Attorney911: Dutchess County’s Trusted Hazing Victim Lawyers

Hazing Happens in Dutchess County — We Hold Institutions Accountable

Dutchess County families: When your child is hazed at a college, university, fraternity, sorority, or student organization, the physical and emotional toll can be devastating. Hazing isn’t just “tradition” — it’s abuse. And in Dutchess County, just like across America, it leads to hospitalizations, lifelong trauma, and even death.

At Attorney911, we’re fighting this crisis right now — and we’re bringing that fight to Dutchess County. Our attorneys are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston, where a student was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, and hospitalized with kidney failure. This isn’t just happening in Texas — it’s happening near Dutchess County too.

If your child has been hazed at Vassar College, Marist College, Dutchess Community College, or any other institution in or near Dutchess County, we can help. We serve Dutchess County families nationwide — no matter where the hazing occurred.

🚨 The Hazing Crisis in Dutchess County: What Families Need to Know

Hazing Isn’t Just a “Rite of Passage” — It’s Abuse

Hazing is defined under New York law as any activity that:

• Endangers the physical or mental health of a student
• Is required for membership in an organization
• Involves humiliation, degradation, or physical harm

Common hazing activities in Dutchess County and beyond include:
✔ Forced alcohol consumption (binge drinking, drinking games)
✔ Extreme physical punishment (excessive exercise, calisthenics, paddling)
✔ Sleep deprivation (forced late-night activities, sleepovers)
✔ Psychological abuse (humiliation, threats, isolation)
✔ Waterboarding or simulated drowning (yes, this happens — we’re litigating a case right now)
✔ Forced consumption of food or non-food items (eating until vomiting)
✔ Sexual humiliation or assault (forced nudity, carrying sexual objects)

The consequences can be severe:

• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown leading to kidney failure — like our current client)
• Alcohol poisoning (leading to death, as seen in multiple cases nationwide)
• Traumatic brain injury (from beatings or falls)
• PTSD, anxiety, and depression (long-term psychological damage)
• Death (at least one hazing death has occurred every year since 2000 in the U.S.)

Dutchess County Institutions Are Failing Our Students

Universities and colleges in and near Dutchess County have a legal duty to protect students from hazing. Yet, time and time again, they fail.

Why?

• They turn a blind eye to hazing “traditions”
• They fail to enforce anti-hazing policies
• They prioritize reputation over safety
• They wait until someone is hospitalized or dies before taking action

This is institutional negligence — and it makes them legally liable.

💰 The $10 Million Fight: Why Dutchess County Families Can Win Big

Our Current Case: Pi Kappa Phi & University of Houston (2025)

What Happened:
Leonel Bermudez, a “ghost rush” (not even a UH student yet), accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi at the University of Houston. Over the next seven weeks, he was subjected to systematic abuse, including:

• Waterboarding with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
• Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups until he collapsed
• Struck with wooden paddles
• Forced to eat until vomiting, then made to lie in his own vomit
• Forced to strip to underwear in cold weather
• Sleep deprivation (driving fraternity members at all hours)

On November 3, 2025, he was punished with extreme exercise until he couldn’t stand without help. He crawled up the stairs when he got home. The next day, he couldn’t move. His mother rushed him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. He spent four days in the hospital fighting for his life.

Our Response:
We filed a $10 million lawsuit against:

• Pi Kappa Phi National (failed to supervise despite knowing about “a hazing crisis”)
• Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu Chapter (directly organized the hazing)
• University of Houston (owned the fraternity house where the abuse occurred)
• Individual fraternity members (participated in or directed the hazing)

This case is ongoing — and we’re bringing the same aggressive representation to Dutchess County families.

Precedent Cases: Hazing Victims Win Millions

Hazing lawsuits result in multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts. Here’s what other families have won:

Dutchess County families: These same results are possible for you. We know how to win.

⚖️ Dutchess County Hazing Victims’ Legal Rights

New York Law Protects Hazing Victims

Under New York Education Law § 6450, hazing is a misdemeanor, punishable by:

• Up to 1 year in jail
• Fines up to $1,000

But criminal charges aren’t enough. Victims and families can also sue for civil damages, including:

• Medical expenses (past and future)
• Lost wages (if hazing impacted employment)
• Pain and suffering (physical and emotional trauma)
• Punitive damages (to punish egregious conduct)

Who Can Be Sued in Dutchess County?

📋 What Dutchess County Families Should Do If Their Child Is Hazed

Step 1: Seek Medical Attention Immediately

• Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor
• Rhabdomyolysis, alcohol poisoning, and concussions can have delayed symptoms
• Medical records are critical evidence

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

✔ Photos/Videos: Document injuries, hazing locations, and any physical evidence
✔ Texts/Social Media: Save all messages about hazing (GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram, etc.)
✔ Witness Information: Get names and contact info of other victims or bystanders
✔ Medical Records: Request copies of all hospital/doctor visits
✔ Academic Records: Hazing often impacts grades and enrollment

⚠️ DO NOT:

• Delete any messages or posts
• Talk to the fraternity/sorority or university without legal counsel
• Sign anything from the organization or their insurance company
• Post about the incident on social media

Step 3: Contact Attorney911 Immediately

• 2-year statute of limitations in New York (you must act fast)
• Evidence disappears quickly
• Universities and fraternities will try to cover it up
• We offer FREE consultations — no upfront cost

Call us 24/7: 📞 1-888-ATTY-911

🏆 Why Dutchess County Families Choose Attorney911

1. We’re Fighting This Fight Right Now

• We’re currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston
• We know how to build these cases, gather evidence, and win
• Dutchess County families get the same aggressive representation

2. We Have Insider Knowledge

• Ralph Manginello is a former insurance defense attorney — we know how the other side thinks
• Lupe Peña worked at a national defense firm — we’ve seen their playbook
• We know how to dismantle their defenses and maximize your compensation

3. We’re Not Afraid of Big Institutions

• We’ve taken on major universities, national fraternities, and insurance companies
• We don’t back down from multi-million-dollar cases
• We travel to Dutchess County for depositions, trials, and client meetings

4. We Work on Contingency — $0 Upfront

• No upfront fees — we only get paid if we win
• No hourly billing — we take a percentage of your settlement
• No risk — if we don’t win, you owe us nothing

5. We Care About Dutchess County Families

• We’ve seen what hazing does to students and families
• We’re fathers, husbands, and community members — we understand the pain
• We’re fighting for justice, not just money

🎯 Dutchess County Hazing Hotspots: What Parents Should Watch For

Hazing happens at all types of institutions in and near Dutchess County, including:

Colleges & Universities Near Dutchess County

✔ Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, NY)
✔ Marist College (Poughkeepsie, NY)
✔ Dutchess Community College (Poughkeepsie, NY)
✔ SUNY New Paltz (New Paltz, NY)
✔ Mount Saint Mary College (Newburgh, NY)
✔ Bard College (Annandale-on-Hudson, NY)

Fraternities & Sororities With Chapters Near Dutchess County

⚠️ These organizations have a history of hazing incidents nationwide — and they operate in Dutchess County too.

📢 Message to Dutchess County Fraternities & Universities

“To every fraternity and university in Dutchess County: We are watching. We are documenting. And we are coming for you if you haze our children.”

Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi — if your chapter is operating near Dutchess County, know this:

• We are currently suing Pi Kappa Phi for $10 million
• We have won multi-million-dollar settlements for hazing victims
• We know your corporate structures, your insurance policies, and your history of negligence
• If you haze students in Dutchess County, we will hold you accountable

Universities in Dutchess County: The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus. Act now — or face the same liability.

📞 Dutchess County Families: Call Us Before It’s Too Late

Hazing is abuse. It’s illegal. And it must stop.

If your child has been hazed at Vassar, Marist, Dutchess Community College, or any other institution in or near Dutchess County, we can help.

Call us 24/7 for a FREE consultation:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Email: ralph@atty911.com

We serve Dutchess County families nationwide — no matter where the hazing occurred.

The clock is ticking. Don’t wait until it’s too late.