Hazing Lawyers in Howard County, Iowa – Protecting Students & Holding Institutions Accountable
Hazing Happens in Howard County – And It’s Illegal
Howard County families trust that when their children go to college, they’ll be safe. But the reality is that hazing is happening right now at universities and colleges near Howard County, including:
- Luther College (Decorah, IA) – Known for strong Greek life presence
- Wartburg College (Waverly, IA) – Active fraternities and sororities
- Northeast Iowa Community College (Calmar & Peosta campuses) – Growing student organizations
- University of Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, IA) – Major Greek system with documented hazing risks
The same national fraternities and sororities involved in deadly hazing cases nationwide—like Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Kappa Sigma—have chapters operating near Howard County. If your child was hazed at a college or university in Iowa, they have legal rights—and we can help.
What Is Hazing? Iowa Law & Real Examples
Iowa law (Iowa Code § 708.10) defines hazing as any act that:
- Endangers the physical or mental health of a student
- Is done for the purpose of pledging, initiation, or maintaining membership in an organization
- Includes forced consumption of alcohol or drugs, physical brutality, sleep deprivation, or psychological abuse
Real Hazing Incidents That Could Happen in Howard County
| Type of Hazing | What It Looks Like | Medical Risks |
|---|---|---|
| Forced Alcohol Consumption | “You have to drink this entire bottle or you’re out.” | Alcohol poisoning, coma, death (like Stone Foltz at Bowling Green State) |
| Extreme Physical Punishment | 500 squats, 100 pushups, bear crawls until collapse | Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown), kidney failure, permanent damage |
| Waterboarding / Simulated Drowning | Sprayed with hoses while doing calisthenics | Panic attacks, PTSD, drowning risk |
| Forced Eating Until Vomiting | “Eat this raw onion/milk/peppercorns until you puke.” | Choking, aspiration, stomach rupture |
| Sleep Deprivation | Forced to stay up all night, then attend class | Hallucinations, car accidents, mental breakdowns |
| Psychological Torture | Hog-tied with objects in mouth, carrying sexual items | Severe anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts |
| Paddling / Beatings | Struck with wooden paddles or belts | Bruises, fractures, internal bleeding |
⚠️ This isn’t “tradition.” It’s abuse—and it’s illegal in Iowa.
We’re Fighting Hazing Right Now – And We’ll Fight for Howard County Families
🚨 Our $10 Million Hazing Lawsuit in Texas – The Same Fight We’ll Bring to Iowa
Right now, we’re representing Leonel Bermudez, a student who was hospitalized with kidney failure after being hazed at the University of Houston’s Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. The fraternity:
✔ Waterboarded him with a garden hose
✔ Forced him to do 500 squats until he collapsed
✔ Struck him with wooden paddles
✔ Made him eat until he vomited, then forced him to keep running
Result:
- 3 nights in the hospital with rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown)
- Acute kidney failure
- Pi Kappa Phi’s own statement admits they violated their “risk management policies”
- We filed a $10 MILLION lawsuit – and we’re not backing down
📢 This is happening at universities near Howard County. And we will fight for Iowa victims with the same aggression.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Hazing in Howard County?
If your child was hazed, multiple parties can—and should—be held accountable:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable | What We Sue For |
|---|---|---|
| Local Fraternity/Sorority Chapter | Directly organized and conducted hazing | Negligence, assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress |
| National Fraternity/Sorority | Failed to supervise chapter despite knowing about hazing risks | Negligent supervision, pattern of negligence, punitive damages |
| University/College | Failed to prevent hazing despite having authority to regulate Greek life | Premises liability, negligent supervision, breach of duty of care |
| Individual Members | Participated in or failed to stop hazing | Assault, battery, personal liability |
| House Corporations | Owned the property where hazing occurred | Premises liability, negligent security |
| Alumni | Allowed hazing at their homes | Premises liability, aiding and abetting |
⚠️ Universities near Howard County OWN many fraternity/sorority houses—just like UH. If hazing happens on their property, they’re liable.
What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Iowa
🚨 Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately
- Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) can be life-threatening—go to the ER if your child has dark urine, severe muscle pain, or can’t move.
- Alcohol poisoning can kill—don’t wait for symptoms to worsen.
- Psychological trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression) requires professional help.
📱 Step 2: Preserve ALL Evidence
✅ Texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs – Screenshot everything before it’s deleted.
✅ Photos/Videos – Document injuries, hazing locations, items used in hazing.
✅ Medical Records – Get copies of all hospital/doctor visits.
✅ Witnesses – Get names and contact info of other pledges or bystanders.
✅ Fraternity/Sorority Documents – Pledge manuals, schedules, rules given to your child.
❌ DO NOT:
- Delete anything (even if it’s embarrassing).
- Talk to the fraternity/sorority without a lawyer present.
- Post about the incident on social media.
- Sign anything from the university or organization.
📞 Step 3: Call Us Immediately – 1-888-ATTY-911
- Iowa’s statute of limitations is 2 years—but evidence disappears fast.
- We offer FREE consultations—no upfront cost.
- We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win your case.
- We travel to Howard County for depositions, meetings, and trials.
What Compensation Can Howard County Hazing Victims Recover?
Hazing causes physical, emotional, and financial harm. We fight for full compensation, including:
| Type of Damage | Examples | Potential Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Bills | ER visits, hospital stays, therapy, future treatment | $50,000 – $500,000+ |
| Lost Wages | Time missed from work or internships | $10,000 – $100,000+ |
| Pain & Suffering | Physical pain from hazing, emotional trauma | $100,000 – $1,000,000+ |
| Mental Anguish | PTSD, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts | $200,000 – $2,000,000+ |
| Educational Disruption | Dropped classes, delayed graduation, lost scholarships | $50,000 – $200,000+ |
| Punitive Damages | To punish the fraternity/university for reckless conduct | $500,000 – $5,000,000+ |
💰 Recent Hazing Settlements & Verdicts:
- $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)
Howard County families deserve the same justice.
Why Choose Attorney 911 for Your Howard County Hazing Case?
✅ We’re Former Insurance Defense Lawyers – We Know How They’ll Fight Back
- Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena both worked for insurance companies before switching sides to fight for victims.
- We know their playbook—how they’ll try to deny claims, blame the victim, or lowball settlements.
- We use that knowledge to MAXIMIZE your compensation.
✅ We’re Fighting Hazing RIGHT NOW – And Winning
- We’re currently litigating a $10 MILLION hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston.
- We’ve shut down fraternity chapters and forced national organizations to take responsibility.
- We’ve won multi-million dollar settlements in personal injury cases.
✅ We Serve Howard County – No Matter Where the Hazing Happened
- Headquartered in Houston & Austin, but we travel to Iowa for your case.
- Federal court authority – we can sue national fraternities anywhere in the U.S.
- Video consultations available – no need to travel to Texas.
✅ We Treat Howard County Families Like Our Own
- Se habla español – We serve Spanish-speaking families.
- Compassionate, aggressive representation – We see your child as a person, not a paycheck.
- 24/7 availability – Hazing emergencies don’t wait for business hours.
Fraternities & Universities Near Howard County: We’re Watching You
To Greek organizations operating near Howard County:
- Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi—if your chapter is hazing students, we will find out.
- The same legal strategies that shut down the UH Pi Kappa Phi chapter apply to your Iowa chapter.
- $10 million lawsuits send a message—and we’re not afraid to file them.
To universities near Howard County (Luther, Wartburg, UNI, NICC):
- If you own fraternity houses where hazing occurs, you’re liable.
- If you knew about hazing and did nothing, you’re complicit.
- We will hold you accountable.
Howard County Families: Your Child Deserves Justice
Hazing isn’t “boys being boys.” It’s not “tradition.” It’s abuse—and it’s illegal.
If your child was hazed at a college or university near Howard County, you have legal rights. We will fight for you.
📞 Call Now for a FREE Consultation: 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Visit: attorney911.com
We work on contingency—you pay NOTHING unless we win.
Howard County families: Enough is enough. Let’s hold them accountable.
