The Essential Guide to Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Resource for Coppell Families

If you are a parent in Coppell, your worst fear is receiving a call that your child has been hurt far from home. Imagine a scenario at a University of Texas fraternity house, a Texas A&M Corps event, or a Baylor University spirit group gathering. Your child, eager to belong, is pushed beyond their limits—forced to drink, subjected to extreme workouts, or humiliated in a group chat. They are injured, scared, and the organization that promised brotherhood or sisterhood is now closing ranks. This is the reality of modern hazing, and it is happening right now at Texas universities.

At Attorney911, we are currently fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, representing Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston and the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter. This case is a stark example of what Texas families are up against and the level of legal expertise required to hold powerful institutions accountable. This guide is written specifically for parents and families in Coppell, Texas, to help you understand the hazing landscape, your legal rights, and the critical steps to take if your child has been harmed.

Immediate Help for Hazing Emergencies

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for medical emergencies.
• Then call Attorney911: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide immediate help—that’s why we’re the Legal Emergency Lawyers™.

In the first 48 hours:

1. Get medical attention immediately, even if your child insists they are “fine.”
2. Preserve evidence BEFORE it’s deleted: Screenshot group chats, photograph injuries, save clothing or objects.
3. Write down everything while memory is fresh: who, what, when, where.
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity/sorority directly.
   • Sign anything from the university or an insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.
   • Let your child delete messages.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24–48 hours. We can help preserve evidence and protect your child’s rights. Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a confidential, free consultation.

The Leonel Bermudez Case: A Texas Hazing Crisis at University of Houston

Right now, our firm is leading a high-stakes hazing lawsuit that exemplifies the severe dangers Texas students face. In late 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez against the University of Houston, the Pi Kappa Phi national fraternity, its Beta Nu chapter housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders.

As detailed in media reports from Click2Houston and ABC13, Bermudez’s fall 2025 pledge period involved systematic abuse:

• Humiliation & Control: Pledges were forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, and nicotine devices. They faced enforced dress codes, overnight driving duties, and weekly interviews under threat of expulsion.
• Physical Torture: Hazing acts included sprints, bear crawls, and “save-your-brother” drills at Yellowstone Boulevard Park. Pledges were sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass, and subjected to cold-weather exposure in their underwear.
• Forced Consumption & Extreme Exercise: Bermudez was forced to consume excessive amounts of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, then immediately forced to sprint. On November 3, he was forced through over 100 push-ups and 500 squats.
• Catastrophic Injury: This abuse led Bermudez to develop rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine, could not stand, and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels, facing a risk of permanent kidney damage.

Following the lawsuit, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters suspended the chapter on November 6, 2025, and members voted to surrender their charter on November 14. The University of Houston called the conduct “deeply disturbing.” This active litigation demonstrates our firm’s serious commitment to fighting for hazing victims and holding every responsible entity accountable—from individual members to national headquarters and the university itself.

The Greek Ecosystem Surrounding Coppell Families

Coppell is part of the vast Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area, which, according to our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, contains over 510 Greek-related organizations. For parents in Coppell, this means your child may encounter this dense network at local DFW schools or at major universities across Texas. We maintain a detailed directory of these organizations so families never start an investigation from zero.

A Snapshot of Texas Greek Organizations from Public Records:

Our investigative engine compiles data from IRS filings (Form 990/B83), university rosters, and metro-level databases. Here are examples of the types of organizations we track that are connected to campuses where Coppell students often enroll:

• Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity (EIN: 742911848) – Fort Worth, TX 76244
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc (EIN: 741380362) – Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – Lambda Lambda Chapter (EIN: 521278573) – Dallas, TX 75241
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. – Phi Psi Zeta Chapter (EIN: 611562040) – Lewisville, TX 75029
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority – Mu Zeta Chapter (EIN: 752609909) – Commerce, TX 75428
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi – Texas Woman’s University Chapter (EIN: 263170920) – Denton, TX 76204
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc. – Theta Delta Chapter (EIN: 475370943) – Houston, TX 77204
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity – Epsilon Kappa Chapter (EIN: 746064445) – Nederland, TX 77627

These entities—house corporations, alumni chapters, educational foundations, and honor societies—often hold insurance policies and legal responsibility. When hazing occurs, identifying every linked organization is critical to ensuring full accountability and maximum recovery for victims.

Where Coppell Families Send Their Kids: Texas Universities

Coppell students attend a wide range of Texas universities, from local DFW institutions to major flagship schools. Each campus has its own Greek life landscape and history of hazing incidents.

Major Universities for Coppell Students Include:

• University of Texas at Dallas (Richardson, Dallas County)
• University of North Texas (Denton, Denton County)
• Texas Woman’s University (Denton, Denton County)
• Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Dallas County)
• Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, Tarrant County)
• University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, Tarrant County)

Statewide University Hubs (Common Destinations):

• University of Texas at Austin (Travis County)
• Texas A&M University (College Station, Brazos County)
• University of Houston (Houston, Harris County)
• Baylor University (Waco, McLennan County)
• Texas Tech University (Lubbock, Lubbock County)

Hazing Law & Liability in Texas: What Coppell Parents Must Know

Texas has specific laws governing hazing, primarily found in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F.

Key Provisions:

• Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with an organization.
• Criminal Penalties: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor, but becomes a state jail felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death. Individuals can also be charged for failing to report hazing.
• Consent is NOT a Defense: Texas law (Sec. 37.155) explicitly states that the victim’s consent to the activity is not a defense against hazing charges.
• Organizational Liability: The organization itself (fraternity, sorority, team) can be fined up to $10,000 and lose its university recognition if it authorizes or knowingly permits hazing.
• Good-Faith Reporting Immunity: Individuals who report hazing in good faith to university officials or law enforcement are immune from civil or criminal liability.

Civil Liability & Lawsuits:
Beyond criminal charges, victims and their families can file civil lawsuits to recover damages. Potential defendants in a hazing lawsuit include:

1. The individual students who perpetrated the ha