Hazing Lawyers in Dawson County, TX | Attorney 911
Hazing Victims in Dawson County Deserve Justice — We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now
Dawson County families: This is happening at universities near you. The same fraternities. The same negligence. The same life-threatening “traditions.”
And we’re fighting it in court right now — with a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. Your Dawson County child could be next. We will fight for Dawson County families with the same fury.
🚨 What Happened in Houston Could Happen in Dawson County
In November 2025, a young man named Leonel Bermudez accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi fraternity at the University of Houston. What followed was weeks of systematic torture disguised as “brotherhood.”
The Hazing That Hospitalized Our Client:
✅ Waterboarding with a garden hose — simulated drowning, a form of torture
✅ Forced to do 500+ squats, 100+ pushups — until his muscles broke down
✅ Struck with wooden paddles — physical assault with weapons
✅ Forced to eat until vomiting — then forced to keep running through his own vomit
✅ Another pledge collapsed unconscious — they kept going
✅ Result: Rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure — 3 nights, 4 days in the hospital
This isn’t “tradition.” This is abuse. This is assault. And it’s happening at universities near Dawson County right now.
💰 Why We’re Demanding $10 Million for Dawson County Families
1. This Wasn’t the First Time — They Knew the Risks
- 2017: Andrew Coffey died at a Pi Kappa Phi event at Florida State University — forced to drink until he died.
- 2017: A University of Houston student was hospitalized with a lacerated spleen from hazing.
- 2025: Leonel Bermudez hospitalized with kidney failure — 8 years later, nothing changed.
Pi Kappa Phi and UH had 8 years to fix this. They didn’t. Now they’ll pay.
2. $10 Million Sends a Message to Dawson County Fraternities
We’ve seen what juries award for hazing:
- $6.1 million — Max Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta, 2017)
- $10.1 million — Stone Foltz (Bowling Green, Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021)
- $110+ million — Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi, 2017)
If your Dawson County child is hazed, we’ll demand the same.
3. Dawson County Families Deserve the Same Aggressive Representation
We’re currently litigating this case in Houston, but we serve hazing victims nationwide — including Dawson County.
- Federal court authority — we can pursue your case anywhere
- Dual-state bar licenses — Texas AND New York
- Willing to travel to Dawson County — for depositions, trials, and client meetings
- Remote consultations available — Dawson County families can meet with us via video
⚖️ Your Legal Rights as a Dawson County Hazing Victim
Texas Law Says: Consent Is NOT a Defense
Fraternities will claim: “He agreed to participate. He knew the risks.”
Texas Education Code § 37.154 says:
“It is not a defense to prosecution that the person against whom the hazing was directed consented to or acquiesced in the hazing activity.”
Translation: Even if your Dawson County child “agreed” to hazing, it’s still illegal. They can’t use that as an excuse.**
Who Can Be Held Liable in Dawson County?
| Defendant | Why They’re Responsible |
|---|---|
| Local fraternity chapter | Organized and conducted the hazing |
| National fraternity organization | Knew about hazing culture; failed to supervise |
| University/college | Failed to protect students; may own the fraternity house |
| Individual members | Participated in or allowed the abuse |
| Housing corporations | Owned the property where hazing occurred |
| Alumni | Hosted hazing at their homes |
We sue everyone responsible — not just the students who carried it out.
🏥 Common Hazing Injuries We See in Dawson County Cases
| Injury | What It Means for Your Case |
|---|---|
| Rhabdomyolysis | Muscle breakdown causing kidney failure — requires hospitalization |
| Acute kidney failure | Life-threatening; may require dialysis or transplant |
| Alcohol poisoning | Forced drinking can be fatal; BAC over 0.40 is deadly |
| Traumatic brain injury | From beatings, falls, or lack of oxygen |
| Broken bones | From physical abuse or forced activities |
| PTSD, anxiety, depression | Long-term psychological trauma from abuse |
| Sexual assault | Humiliation, forced nudity, or worse |
| Death | Wrongful death claims for families |
If your Dawson County child suffered any of these, you have a case.
📋 What to Do If Your Child Is Hazed in Dawson County
STEP 1: Get Medical Help Immediately
- Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor
- Rhabdomyolysis and other conditions can appear days later
- Medical records are critical evidence
STEP 2: Preserve All Evidence
✔ Photos/videos — of injuries, hazing locations, items used
✔ Text messages/GroupMe/Snapchat — screenshots of all communications
✔ Social media — save posts about hazing activities
✔ Witness information — names and contact info of other victims
✔ Documents — pledge manuals, schedules, rules
DO NOT:
- Delete anything
- Talk to the fraternity/university without a lawyer
- Post about the incident on social media
- Sign anything from the organization
STEP 3: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 | ralph@atty911.com
- Free consultation — we’ll evaluate your Dawson County case at no cost
- $0 upfront — we work on contingency; you pay nothing unless we win
- 24/7 availability — hazing emergencies don’t wait
- We come to Dawson County — for meetings, depositions, and trials
The clock is ticking — Texas has a 2-year statute of limitations.
🔍 How We Win Dawson County Hazing Cases
1. We Know Their Playbook — We Used to Defend Insurance Companies
- Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena are former insurance defense attorneys
- We know how fraternities and universities try to avoid liability
- We know their delay tactics, lowball offers, and evidence destruction strategies
- Now we use that knowledge against them
2. We Have the Evidence to Prove Pattern & Knowledge
In our current case:
- Pi Kappa Phi knew about Andrew Coffey’s death in 2017
- University of Houston knew about a 2017 hazing hospitalization
- They failed to act — and Leonel Bermudez paid the price
- We’ll prove the same pattern exists at Dawson County institutions
3. We Sue Everyone — Not Just the Students
- National fraternities have deep pockets and insurance
- Universities have endowments and liability coverage
- We don’t settle for suing broke college kids — we go after the institutions that enabled this
4. We Fight for Maximum Compensation
We pursue:
- Medical bills — past, present, and future
- Lost wages — if hazing disrupted education or work
- Pain and suffering — physical and emotional trauma
- Punitive damages — to punish egregious conduct
- Injunctive relief — to force institutions to change
📢 To Fraternities Near Dawson County: We Are Watching
Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma —
If your chapter operates near Dawson County, know this:
- We are tracking your house corporations
- We know your national organization’s hazing death record
- We know your insurance policies
- If you haze students in Dawson County, we will find every liable entity
The Beta Nu chapter at University of Houston? SHUT DOWN.
The president who hazed Stone Foltz? Ordered to pay $6.5 million.
The fraternity that killed Max Gruver? Hit with a $6.1 million jury verdict.
Your Dawson County chapter could be next.
🎓 Universities Near Dawson County: The Same Liability Applies to You
If your institution:
✔ Owns or controls fraternity houses where hazing occurs
✔ Fails to implement real oversight of Greek life
✔ Ignores prior hazing incidents
✔ Allows dangerous “traditions” to continue
You are next.
We’re currently suing the University of Houston for owning the house where Leonel Bermudez was waterboarded. The same liability exists at Dawson County institutions.
🏆 Why Dawson County Families Choose Attorney 911
| Why Choose Us | How It Helps Your Dawson County Case |
|---|---|
| 25+ years of litigation experience | Battle-tested in courtrooms across Texas |
| Former insurance defense attorneys | Know their playbook; use it against them |
| Federal court authority | Can pursue Dawson County cases in federal court |
| Dual-state bar licenses | Texas AND New York — strategic advantage |
| Se habla español | Bilingual staff for Spanish-speaking families |
| $0 upfront — contingency fee | You pay nothing unless we win |
| Willing to travel to Dawson County | For depositions, client meetings, and trials |
| Currently litigating $10M hazing case | Same strategies available for Dawson County victims |
| Proven track record | Multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts |
📞 Dawson County Families: Call Now — Before It’s Too Late
Hazing is not “boys being boys.” It’s not “tradition.” It’s not “building character.”
It’s abuse. It’s assault. It’s sometimes manslaughter. And it’s happening to Dawson County students right now.
If your child has been hazed — or if you suspect hazing is happening — contact us immediately.
🚨 Free Consultation for Dawson County Hazing Victims
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
We work on contingency — $0 upfront. You pay nothing unless we win.
Dawson County families: Enough is enough. Let’s hold them accountable.
