Hazing Lawyer in Caldwell Parish, Louisiana | Attorney 911

Hazing Doesn’t Stop at State Lines — And Neither Does Justice

Caldwell Parish families: If your child was hazed at a college, university, or Greek organization near Caldwell Parish, you don’t have to face this alone. The same fraternities that waterboarded a student at the University of Houston operate chapters across Louisiana — including near Caldwell Parish. The same negligence that led to a $10 million lawsuit in Texas exists at institutions in your community.

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 hold institutions accountable. And we will fight for Caldwell Parish families with the same relentless determination.

What Is Hazing? It’s Not “Tradition” — It’s Abuse

Hazing is any activity that endangers the physical or mental health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or maintaining membership in an organization.

In Caldwell Parish and across Louisiana, hazing includes:

✔ Physical abuse: Beating, paddling, branding, extreme exercise to exhaustion
✔ Forced consumption: Alcohol, food, or non-food substances until vomiting or collapse
✔ Psychological torture: Waterboarding, sleep deprivation, humiliation, threats
✔ Sexual abuse: Forced nudity, sexual acts, carrying sexual objects
✔ Dangerous activities: Blindfolded runs, confined spaces, exposure to extreme weather

This isn’t “boys being boys.” This isn’t “building brotherhood.” This is assault. This is battery. This is a crime.

And when institutions know about it and do nothing — they are complicit.

We Are Fighting This Battle Right Now — And We’ll Fight for Caldwell Parish Families Too

The Case That Shows What’s Happening in Louisiana

Bermudez v. Pi Kappa Phi & University of Houston — $10 Million Lawsuit (2025)

What happened to Leonel Bermudez in Houston could happen to your child in Caldwell Parish.

• Victim: Leonel Bermudez, a “ghost rush” — not even enrolled at UH yet
• Hazing: Waterboarded with a garden hose, forced to do 500 squats, struck with wooden paddles, forced to eat until vomiting
• Result: Hospitalized for 4 days with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure
• Response: Pi Kappa Phi closed the chapter — 7 days before the lawsuit was filed
• Our lawsuit: $10 million for medical bills, pain and suffering, and punitive damages

Why this matters to Caldwell Parish:

• Pi Kappa Phi has 150+ chapters nationwide — including near Caldwell Parish
• The same “traditions” that hospitalized Bermudez happen here
• Universities near Caldwell Parish face the same liability failures as UH
• If your child is being hazed, we will fight for you just like we’re fighting in Houston

The Hazing Crisis in Louisiana — It’s Closer Than You Think

Louisiana Has a Hazing Problem — And Caldwell Parish Is Not Immune

Louisiana has some of the strongest anti-hazing laws in the country — thanks to the Max Gruver Act, which made hazing a felony after a LSU student died from forced alcohol consumption in 2017.

But the laws alone aren’t enough. Fraternities, sororities, and universities continue to allow hazing — because they know victims are afraid to speak up.

Caldwell Parish families need to know:

• Hazing happens at Louisiana universities near Caldwell Parish
• The same national fraternities operate here
• Universities know it’s happening — and do little to stop it
• Victims are afraid of retaliation, social ostracism, or academic consequences

At Attorney 911, we don’t let institutions silence victims. We give them a voice.

Who Is Liable for Hazing in Caldwell Parish?

When hazing happens, multiple parties can be held accountable — not just the individuals who participated.

We Sue Everyone Responsible

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

What Compensation Can Caldwell Parish Hazing Victims Recover?

Hazing causes physical, emotional, and financial harm. Louisiana law allows victims to recover full compensation for all damages.

Economic Damages

Non-Economic Damages

Punitive Damages

Louisiana allows punitive damages when conduct is:

• Grossly negligent
• Reckless
• Intentional

Hazing is exactly this type of conduct.

Punitive damages punish the wrongdoers and send a message: This cannot happen again.

Precedent Cases: Hazing Victims Win Millions

Caldwell Parish families: These verdicts and settlements prove that hazing cases WIN. The same legal strategies apply to Louisiana cases.

If these families won millions, so can Caldwell Parish victims.

Louisiana Hazing Laws: What Caldwell Parish Families Need to Know

Louisiana Revised Statutes § 14:40.8 — Hazing

Definition of Hazing:

Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act by a person acting alone or with others that endangers the physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership in an organization.

Criminal Penalties:

Key Provision:

“Consent is not a defense.” — Even if a student “agreed” to participate, it doesn’t matter.

Max Gruver Act (2018) — Louisiana’s Anti-Hazing Law

Named after: Max Gruver, an LSU student who died from forced alcohol consumption during a Phi Delta Theta hazing event in 2017.

Key Provisions:

• Made hazing a felony in Louisiana
• Increased penalties for hazing causing serious injury or death
• Required universities to report hazing incidents
• Created immunity for individuals who report hazing

Why this matters to Caldwell Parish:

• Louisiana takes hazing seriously — more seriously than many other states
• Institutions can no longer hide behind “tradition” or “consent”
• Universities must report hazing — failure to do so is a crime

What Should Caldwell Parish Families Do If Their Child Was Hazed?

Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately

• Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor
• Some injuries (like rhabdomyolysis) may not appear immediately
• Medical records are critical evidence

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

• Do NOT delete any text messages, social media posts, or emails about hazing
• Take photos/videos of injuries, hazing locations, or items used in hazing
• Write down everything you remember — dates, times, people involved
• Get witness names and contact information

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Organization or University Alone

• They will try to control the narrative
• They will try to minimize the incident
• They will try to get you to sign away your rights
• Anything you say can be used against you

Step 4: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

• Free consultation — no upfront cost
• We handle all communications with the fraternity, university, and insurance companies
• We preserve evidence before it disappears
• We protect your rights — 2-year statute of limitations in Louisiana

Why Choose Attorney 911 for Caldwell Parish Hazing Cases?

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

• We know how to build these cases
• We know how to hold institutions accountable
• We are not afraid to take on national fraternities and universities

2. We Have Decades of Litigation Experience

• Ralph Manginello: 25+ years as a trial attorney; former insurance defense lawyer
• Lupe Pena: 12+ years as a litigator; former national defense firm attorney
• Together, we know how the other side thinks — and how to beat them

3. We Are Former Insurance Defense Lawyers

• We know how insurance companies value claims
• We know how they try to minimize payouts
• We use that knowledge to maximize your compensation

4. We Have Federal Court Authority

• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
• Can pursue cases in federal court when appropriate

5. We Are Willing to Travel to Caldwell Parish

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

6. We Work on Contingency — $0 Upfront

• No upfront costs — you pay nothing to hire us
• No hourly fees — we don’t get paid unless you win
• No financial risk — if we don’t win, you owe us nothing

Caldwell Parish Hazing Victims: You Are Not Alone

Hazing victims often feel shame, fear, and isolation. They worry about:

• Retaliation from the fraternity or sorority
• Social ostracism from peers
• Academic consequences from the university
• Not being believed by family or authorities

At Attorney 911, we understand these fears. And we don’t let institutions use them to silence victims.

We protect our clients. We fight for justice. And we make sure this never happens to another Caldwell Parish family.

Caldwell Parish Families: Contact Us Now

Free Consultation — Available 24/7

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

We serve hazing victims nationwide — including Caldwell Parish, Louisiana.

Frequently Asked Questions for Caldwell Parish Families

1. How long do we have to file a hazing lawsuit in Louisiana?

• 2 years from the date of the injury (statute of limitations)
• Do not wait — evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and your rights expire

2. Can we sue if our child consented to hazing?

• Yes. Louisiana law says consent is not a defense.
• Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the organization is still liable.

3. What if the fraternity claims it was just “tradition”?

• “Tradition” is not an excuse for abuse.
• Courts and juries do not accept this defense.

4. Can we sue the university, or just the fraternity?

• Both. Universities have a duty to protect students.
• If they knew or should have known about hazing, they share liability.

5. What if our child is afraid of retaliation?

• We protect our clients from retaliation.
• We handle all communications — you don’t have to talk to the fraternity or university.
• Many hazing victims are too afraid to speak up — we give them a voice.

6. How much is our hazing case worth?

• Every case is different.
• Factors include:
  • Severity of injuries
  • Medical expenses
  • Psychological trauma
  • University/fraternity’s knowledge of prior hazing
  • Egregiousness of conduct (e.g., waterboarding, forced alcohol consumption)

Precedent cases show verdicts and settlements in the MILLIONS.

7. Do we have to go to court?

• Most cases settle before trial.
• We negotiate aggressively for full compensation.
• If defendants refuse to settle fairly, we are not afraid to go to trial.

8. Can we afford a lawyer?

• Yes. We work on contingency — you pay nothing upfront.
• We only get paid if we win your case.
• There is no financial risk to you.

Caldwell Parish Hazing Victims: Enough Is Enough

To fraternities and sororities operating near Caldwell Parish:
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 Caldwell Parish, know that Attorney 911 represents hazing victims across America.

To universities near Caldwell Parish:
The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus. Act now — or face the same accountability.

To Caldwell Parish families:
Your child trusted these institutions. That trust was betrayed. But you are not powerless.

We are Attorney 911. We fight for justice. And we will fight for you.

Contact Us Now — Before It’s Too Late

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

Serving Caldwell Parish, Louisiana — and hazing victims nationwide.