to tell me what’s happening — not because I’ll be mad at you, but because I love you and I want to keep you safe.

And if you’re scared to tell me, you can tell a doctor, a counselor, or a lawyer. We will protect you.”

The Message to Ashland County Fraternities and Universities

To the fraternities operating near Ashland County:

We are watching. The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter.

Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi — if your chapter operates near Ashland County, know that Attorney 911 represents hazing victims across America.

Every national fraternity with chapters near Ashland County should review their hazing policies immediately. We have proven these cases can be won.

To the universities near Ashland County:

The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus.

You have the power to stop hazing. You have the responsibility to protect your students. Act now — or face the same accountability.

Ashland County Families: You Are Not Powerless

You sent your child to college expecting safety and opportunity. Instead, they were abused.

You trusted institutions that failed.

But you are not powerless. You have rights. You have options. You have us.

At Attorney 911, we fight for victims like you every day. We know how to build these cases. We know how to win. And we will bring that fight to Ashland County.

If your child has been hazed, call us now.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Email: ralph@atty911.com
Website: attorney911.com

Free consultation. No upfront cost. We don’t get paid unless you win.

Together, We Can Stop the Hazing in Ashland County

This isn’t just about compensation. It’s about accountability. It’s about sending a message. It’s about protecting the next student.

Andrew Coffey died in 2017. Leonel Bermudez was hospitalized in 2025. How many more victims will there be before we stop this?

Ashland County families, it’s time to stand up. It’s time to fight back. It’s time to say enough is enough.

Call us today. Let’s make Ashland County safe for our children.