Hazing Lawyers Serving Braxton County, West Virginia – Attorney 911

Hazing Doesn’t Stop at State Lines – Neither Do We

Braxton County families send their children to college expecting them to be safe. They trust universities to protect their students. They assume that when their child joins a fraternity or sorority, the national organization will enforce safety standards.

But that trust is being betrayed.

Right now, we’re fighting a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after a student was hospitalized with kidney failure from extreme hazing—including waterboarding, forced eating until vomiting, and 500 squats until he couldn’t stand. This isn’t just happening in Texas. It’s happening at universities near Braxton County, too.

If your child has been hazed—whether at West Virginia University, Fairmont State, Glenville State, or any other school—you have legal rights. And we’re here to fight for you.

Why Braxton County Families Choose Attorney 911 for Hazing Cases

1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now

While other law firms talk about hazing, we’re actively litigating a $10 million case against a fraternity and university. We know how to build these cases, and we know how to win.

2. We Know How Fraternities Operate

Both of our attorneys—Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña—are former insurance defense lawyers. We’ve seen how fraternities and universities try to avoid responsibility. Now, we use that insider knowledge to dismantle their defenses and maximize your compensation.

3. We Serve Braxton County Families Nationwide

Even though we’re based in Texas (Houston, Austin, and Beaumont), we represent hazing victims across the country, including in West Virginia. We offer:
✅ Free video consultations – No need to travel
✅ Willingness to come to Braxton County for depositions and trials
✅ Federal court authority – We can sue national fraternities anywhere

4. We Work on Contingency – $0 Upfront

We understand that Braxton County families may be hesitant to hire a lawyer due to cost. That’s why we take hazing cases on contingency—you pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we win your case.

5. We Speak Spanish – Se Habla Español

Many hazing victims come from Hispanic families. We provide bilingual legal services to ensure language isn’t a barrier to justice.

What Counts as Hazing in West Virginia?

Hazing isn’t just “boys being boys” or “tradition.” Under West Virginia law, hazing includes:

✅ Physical abuse – Paddling, beating, branding, forced exercise to exhaustion
✅ Forced consumption – Alcohol, food, or other substances until vomiting or passing out
✅ Psychological torture – Sleep deprivation, humiliation, threats, isolation
✅ Waterboarding or simulated drowning – Yes, this is happening in fraternities
✅ Sexual humiliation or assault – Forced nudity, carrying sexual objects, sexual acts
✅ Servitude – Forced cleaning, driving members, running errands

If your child experienced any of these, they were hazed—and you may have a case.

Who Can Be Held Liable for Hazing in Braxton County?

Many families assume that only the fraternity members who directly harmed their child can be sued. But the truth is, multiple parties share responsibility—and they all have deep pockets.

1. The Local Fraternity Chapter

The chapter that organized and conducted the hazing can be sued for:

• Assault and battery
• Intentional infliction of emotional distress
• Negligent supervision

2. The National Fraternity Organization

National fraternities like Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, and others can be held liable for:

• Failing to enforce anti-hazing policies
• Ignoring prior hazing incidents at their chapters
• Allowing a culture of abuse to continue

Example: In our current case, Pi Kappa Phi knew about a “hazing crisis” but failed to stop it—leading to our client’s hospitalization.

3. The University or College

Universities near Braxton County—such as West Virginia University, Fairmont State, or Glenville State—can be sued for:

• Premises liability (if hazing occurred in university-owned housing)
• Negligent supervision (failing to monitor Greek life)
• Breach of duty of care (failing to protect students)

Example: The University of Houston owned the fraternity house where our client was hazed. They had the power to inspect, regulate, and shut down the chapter—but they didn’t.

4. Individual Fraternity Members

Every member who participated in, witnessed, or failed to stop hazing can be held personally liable.

5. Alumni and Housing Corporations

Some hazing occurs at off-campus homes owned by alumni. These individuals can be sued for premises liability and negligent supervision.

What Compensation Can Braxton County Families Recover?

Hazing causes physical, emotional, and financial harm. We fight for full compensation, including:

1. Medical Expenses

• Emergency room visits
• Hospital stays
• Surgery (if needed)
• Physical therapy
• Mental health treatment (PTSD, anxiety, depression)

Example: Our client was hospitalized for 4 days with kidney failure from forced exercise. His medical bills were substantial—and they may continue for years.

2. Pain and Suffering

• Physical pain from hazing injuries
• Emotional trauma from abuse
• Humiliation and degradation
• Fear of retribution (many victims stay silent due to threats)

3. Lost Wages and Future Earning Capacity

• Time missed from work during recovery
• Impact on academic performance (leading to lost scholarships or delayed graduation)
• Long-term career limitations (if hazing causes permanent injuries)

4. Punitive Damages

If the hazing was especially egregious (such as waterboarding, forced alcohol poisoning, or sexual assault), we may seek punitive damages to punish the defendants and deter future hazing.

Example: In the Maxwell Gruver case, a jury awarded $6.1 million after a student died from forced drinking.

How Much Is a Hazing Case Worth?

Hazing cases can result in multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts, depending on:
✅ Severity of injuries (hospitalization, permanent damage, death)
✅ Egregiousness of conduct (waterboarding, forced drinking, sexual assault)
✅ Pattern of abuse (prior hazing incidents at the same chapter)
✅ Institutional knowledge (did the university or national fraternity know about prior hazing?)

Recent Hazing Case Results:

Our current case is seeking $10 million—and we believe Braxton County families deserve the same aggressive representation.

What Should Braxton County Families Do If Their Child Was Hazed?

Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately

Even if your child says they’re “fine,” hazing can cause serious injuries—including:

• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown leading to kidney failure)
• Alcohol poisoning (from forced drinking)
• Traumatic brain injury (from beatings or falls)
• PTSD, anxiety, and depression

Go to the ER or urgent care. Document everything.

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

✅ Photos/videos of injuries, hazing activities, or fraternity houses
✅ Text messages, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs about hazing
✅ Names and contact info of witnesses (other pledges, bystanders)
✅ Medical records (hospital bills, doctor’s notes, therapy records)
✅ Fraternity documents (pledge manuals, schedules, rules)

Do NOT delete anything. Even if it’s embarrassing, it could be crucial evidence.

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity or University Without a Lawyer

Fraternities and universities will try to control the narrative. They may:

• Pressure your child to sign a waiver
• Offer a quick, lowball settlement
• Intimidate witnesses
• Destroy evidence

Before speaking to anyone, call us. We’ll handle all communications.

Step 4: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

Hazing cases have strict deadlines (usually 2 years from the incident). The sooner you act, the stronger your case will be.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.

Common Defenses in Hazing Cases – And How We Defeat Them

Fraternities and universities will try to shift blame onto the victim. Here’s how we fight back:

Defense 1: “He Consented to the Hazing”

Our Response:

• West Virginia law says consent is NOT a defense to hazing.
• Coercion and peer pressure negate true consent—no one wants to be waterboarded or forced to drink until they vomit.
• The law is clear: Hazing is illegal, even if the victim “agreed” to participate.

Defense 2: “It Was Just Tradition”

Our Response:

• “Tradition” does not justify torture. Waterboarding is a war crime when done to enemy combatants—it’s still torture when done to college students.
• Universities and fraternities have a duty to protect students—not enable abuse in the name of “tradition.”**

Defense 3: “We Didn’t Know It Was Happening”

Our Response:

• Universities have oversight responsibility—if they own the fraternity house, they should be inspecting it.
• National fraternities have a duty to supervise chapters—if they knew about prior hazing incidents (like Andrew Coffey’s death in 2017), they can’t claim ignorance.
• Discovery will reveal internal communications—we’ll find out who knew what and when.

Fraternities Near Braxton County with Hazing Histories

Many national fraternities have documented histories of hazing—including chapters near Braxton County. If your child was hazed by any of these organizations, we can help.

If your child was hazed by any of these fraternities—or any other organization—contact us immediately.

What If My Child Was Hazed at a West Virginia University?

We represent hazing victims from all West Virginia schools, including:

• West Virginia University (WVU)
• Fairmont State University
• Glenville State University
• Marshall University
• West Virginia State University
• Shepherd University
• Any other college or university in West Virginia

We also represent victims from out-of-state schools if the hazing occurred near Braxton County.

Braxton County Families: You Are Not Alone

Hazing is not your fault. You did not fail your child. The fraternity, the national organization, and the university failed to protect them.

We’ve seen the physical and emotional toll hazing takes on families. We’ve seen victims hospitalized, traumatized, and even killed by these so-called “traditions.”

Enough is enough.

If your child was hazed, we will fight for you. We will hold every responsible party accountable. And we will make sure this never happens to another Braxton County family.

Call Us Now – Free Consultation for Braxton County Hazing Victims

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

We work on contingency – you pay nothing unless we win.

Serving Braxton County, West Virginia and nationwide.