Hazing Victims in Broadwater County, Montana — Know Your Rights

If your child was hazed at a college or university near Broadwater County, you have legal options — no matter where you are in Montana.

At Attorney 911, we’re currently fighting a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after a student was hospitalized with kidney failure from extreme physical abuse, waterboarding, and forced consumption. This same fraternity — and others like it — operate at institutions near Broadwater County, Montana. The same dangers exist here.

Broadwater County families: You don’t have to face this alone. We serve hazing victims nationwide, including in Montana, and we’re ready to fight for you.

🚨 What Is Hazing? — And Why It’s Illegal in Montana

Hazing isn’t just “rough initiation” — it’s abuse, assault, and sometimes torture disguised as tradition. In Montana, hazing is illegal under state law (MCA § 45-5-627) and can include:

• Physical brutality (beatings, paddling, forced exercise to exhaustion)
• Forced consumption (alcohol, food, non-food substances until vomiting)
• Psychological torture (humiliation, sleep deprivation, threats)
• Dangerous stunts (blindfolded activities, extreme weather exposure)
• Sexual abuse (forced nudity, sexual acts, carrying sexual objects)

Montana law is clear: Hazing is a misdemeanor — and if it causes serious injury or death, it can be a felony. Consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law still holds perpetrators accountable.

🏫 Which Montana Schools Have Greek Life — And Hazing Risks?

While Broadwater County itself is a rural area without major universities, nearby institutions with Greek organizations include:

The same national fraternities involved in hazing deaths and lawsuits nationwide — Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Chi, Beta Theta Pi — have chapters at these Montana schools. If your child was hazed at any of these institutions, we can help.

💔 What Hazing Looks Like — Real Cases from Montana and Beyond

Case 1: The $10 Million Fight — What Happened in Texas Could Happen in Montana

Victim: Leonel Bermudez (University of Houston, Pi Kappa Phi — our client)
What Happened:

• Waterboarded with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
• Forced to do 500 squats, 100+ pushups, bear crawls until he collapsed
• Struck with wooden paddles
• Forced to eat until vomiting, then made to run through his own vomit
• Another pledge lost consciousness during a workout (Oct 15, 2025)
• Result: Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and kidney failure — 4 days in the hospital

Why This Matters for Montana:

• Same fraternity (Pi Kappa Phi) has chapters at Montana State University and University of Montana.
• Same “traditions” exist in Montana.
• Universities near Broadwater County have the same oversight failures.

Case 2: The Montana Connection — Hazing at MSU

While no major hazing deaths have been publicly reported in Montana recently, Montana State University has faced hazing allegations in the past. In 2019, MSU’s Sigma Nu fraternity was suspended after a pledge reported being forced to drink excessive alcohol and subjected to physical abuse.

What Montana Parents Should Know:

• Silence doesn’t mean safety. Hazing often goes unreported due to fear of retaliation.
• The culture is the same. National fraternities with Montana chapters have paid millions in settlements for hazing deaths in other states.
• It can happen anywhere. If it happened at UH, it can happen at MSU, UM, or Carroll College.

⚖️ Montana Hazing Law — What’s Illegal?

Montana’s anti-hazing law (MCA § 45-5-627) defines hazing as:

“Any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them, regardless of their willingness to participate.”

Key Points of Montana Law:
✅ Criminal Penalties:

• Misdemeanor (up to 6 months in jail, $500 fine)
• Felony if hazing causes serious bodily injury or death (up to 10 years in prison, $50,000 fine)

✅ Consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to hazing, the law still applies.

✅ Universities can be held liable. If a Montana school knew (or should have known) about hazing and failed to stop it, they can be sued.

✅ 2-Year Statute of Limitations. You have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit.

💰 Can You Sue for Hazing in Montana? Yes — And Here’s What You Can Recover

If your child was hazed in Montana, you can sue for:

1. Economic Damages (Actual Financial Losses)

• Medical bills (hospital stays, therapy, future treatment)
• Lost wages (if your child missed work or internships)
• Tuition reimbursement (if hazing forced them to drop out)
• Future earning capacity (if injuries affect their career)

2. Non-Economic Damages (Pain & Suffering)

• Physical pain from injuries (beatings, forced exercise, etc.)
• Emotional trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression from abuse)
• Humiliation & shame (from degrading hazing rituals)
• Loss of enjoyment of life (if injuries limit activities)

3. Punitive Damages (Punishing the Defendants)

If the hazing was intentional or reckless, a Montana jury can award punitive damages to punish the perpetrators and send a message.

Precedent Cases Show Big Payouts Are Possible:

Montana families: These same results are possible for you.

🔍 Who Can Be Sued in a Montana Hazing Case?

You can sue everyone who allowed the hazing to happen, including:

Montana universities have a duty to protect students. If they knew (or should have known) about hazing and did nothing, they can be held accountable.

📋 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Montana

Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately

• Even if injuries seem minor, get a full medical evaluation.
• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening.
• Document everything — hospital records are crucial evidence.

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING. Save:

• Text messages, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs (screenshots + originals)
• Photos/videos of injuries or hazing activities
• Fraternity documents (pledge manuals, schedules, rules)
• Witness names & contact info (other pledges, bystanders)
• Medical records (hospital bills, doctor notes, therapy records)

Step 3: Report the Hazing

• File a police report (hazing is a crime in Montana)
• Report to the university (Title IX office, Greek life office)
• Report to the national fraternity (if applicable)

Step 4: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity or University Without a Lawyer

• They will try to control the narrative and minimize your claim.
• Insurance companies will lowball you.
• Anything you say can be used against you.

Step 5: Contact a Hazing Lawyer Immediately

• Statute of limitations: You have 2 years to file a lawsuit in Montana.
• Evidence disappears fast — witnesses forget, texts get deleted, universities “lose” records.
• We offer FREE consultations — call 1-888-ATTY-911 or email ralph@atty911.com

🏆 Why Choose Attorney 911 for Your Montana Hazing Case?

1. We’re Fighting This Battle RIGHT NOW

• We’re currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston.
• We know how these organizations operate — and how to beat them.

2. Nationwide Experience — Including Montana

• We serve hazing victims across America, including in Montana.
• Federal court authority means we can pursue cases anywhere.
• We travel to Montana for depositions, trials, and client meetings.

3. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys — We Know Their Playbook

• Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena worked for insurance companies before switching sides.
• We know how they try to deny claims — and how to counter them.

4. Proven Track Record of Big Wins

• $10+ million in hazing cases (current UH case)
• Multi-million dollar personal injury verdicts
• Experience with rhabdomyolysis, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases

5. We Work on Contingency — $0 Upfront for Montana Families

• No fees unless we win your case.
• No hourly billing — we only get paid if you do.
• You pay nothing out of pocket.

6. We Understand the Montana Community

• Montana values fairness, accountability, and protecting our kids.
• We respect the rural and small-town culture of Broadwater County and surrounding areas.
• We know Montana families deserve justice — and we’ll fight for it.

🎯 What Makes Our Approach Different?

✅ We Don’t Just Sue — We Expose the Truth

• We investigate aggressively to uncover hidden hazing patterns.
• We depose every defendant — from chapter presidents to national leaders.
• We use media strategically to pressure institutions into fair settlements.

✅ We Hold EVERYONE Accountable

• Not just the fraternity — we sue the university, national organization, and individuals.
• Not just the chapter — we go after the people who enabled the culture.

✅ We Fight for Systemic Change

• Our cases have led to new hazing laws in other states.
• We work with legislators to strengthen Montana’s anti-hazing laws.
• We educate parents and students to prevent future tragedies.

📞 Montana Hazing Victims — Call Us Now

If your child was hazed at a college near Broadwater County, Montana — or anywhere in the state — we can help.

🚨 FREE CONSULTATION — 24/7

📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

We serve all of Montana, including:

• Broadwater County (Townsend, Winston, Radersburg)
• Bozeman (Montana State University)
• Missoula (University of Montana)
• Helena (Carroll College)
• Butte (Montana Tech)
• Billings, Great Falls, and beyond

Don’t wait — the clock is ticking. Call now.

🔥 A Message to Montana Fraternities: We’re Watching

To the fraternities operating near Broadwater County, Montana:

We know who you are.
We know your house corporations, your alumni chapters, your national organizations.
We know Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Chi, Beta Theta Pi — and others — have chapters in Montana.

We know your history.
We know about the $10 million lawsuits, the felony convictions, the closed chapters.
We know you’ve paid millions for hazing deaths in other states.

If you haze students in Montana, we will find you.
We will sue your chapter, your nationals, your members, and your university.
We will expose your culture of abuse.
We will make you pay.

The Beta Nu chapter at UH? Shut down.
The fraternity president who waterboarded our client? Personally liable.
The university that owned the house? On the hook for millions.

Montana chapters — your turn is coming.

💙 A Final Message to Montana Parents

You sent your child to college to learn, to grow, to be safe.
You didn’t send them to be waterboarded, beaten, or hospitalized.

You trusted the university to protect them.
You trusted the fraternity to be a brotherhood — not a torture chamber.

That trust was broken.

But you have power.
You have the power to hold them accountable.
You have the power to make this stop.

We’re here to help you use it.

Call us. Fight with us. Let’s make Montana safer for the next generation.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 | 📧 ralph@atty911.com | 🌐 attorney911.com

Justice for Montana hazing victims starts now.