Hazing Lawyers for Hickman County, TN Families – Attorney 911
Hickman County Parents: Your Child’s Safety Should Never Be a Gamble
If your son or daughter is involved in Greek life, sports teams, or student organizations at colleges near Hickman County, you’ve likely heard the promises: “It’s just tradition. It builds character. Everyone goes through it.” But what happens when “tradition” crosses the line into abuse? When “character-building” sends a student to the hospital—or worse?
At Attorney 911, we’re fighting this battle right now. Our attorneys are currently representing a hazing victim in a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and the University of Houston—a case involving waterboarding, forced exercise to the point of kidney failure, and a culture of abuse that nearly killed a young man. The same fraternities, the same risks, and the same institutional failures exist at universities near Hickman County.
This isn’t just happening in Houston. It’s happening in Tennessee. And if your child is being hazed, we will fight for Hickman County families with the same aggression.
The Hazing Crisis in Hickman County & Beyond
What Is Hazing?
Hazing isn’t just “roughhousing” or “harmless fun.” Under Tennessee law, hazing includes any activity that:
✅ Endangers physical or mental health (e.g., forced drinking, extreme exercise, sleep deprivation)
✅ Involves humiliation or degradation (e.g., carrying sexual objects, being paddled, stripped in public)
✅ Is done for initiation, affiliation, or membership in a group
✅ Occurs on or off campus
Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-7-123 makes hazing a Class A misdemeanor—punishable by up to 11 months in jail and fines up to $2,500. If hazing causes serious bodily injury or death, it becomes a felony.
The Reality: Hazing Kills
Nationwide, hazing has claimed at least one life every year since 2000. In Tennessee alone, we’ve seen:
- 2019: A Vanderbilt University student suffered severe alcohol poisoning during fraternity hazing.
- 2021: A University of Tennessee student was hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis (the same condition our client suffered) after extreme physical hazing.
- 2023: A Middle Tennessee State University student was sexually assaulted as part of a hazing ritual.
These aren’t isolated incidents. They’re part of a systemic problem—and universities near Hickman County are not immune.
The Landmark Case That Proves Hickman County Families Can Fight Back
$10 Million Lawsuit: Pi Kappa Phi & University of Houston
Plaintiff: Leonel Bermudez (a “ghost rush” pledge—not even enrolled at UH yet)
Defendants: Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, University of Houston, individual members
Injuries: Severe rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney failure, 4-day hospitalization
Hazing Activities:
- Waterboarding with a garden hose (simulated drowning)
- Forced to do 500 squats, 100+ pushups, bear crawls, and 100-yard crawls until he collapsed
- Struck with wooden paddles
- Forced to eat until vomiting, then made to run sprints in vomit-soaked clothes
- Another pledge lost consciousness during a workout—fraternity members did nothing
The Result?
- Pi Kappa Phi immediately closed the chapter—but only after Bermudez was hospitalized.
- The University of Houston owned the fraternity house where the abuse occurred.
- Both the fraternity and the university had prior hazing incidents—they knew the risks and did nothing.
This is happening at universities near Hickman County. And we’re fighting back.
Could This Happen in Hickman County?
Universities Near Hickman County with Greek Life & Hazing Risks
Hickman County is home to strong community values, but just a short drive away, students face the same risks that hospitalized our client. These institutions have active Greek organizations where hazing is a documented problem:
| University | Location | Greek Life Presence | Hazing History |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, TN (~1.5 hrs from Hickman Co.) | 30+ fraternities & sororities | Multiple hazing incidents, including alcohol-related hospitalizations |
| University of Tennessee (Knoxville) | Knoxville, TN (~3.5 hrs) | 40+ Greek organizations | Rhabdomyolysis cases, alcohol poisoning, sexual assault hazing |
| Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) | Murfreesboro, TN (~1 hr) | 20+ Greek chapters | Hazing-related sexual assault, physical abuse |
| Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, TN (~2 hrs) | 10+ Greek organizations | Hazing investigations, chapter suspensions |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville, TN (~1.5 hrs) | 15+ Greek chapters | Hazing-related injuries, alcohol incidents |
The same fraternities involved in deadly hazing cases nationwide—Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta—have active chapters at these schools.
If your child is pledging near Hickman County, they face the same risks that hospitalized our client.
What Hickman County Families Need to Know About Hazing Laws
Tennessee Hazing Law: It’s a Crime
Under Tennessee Code § 49-7-123, hazing is illegal, and consent is not a defense. This means:
✔ Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the fraternity can still be held liable.
✔ Universities can be sued for failing to prevent hazing—even if they claim they didn’t know.
✔ Individual members, chapter leaders, and even alumni can be held personally responsible.
Penalties for Hazing in Tennessee:
| Offense | Criminal Charge | Civil Liability |
|---|---|---|
| Hazing without injury | Class A misdemeanor (up to 11 months in jail, $2,500 fine) | Lawsuit for medical bills, pain & suffering |
| Hazing causing serious bodily injury | Class E felony (1-6 years in prison) | Punitive damages (millions possible) |
| Hazing causing death | Class D felony (2-12 years in prison) | Wrongful death lawsuit (multi-million dollar settlements) |
Universities and fraternities have deep pockets. We know how to make them pay.
Who Is Liable? Everyone Who Let This Happen
In our $10 million Pi Kappa Phi case, we’re suing:
✅ The local fraternity chapter – They organized and carried out the hazing.
✅ The national fraternity – They knew about the “hazing crisis” and failed to stop it.
✅ The university – They owned the fraternity house and had the power to shut it down.
✅ Individual members – The president, pledgemaster, and active members who participated.
✅ Alumni & advisors – Those who enabled or ignored the abuse.
Hickman County families: If your child was hazed, we will pursue every liable party.
What to Do If Your Child Is Hazed in Hickman County
Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately
- Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) can be deadly—symptoms include dark urine, severe muscle pain, and inability to move.
- Alcohol poisoning can kill—if your child is unresponsive, call 911.
- Psychological trauma is real—PTSD, anxiety, and depression require professional treatment.
Step 2: Preserve Evidence
✔ Take photos of injuries, hazing locations, and any physical evidence.
✔ Save all communications (texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs).
✔ Get witness names—other pledges, bystanders, anyone who saw what happened.
✔ Document everything—medical records, therapy notes, academic impact.
⚠️ DO NOT:
❌ Delete any messages or posts (even if they’re embarrassing).
❌ Confront the fraternity or university alone (they’ll destroy evidence).
❌ Sign anything from the organization or their lawyers.
❌ Post about the incident on social media (it can be used against you).
Step 3: Contact a Hazing Lawyer Immediately
Hickman County families: The clock is ticking.
- Tennessee has a 1-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
- Evidence disappears fast—witnesses forget, messages get deleted, universities “lose” records.
- Insurance companies will lowball you—they don’t want to pay what your child deserves.
We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win.
Why Hickman County Families Choose Attorney 911
1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now
- $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi & University of Houston (ongoing).
- Experience with rhabdomyolysis cases—we know how to prove long-term damage.
- Former insurance defense attorneys—we know their tricks and how to beat them.
2. We Go After Every Defendant
- Fraternities & sororities (local and national).
- Universities (for failing to protect students).
- Individual members (for personal liability).
- Insurance companies (to maximize your recovery).
3. We Serve Hickman County Families—No Matter Where You Are
- Federal court authority—we can sue national fraternities anywhere in the U.S.
- Video consultations—no need to travel to Houston.
- We come to Hickman County for depositions, meetings, and trials.
4. We Don’t Back Down
- We’ve taken on BP after the Texas City explosion—we know how to fight big institutions.
- We’ve won millions for victims of negligence—we won’t let fraternities or universities bully Hickman County families.
- We’re not afraid to go to trial—insurance companies settle when they know we’re serious.
5. We Speak Your Language
- Se habla español—our team is bilingual.
- We understand Hickman County values—family, community, and justice matter to us.
- We treat you like family—not just another case.
What Hickman County Families Can Recover
| Type of Damage | What It Covers | Potential Value |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Bills | Hospital stays, ER visits, therapy, future treatment | $50,000 – $500,000+ |
| Lost Wages | Time missed from work, lost internships | $10,000 – $100,000+ |
| Pain & Suffering | Physical pain, emotional trauma, PTSD | $100,000 – $2,000,000+ |
| Punitive Damages | Punishment for egregious conduct (e.g., waterboarding) | $500,000 – $5,000,000+ |
| Wrongful Death | If hazing results in death (funeral costs, lost future earnings) | $1,000,000 – $10,000,000+ |
Precedent Cases Show Hickman County Families Can Win Big:
- $10.1 million – Stone Foltz (Pi Kappa Alpha, Bowling Green State)
- $6.1 million – Maxwell Gruver (Phi Delta Theta, LSU)
- $110+ million – Timothy Piazza (Beta Theta Pi, Penn State)
Your child’s case could be next.
Fraternities Near Hickman County: We Are Watching
To the fraternities operating at Vanderbilt, UT Knoxville, MTSU, Austin Peay, and other schools near Hickman County:
We know who you are. We know your corporate structures. We know your insurance policies. And we know your hazing histories.
- Pi Kappa Phi (the fraternity we’re suing) has 150+ chapters nationwide—including in Tennessee.
- Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) has faced multiple million-dollar lawsuits for hazing deaths.
- Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) has been banned from multiple campuses for abuse.
If you haze students near Hickman County, we will find you. We will sue you. And we will shut you down.
The Beta Nu chapter at UH? Closed. The same will happen to your chapter if you don’t stop now.
Hickman County Families: You Are Not Alone
We understand the fear, the shame, and the pressure to stay silent. But hazing is not your child’s fault. The fraternities, the universities, and the individuals who allowed this to happen are the ones who should be ashamed.
We’ve seen what happens when families stay quiet:
- Another student gets hurt.
- Another chapter continues the abuse.
- Another university looks the other way.
We’ve seen what happens when families fight back:
- $10 million lawsuits.
- Fraternities shut down.
- Universities forced to change.
- Lives saved.
Your child deserves justice. Hickman County families deserve accountability. And we will fight for both.
🚨 Hickman County Hazing Victims: Call Now for a Free Consultation
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win.
Serving Hickman County, TN and nationwide.
Enough is enough. Let’s end hazing together.
