Hazing Victims in Martinsville, Virginia: Legal Rights and How to Seek Justice
Martinsville Families: Your Child Was Hazed. You Have Rights.
If your son or daughter was hazed at a fraternity, sorority, sports team, or other student organization in Martinsville or nearby universities, you may feel powerless. You trusted these institutions to keep your child safe. Instead, they were subjected to abuse, humiliation, or life-threatening rituals in the name of “tradition.”
This ends now. Hazing is not tradition. It is not bonding. It is assault, battery, and sometimes manslaughter. And in Virginia, you can hold the perpetrators—and the institutions that enabled them—legally accountable.
At Attorney 911, we are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after a student was hospitalized with kidney failure from extreme hazing. We know how to build these cases. We know how to win. And we will bring that same aggressive representation to Martinsville families who have suffered from hazing.
What Is Hazing? (And Why It’s Illegal in Virginia)
Hazing is any activity that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or maintaining membership in an organization. Under Virginia law (§ 18.2-56), hazing is a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine. If hazing causes serious injury or death, it can be charged as a felony.
Examples of Hazing That Have Happened in Virginia (And Could Happen in Martinsville):
✔ Forced alcohol consumption (binge drinking, drinking games)
✔ Physical abuse (beatings, paddling, branding, excessive exercise)
✔ Psychological torture (sleep deprivation, humiliation, threats)
✔ Sexual assault or harassment (forced nudity, inappropriate touching)
✔ Dangerous stunts (blindfolded activities, extreme weather exposure)
✔ Waterboarding or simulated drowning (yes, this has happened in Virginia)
Martinsville parents: If your child experienced any of these, they were hazed. And you can sue.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Hazing in Martinsville?
Hazing doesn’t just involve the students who directly participated. Universities, national fraternities, and even housing corporations can be held legally responsible. In our current case, we are suing:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable |
|---|---|
| Local fraternity/sorority chapter | Directly organized and conducted hazing |
| National fraternity/sorority organization | Failed to supervise chapters despite knowing about hazing risks |
| University or college | Failed to prevent hazing despite having the power to regulate Greek life |
| Fraternity/sorority housing corporation | Owned the property where hazing occurred |
| Individual members (president, pledgemaster, participants) | Personally participated in or enabled hazing |
| Alumni who hosted hazing events | Allowed hazing at their homes (premises liability) |
Martinsville Universities & Greek Life: You Are on Notice
Martinsville is home to Patrick & Henry Community College, and nearby institutions like Virginia Tech, Radford University, and Averett University have active Greek life programs. The same national fraternities and sororities involved in hazing deaths and lawsuits nationwide operate chapters near Martinsville.
If your child was hazed at a fraternity or sorority near Martinsville, we can sue:
- The local chapter (e.g., Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, etc.)
- The national organization (they have deep pockets and insurance)
- The university (if they failed to enforce anti-hazing policies)
- The individuals who participated
We are already fighting this battle in Texas. We will fight for Martinsville families too.
What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Martinsville
Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately
- Some injuries (like rhabdomyolysis from excessive exercise or alcohol poisoning) may not show symptoms right away.
- Document everything—hospital records, doctor’s notes, and photos of injuries are critical evidence.
Step 2: Preserve All Evidence
Hazing cases are won or lost based on evidence. Do not delete anything.
✅ Save these immediately:
- Text messages, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, Instagram DMs (screenshots + full conversations)
- Photos/videos of hazing activities, injuries, or locations
- Social media posts (even “private” posts can be obtained through discovery)
- Witness names and contact information (other pledges, bystanders)
- Fraternity/sorority documents (pledge manuals, schedules, rules)
- Medical records (hospital bills, doctor’s notes, therapy records)
Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity, Sorority, or University Without a Lawyer
- They will try to control the narrative and minimize your claim.
- They may ask your child to sign a waiver or give a statement.
- Anything they say can be used against you in court.
Step 4: Call Attorney 911 Immediately
Martinsville families: We offer free consultations. Call us 24/7 at:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com
We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win.
What Compensation Can Martinsville Families Recover?
Hazing victims and their families can recover economic and non-economic damages, including:
| Type of Damage | Examples |
|---|---|
| Medical expenses | Hospital bills, surgery, therapy, future treatment |
| Lost wages | Time missed from work due to injuries |
| Pain and suffering | Physical pain from abuse, emotional trauma |
| Mental anguish | PTSD, anxiety, depression from hazing |
| Loss of enjoyment of life | Inability to participate in normal activities |
| Punitive damages | Additional money to punish egregious conduct (e.g., waterboarding, forced alcohol poisoning) |
Recent Hazing Verdicts & Settlements (What Martinsville Families Can Expect)
| Case | Fraternity | University | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz (2021) | Pi Kappa Alpha | Bowling Green State | $10.1 million |
| Maxwell Gruver (2017) | Phi Delta Theta | Louisiana State | $6.1 million jury verdict |
| Timothy Piazza (2017) | Beta Theta Pi | Penn State | $110+ million (estimated) |
| Andrew Coffey (2017) | Pi Kappa Phi | Florida State | Confidential settlement |
Martinsville families: These cases prove that hazing lawsuits win big. The same legal strategies apply to your case.
Virginia Hazing Laws: What You Need to Know
Virginia Code § 18.2-56: Hazing is a Crime
- Class 1 misdemeanor (up to 12 months in jail, $2,500 fine)
- Felony if hazing causes serious injury or death
- Consent is NOT a defense (even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law still holds perpetrators accountable)
Virginia Code § 8.01-42.1: Civil Liability for Hazing
- Allows victims to sue for money damages
- Applies to individuals, organizations, and universities
- No cap on damages (unlike some states)
Title IX: If Your Child Was Hazed Based on Gender
- If hazing involved sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based discrimination, the university may be liable under Title IX.
- This can lead to additional compensation and federal investigations of the school.
Why Choose Attorney 911 for Your Martinsville Hazing Case?
1. We Are Currently Fighting a $10 Million Hazing Lawsuit
- We represent a student who was hospitalized with kidney failure after being waterboarded and forced to do 500 squats at Pi Kappa Phi.
- The same fraternities operate near Martinsville. We know how to hold them accountable.
2. We Are Former Insurance Defense Attorneys
- We know exactly how fraternities and universities will try to deny your claim.
- We’ve seen their playbook—and we know how to beat it.
3. We Have Federal Court Authority
- We can sue national fraternities in federal court, no matter where they’re based.
- We can pursue multi-state cases if hazing involved chapters in multiple states.
4. We Work on Contingency—You Pay Nothing Upfront
- No hourly fees, no retainers.
- We only get paid if we win your case.
- Martinsville families: This means you can fight back without financial risk.
5. We Will Travel to Martinsville for Your Case
- We have offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, but we serve clients nationwide.
- We will come to Martinsville for depositions, meetings, and trials.
- We offer video consultations for Martinsville families who can’t travel.
6. We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)
- Hazing affects students from all backgrounds.
- We can communicate with Spanish-speaking families without language barriers.
Martinsville Fraternities & Sororities: We Are Watching You
To the fraternities and sororities operating near Martinsville:
- Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Chi, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi—we know your chapters.
- We are tracking your housing corporations, alumni chapters, and national organizations.
- If you haze students in Martinsville, we will sue you.
- We are already fighting Pi Kappa Phi in court. Your chapter could be next.
To the universities near Martinsville (Virginia Tech, Radford, Averett, P&HCC):
- You have a duty to protect students.
- If you fail to stop hazing, you will be sued.
- We are holding the University of Houston accountable right now. We will do the same to you.
Martinsville Families: You Are Not Alone
Hazing is isolation, fear, and shame. But you don’t have to face this alone.
We are Attorney 911. We are Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena. And we fight for victims like you.
Call us today for a free, confidential consultation:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
We don’t get paid unless you do. Let’s get justice for your family.
Martinsville Hazing Victims: What to Do Next
- Call Attorney 911 (1-888-ATTY-911)
- Preserve all evidence (texts, photos, medical records)
- Do NOT talk to the fraternity, sorority, or university without a lawyer
- Let us handle everything—we’ll fight for you
Enough is enough. It’s time for justice.
