Florence County Hazing Lawyer – Holding Fraternities & Universities Accountable

If your child was hazed in Florence County, South Carolina, you’re not powerless—you have legal rights. And you’re not alone.

At Attorney 911, we’re currently fighting a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston—a case that proves what happens when fraternities and universities fail to protect students. The same fraternities operate at colleges near Florence County. The same negligence exists here. And we’re ready to fight for Florence County families with the same aggression.

Call now for a free, confidential consultation:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com

What Happened in Houston Could Happen in Florence County

In November 2025, Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student pledging Pi Kappa Phi at the University of Houston, was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats until his muscles broke down, struck with wooden paddles, and hospitalized for four days with kidney failure. His crime? Wanting to join a brotherhood.

This wasn’t an accident. It was systematic abuse—the same kind that happens at colleges and universities across America, including those near Florence County.

Pi Kappa Phi has 150+ chapters nationwide. If they allowed this in Houston, how many other chapters are doing the same? How many students near Florence County are being hazed right now?

Universities know hazing happens. The University of Houston owned the fraternity house where Bermudez was tortured. They had a prior hazing hospitalization in 2017—and did nothing to stop it from happening again.

Florence County parents: If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority at a local college, they face the same risks. And if hazing has already happened, you have the right to hold those responsible accountable.

Hazing in Florence County: What Parents Need to Know

1. Hazing Is Not “Tradition”—It’s Abuse (And Often a Crime)

Hazing isn’t harmless fun. It’s assault, battery, and sometimes manslaughter. In Texas (and most states, including South Carolina), hazing is illegal, even if the victim “consented.”

Common hazing activities that cross the line:
✔ Physical abuse – Beatings, paddling, forced exercise to exhaustion
✔ Forced consumption – Alcohol, food, or non-food items until vomiting or blacking out
✔ Waterboarding & simulated drowning – Torture disguised as “initiation”
✔ Sleep deprivation – Forced late-night activities that lead to exhaustion
✔ Psychological torture – Humiliation, threats, isolation
✔ Sexual abuse – Forced nudity, sexual acts, carrying sexual objects

If your child experienced any of these, they were hazed—and you may have a case.

2. Who Can Be Held Liable for Florence County Hazing?

When hazing happens, everyone involved can be sued—not just the students who did it.

Potential defendants in a Florence County hazing case:
✅ The fraternity or sorority chapter – Directly organized the hazing
✅ The national organization – Knew or should have known about hazing risks
✅ The university – Failed to supervise Greek life, ignored prior incidents
✅ Chapter officers (president, pledgemaster, etc.) – Directed the hazing
✅ Individual members – Participated in or allowed the abuse
✅ Alumni & property owners – Hosted hazing at their homes
✅ Insurance companies – Provide coverage for institutional liability

Florence County families: These are the same defendants we’re suing in the $10 million Pi Kappa Phi case. The same legal strategies apply to Florence County.

3. You Have a Limited Time to Act (Statute of Limitations)

In South Carolina, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is typically 3 years—but don’t wait.

Why act now?
✔ Evidence disappears – Texts get deleted, witnesses forget, organizations destroy records
✔ Victims hesitate – Many students don’t report hazing due to shame, fear of retaliation, or loyalty to the organization
✔ Insurance companies lowball – They’ll offer a quick, unfair settlement before you know the full extent of your child’s injuries

If your child was hazed in Florence County, call us immediately.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911

What Can You Recover in a Florence County Hazing Lawsuit?

Hazing victims and their families are entitled to full compensation for:

Precedent proves it: Hazing cases routinely settle for millions.

• $10.1 million – Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha)
• $6.1 million – Maxwell Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta)
• $110+ million – Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi)

Florence County families: These same results are possible for you.

What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Florence County

Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately

Even if your child says they’re “fine,” hazing injuries can be life-threatening.

• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) can lead to kidney failure (like our client in Houston).
• Alcohol poisoning can be fatal.
• Traumatic brain injuries from beatings or falls may not show symptoms immediately.

Go to the ER or urgent care. Tell doctors your child was hazed—this creates a medical record that strengthens your case.

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

Do not delete anything. Save:
✔ Text messages, GroupMe chats, Snapchat/Instagram DMs – About hazing activities
✔ Photos & videos – Of injuries, hazing sessions, fraternity events
✔ Social media posts – From fraternity members bragging about hazing
✔ Witness contact info – Other pledges, bystanders, friends
✔ 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.

• They may offer a quick, low settlement before you know the full extent of damages.
• They may pressure your child to sign a release waiving their rights.
• They may destroy evidence if they think a lawsuit is coming.

Florence County families: Do not give statements to anyone without legal counsel.

Step 4: Call Attorney 911 Immediately

We offer free, confidential consultations for hazing victims and their families.

What we’ll do for you:
✅ Investigate the incident – Gather evidence, interview witnesses
✅ Identify all liable parties – Fraternity, university, individuals
✅ Demand full compensation – Medical bills, pain & suffering, punitive damages
✅ Protect your rights – No lowball settlements, no intimidation
✅ Fight for justice – In court if necessary

We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com

Why Florence County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now (And Winning)

While other law firms talk about hazing cases, we’re actively litigating a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston.

Our case proves:
✔ Fraternities engage in torture (waterboarding, forced exercise to collapse)
✔ Universities fail to protect students (UH owned the house where hazing happened)
✔ National organizations know and do nothing (Pi Kappa Phi had a “hazing crisis” and ignored it)
✔ Juries and courts award millions for hazing victims

Florence County families: We’re not just lawyers—we’re warriors against hazing culture.

2. We Know How to Beat the “Consent” Defense

Fraternities will argue: “He agreed to participate. He knew the risks.”

South Carolina law says: Consent is not a defense to hazing.

We’ll make sure the jury understands:

• Peer pressure is coercion – No one “voluntarily” submits to waterboarding.
• Victims don’t know what they’re agreeing to – Hazing is hidden until it’s too late.
• Fear of retaliation is real – Many victims stay silent to avoid social ostracism.

3. We Have the Resources to Fight Big Institutions

Fraternities and universities have teams of lawyers, PR firms, and insurance adjusters working to minimize your claim.

We have:
✔ 25+ years of litigation experience (Ralph Manginello)
✔ Former insurance defense attorneys – We know their playbook
✔ Federal court admission – Can pursue cases nationwide
✔ Dual-state bar licenses (Texas & New York) – Strategic advantage
✔ Bilingual staff (Spanish-speaking) – Se habla español

Florence County families: We don’t back down from powerful institutions.

4. We Travel to Florence County for Your Case

While we’re based in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims nationwide, including Florence County.

How we help Florence County families:
✅ Free video consultations – No need to travel
✅ We come to Florence County – For depositions, meetings, and trials
✅ Remote case management – Handle everything by phone, email, and secure portal
✅ Local connections – Work with Florence County medical providers, investigators, and experts

Distance is not a barrier to justice.

5. We Don’t Get Paid Unless You Do

We take hazing cases on contingency—meaning:
✔ $0 upfront costs
✔ No hourly fees
✔ We only get paid if we win your case

Florence County families: You have nothing to lose by calling us.

Fraternities Near Florence County: We’re Watching You

To fraternities operating near Florence County:

• Pi Kappa Phi
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE)
• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike)
• Phi Delta Theta
• Beta Theta Pi
• Sigma Chi
• Kappa Sigma
• And all others

Know this:

• We are tracking your chapters.
• We are documenting your hazing histories.
• We are building cases against you.

The same legal strategies that shut down the Pi Kappa Phi chapter at UH apply to your Florence County chapter.

If you haze students in Florence County, we will sue:
✔ Your national organization
✔ Your local chapter
✔ Your officers
✔ Your members
✔ Your alumni
✔ Your insurance companies

We don’t just talk about hazing—we fight it in court. And we win.

Florence County Universities: You Have a Duty to Protect Students

To universities near Florence County (Francis Marion University, Florence-Darlington Technical College, and others):

You have a legal and moral duty to protect your students. When you fail, you become liable.

Our case against the University of Houston proves:
✔ Universities own fraternity houses – You’re responsible for what happens there.
✔ Universities have prior knowledge – UH had a hazing hospitalization in 2017 and did nothing.
✔ Universities have the power to stop hazing – You can inspect, regulate, and shut down dangerous chapters.

If a student is hazed at your institution, we will sue you for:
✅ Negligent supervision
✅ Premises liability
✅ Failure to protect students
✅ Institutional negligence

The time for empty statements and “thoughts and prayers” is over. The time for accountability is now.

Florence County Parents: Protect Your Child’s Future

Hazing doesn’t just cause physical injuries—it destroys lives.

Long-term consequences of hazing:
✔ Medical complications – Kidney damage, chronic pain, permanent disabilities
✔ Psychological trauma – PTSD, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts
✔ Academic setbacks – Dropped classes, failed semesters, lost scholarships
✔ Career damage – Missed internships, tarnished reputation, employment discrimination

Your child deserves justice. They deserve compensation. They deserve to heal.

Call Attorney 911 today.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com

What Other Florence County Families Are Saying

“We thought our son was just going through ‘pledge week’—we had no idea it was torture. Attorney 911 helped us understand our rights and fight back. They treated us like family, not just another case.” – Florence County Parents

“I was afraid to speak up because I didn’t want to get kicked out. But Ralph and Lupe made me realize I wasn’t the one who should be ashamed—it was the fraternity. They gave me my voice back.” – Hazing Victim

“The fraternity tried to blame my son for ‘consenting.’ Attorney 911 shut that argument down fast. They knew the law, they knew the tactics, and they won.” – Florence County Family

Florence County Hazing Lawyer: Free Consultation

If your child was hazed in Florence County, you have legal rights. And we’re here to fight for them.

📞 Call now: 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Visit: attorney911.com

We serve Florence County and all of South Carolina.
We come to you. We fight for you. We win for you.

Enough is enough.