Attorney 911: Ford County’s Trusted Hazing Litigation Experts
📍 Serving Ford County, Illinois and Surrounding Communities
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 | ✉️ ralph@atty911.com | 🌐 attorney911.com
🚨 Hazing in Ford County: A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight
Ford County families send their children to college expecting them to be safe. They trust universities, fraternities, and sororities to provide a supportive environment where students can grow, learn, and form lifelong friendships. But what happens when that trust is betrayed?
Hazing is not just a distant problem happening at big universities in other states. It happens right here in Illinois. It happens at universities near Ford County. And when it does, the consequences can be devastating—hospitalizations, permanent injuries, psychological trauma, and even death.
At Attorney 911, we are currently fighting one of the most high-profile hazing cases in the country—a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for the systematic abuse that hospitalized a young man with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure. This isn’t just a Houston problem. It’s a national crisis, and Ford County families are not immune.
If your child has been hazed at a university near Ford County, you are not alone. We are here to fight for you.
🔍 What Is Hazing? Ford County Families Need to Know
Hazing is often dismissed as “harmless tradition” or “just part of joining a group.” But the reality is far darker. Hazing is abuse. It is assault. It is torture. And in many cases, it is a crime.
Under Illinois law, hazing is defined as any activity that:
- Endangers the physical or mental health or safety of a student
- Is required for membership in any organization
- Involves coercion, humiliation, or physical abuse
💀 Hazing in Illinois: The Reality
Hazing isn’t just a problem at big universities like the University of Illinois or Illinois State. It happens at colleges and universities near Ford County, including:
- Eureka College (Eureka, IL)
- Illinois State University (Normal, IL)
- Bradley University (Peoria, IL)
- Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL)
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, IL)
The same national fraternities and sororities involved in hazing deaths and lawsuits nationwide operate chapters at these schools. If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority near Ford County, they face the same risks that hospitalized our client in Houston.
⚠️ The Pi Kappa Phi Case: A Warning for Ford County Families
📰 What Happened in Houston Could Happen in Ford County
On November 21, 2025, Attorney 911 filed a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a young man who was systematically tortured during hazing activities.
Here’s what happened to him:
- Waterboarded with a garden hose (simulated drowning—a form of torture)
- Forced to do 500 squats and 100+ pushups until he collapsed
- Struck with wooden paddles
- Forced to eat milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting
- Hog-tied face-down on a table with an object in his mouth
- Sprayed with a hose while stripped to his underwear in cold weather
- Another pledge lost consciousness during a workout—but the hazing continued
- Result: Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure, requiring four days of hospitalization
This wasn’t an accident. This was a deliberate, weeks-long campaign of abuse.
💔 Why This Matters to Ford County Families
- Pi Kappa Phi has 150+ chapters across America, including at universities near Ford County.
- The same “traditions” that hospitalized our client exist at Ford County-area fraternities.
- Universities near Ford County face the same liability failures as UH.
- If your child is being hazed, we will fight for you with the same aggression we’re bringing to this case.
This isn’t just a Houston problem. It’s a Ford County problem too.
🏛️ Who Is Liable? Ford County Hazing Victims Have Rights
When hazing occurs, multiple parties can—and should—be held accountable. In our Pi Kappa Phi case, we are pursuing:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable |
|---|---|
| The Local Fraternity/Sorority Chapter | Directly organized and conducted the hazing |
| The National Organization | Knew about hazing risks but failed to supervise chapters |
| The University | Owned the fraternity house; failed to prevent hazing despite prior incidents |
| Individual Members | Participated in or facilitated the hazing |
| Alumni & Spouses | Allowed hazing at their homes; premises liability |
| Insurance Companies | Coverage for institutional and individual liability |
Ford County families: If your child was hazed, we will pursue every liable party to maximize your recovery.
💰 What Is Your Ford County Hazing Case Worth?
Hazing cases result in multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts when victims come forward. Here’s what other families have recovered:
| 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 |
Our $10 million demand in the Pi Kappa Phi case is in line with these precedents. Ford County families deserve the same aggressive representation.
📊 What Damages Can Ford County Hazing Victims Recover?
| Type of Damage | Examples |
|---|---|
| Medical Expenses | Hospital bills, rehabilitation, future medical care |
| Lost Wages | Time missed from work or internships |
| Pain & Suffering | Physical and emotional trauma from the abuse |
| Mental Anguish | PTSD, anxiety, depression, therapy costs |
| Punitive Damages | To punish the organization for egregious conduct |
| Wrongful Death | If hazing results in death, families can sue for funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and more |
Ford County families: You don’t have to suffer in silence. We will fight to ensure you receive full compensation for what you’ve endured.
🛡️ What Should Ford County Families Do If Their Child Is Hazed?
If your child has been hazed, time is critical. Evidence disappears, memories fade, and statutes of limitations expire. Here’s what you should do immediately:
🚨 Step 1: Seek Medical Attention
- Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor.
- Hazing injuries like rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) or alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening.
- Medical records are critical evidence.
📱 Step 2: Preserve All Evidence
- Take photos/videos of injuries, hazing locations, and any physical evidence.
- Save all communications (texts, GroupMe messages, Snapchats, emails).
- Document witness names and contact information.
- Do NOT delete anything—even if it seems embarrassing.
⚖️ Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity, Sorority, or University Without Legal Counsel
- They will try to control the narrative, destroy evidence, and intimidate witnesses.
- Anything you say can be used against you.
- Do NOT sign anything without consulting an attorney.
📞 Step 4: Call Attorney 911 Immediately
- 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
- We will preserve evidence, guide you through the legal process, and protect your rights.
- We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win.
🎯 Why Ford County Families Choose Attorney 911
1️⃣ We Are Currently Fighting a $10 Million Hazing Case
- We know how to build these cases.
- We know how to hold institutions accountable.
- We know how to win.
2️⃣ Former Insurance Defense Attorneys—We Know Their Playbook
- Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena both worked for insurance companies before switching sides.
- We know how they try to minimize claims.
- We use that knowledge to maximize your recovery.
3️⃣ We Have Federal Court Authority—We Can Fight Anywhere
- Admitted to U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas.
- Dual-state bar licenses (Texas and New York).
- We can pursue Ford County hazing cases no matter where they occur.
4️⃣ We Travel to Ford County for Your Case
- We will come to Ford County for depositions, meetings, and trials.
- Distance is not a barrier to justice.
5️⃣ We Speak Spanish—Se Habla Español
- Bilingual staff available to serve Spanish-speaking families.
- No language barriers to justice.
6️⃣ We Work on Contingency—$0 Upfront
- You pay nothing unless we win your case.
- We take the financial risk so you can focus on healing.
📞 Ford County Families: Call Us Before It’s Too Late
Hazing victims have legal rights—but those rights expire if you wait too long.
- Illinois has a 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
- Evidence disappears quickly.
- Witnesses forget details.
If your child has been hazed at a university near Ford County, call us NOW:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
✉️ ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
We will fight for you like we’re fighting for Leonel Bermudez—aggressively, relentlessly, and without fear.
🚫 A Message to Ford County Fraternities & Sororities
To the fraternities and sororities operating near Ford County:
We are watching.
The same legal strategies that secured **$10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter.
If your members haze students in Ford County, we will find every liable entity.
- Pi Kappa Phi (the fraternity in our lawsuit) had their UH chapter shut down after our client was hospitalized.
- We know your corporate structures.
- We know your insurance policies.
- We know your hazing histories.
Every national fraternity with chapters near Ford County should review their hazing policies immediately. We have proven these cases can be won.
Universities near Ford County: The same institutional negligence that made UH a defendant exists at your campus. Act now—or face the same accountability.
To Greek life leadership at Ford County institutions: The Bermudez case is a warning. Clean up your chapters before we clean them out in court.
🏆 Our Promise to Ford County Families
At Attorney 911, we don’t just talk about fighting hazing. We’re doing it right now.
- We are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit.
- We have the experience, resources, and determination to win.
- We will travel to Ford County for your case.
- We will fight for you like family.
If your child has been hazed, you don’t have to suffer in silence. You don’t have to accept excuses. You don’t have to let them get away with it.
Call us. We will fight for you.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
✉️ ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
Ford County families: Justice starts with a call.
