🛡️ Hazing Victims in Howard County, Texas: Your Legal Rights & How We Can Help

🚨 The Hazing Crisis Hits Close to Home in Howard County

Howard County families send their children to college expecting them to be safe. They trust universities and Greek organizations to protect their kids. But far too often, that trust is betrayed.

Hazing isn’t just a problem at big universities—it happens right here in West Texas. From fraternities and sororities to sports teams and clubs, dangerous initiation rituals put Howard County students at risk of serious injury—or worse.

At Attorney 911, we’re currently fighting a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for hazing that hospitalized a student with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure. The same fraternities, the same negligence, and the same devastating consequences exist at institutions near Howard County.

If your child has been hazed in Howard County or anywhere in Texas, we can help.

⚠️ What Is Hazing? (And Why It’s Illegal in Texas)

Texas law defines hazing as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers a student’s physical or mental health for the purpose of pledging, initiation, or maintaining membership in an organization.

This includes:

• Physical abuse (beatings, paddling, forced exercise to exhaustion)
• Forced consumption (alcohol, food, or non-food substances to the point of vomiting)
• Psychological torture (waterboarding, humiliation, sleep deprivation)
• Dangerous physical challenges (extreme workouts, exposure to harsh weather)

Texas law is clear: Consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law still holds the organization and individuals accountable.

💔 The Devastating Consequences of Hazing in Howard County

Hazing isn’t harmless “tradition”—it’s abuse. And it can have lifelong consequences, including:

🏥 Physical Injuries

• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown leading to kidney failure, as seen in our UH case)
• Alcohol poisoning (a leading cause of hazing deaths nationwide)
• Traumatic brain injuries (from beatings or falls)
• Broken bones, internal bleeding, and organ damage

🧠 Psychological Trauma

• PTSD (from waterboarding, physical abuse, or sexual humiliation)
• Anxiety and depression (feeling isolated, ashamed, or fearful)
• Suicidal ideation (hazing victims are at higher risk of self-harm)

💰 Financial & Academic Fallout

• Medical bills (emergency care, hospital stays, therapy)
• Lost wages (if injuries prevent your child from working)
• Academic disruption (missed classes, failed courses, delayed graduation)

📋 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Howard County

If your child has been hazed, time is critical. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and legal deadlines approach quickly. Here’s what you should do immediately:

1️⃣ Seek Medical Attention

• Even if injuries seem minor, get a medical evaluation.
• Some conditions (like rhabdomyolysis) may not show symptoms right away.
• Medical records are crucial evidence for your case.

2️⃣ Preserve All Evidence

• Take photos/videos of injuries, hazing locations, and any physical evidence.
• Save all communications (texts, GroupMe messages, Snapchats, emails).
• Document everything (dates, times, locations, names of participants).
• Do NOT delete anything—even if it seems embarrassing or irrelevant.

3️⃣ Do NOT Confront the Organization Alone

• Universities and fraternities have teams of lawyers working to protect themselves.
• They may try to intimidate your child into silence or trick them into signing away their rights.
• Never give a statement to the organization, their insurance company, or their lawyers without legal representation.

4️⃣ Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

• Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation.
• We’ll evaluate your case, explain your rights, and fight for the justice your child deserves.
• We work on contingency—you pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we win your case.

⚖️ Who Is Liable for Hazing in Howard County?

When hazing occurs, multiple parties can be held legally and financially responsible, including:

1️⃣ The Local Chapter

• The fraternity or sorority that directly organized and conducted the hazing.
• Example: The Pi Kappa Phi chapter at a university near Howard County.

2️⃣ The National Organization

• The national fraternity/sorority that failed to supervise its local chapter.
• Example: Pi Kappa Phi National knew about a “hazing crisis” but did nothing to stop it.

3️⃣ The University

• If the university owned the property where hazing occurred (as UH did in our case).
• If the university knew or should have known about hazing and failed to act.
• Example: If a Howard County university had prior hazing incidents but didn’t implement real oversight.

4️⃣ Individual Members

• The president, pledgemaster, and active members who participated in or allowed hazing.
• Example: In the Stone Foltz case, a fraternity president was personally ordered to pay $6.5 million.

5️⃣ Housing Corporations & Alumni

• If hazing occurred at an off-campus residence owned by alumni or a housing corporation.
• Example: In our UH case, a former member and their spouse were sued for allowing hazing at their home.

💰 What Compensation Can Howard County Families Recover?

If your child was hazed, you may be entitled to substantial compensation, including:

🏥 Economic Damages (Actual Financial Losses)

• Medical bills (past, present, and future—including therapy and rehabilitation)
• Lost wages (if your child couldn’t work due to injuries)
• Educational expenses (tuition, fees, lost scholarships)
• Future earning capacity (if injuries impact long-term career prospects)

😢 Non-Economic Damages (Pain & Suffering)

• Physical pain (from injuries, medical treatment, and recovery)
• Emotional distress (PTSD, anxiety, depression, fear of retribution)
• Humiliation and shame (from degrading hazing rituals)
• Loss of enjoyment of life (inability to participate in normal activities)

💸 Punitive Damages (Punishing the Wrongdoers)

• If the hazing was particularly egregious (e.g., waterboarding, forced alcohol consumption, physical torture), courts may award punitive damages to punish the defendants and deter future misconduct.
• Example: The Max Gruver case resulted in a $6.1 million jury verdict for punitive damages.

📅 Texas Statute of Limitations: You Have a Limited Time to Act

In Texas, you only have 2 years from the date of the hazing incident to file a lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you lose your right to sue forever.

Do not wait. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and organizations destroy records. The sooner you contact us, the stronger your case will be.

🏆 Why Howard County Families Choose Attorney 911

1️⃣ We’re Currently Fighting a $10 Million Hazing Lawsuit

• We’re actively litigating a hazing case against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston.
• We know exactly how these organizations operate—and how to hold them accountable.

2️⃣ Former Insurance Defense Attorneys

• We know their playbook because we used to work for them.
• We’ve seen how insurance companies try to minimize or deny claims—and we know how to fight back.

3️⃣ Federal Court Authority

• We’re admitted to U.S. District Court, allowing us to pursue cases nationwide.
• This is critical for suing national fraternities and universities with multi-state operations.

4️⃣ Dual-State Bar Licenses (Texas & New York)

• We can pursue national organizations headquartered in other states.

5️⃣ We Travel to Howard County

• We’ll come to you for depositions, meetings, and trials.
• Distance is not a barrier to justice.

6️⃣ Bilingual Services (Se Habla Español)

• We serve Spanish-speaking families in Howard County without language barriers.

7️⃣ Contingency Fee Representation

• You pay nothing upfront.
• We only get paid if we win your case.
• No recovery, no fee.

📞 Howard County Families: Call Us Now for a Free Consultation

If your child has been hazed in Howard County or anywhere in Texas, you don’t have to fight this battle alone.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation. We’ll:
✅ Evaluate your case and explain your legal options.
✅ Fight for maximum compensation for your child’s injuries.
✅ Hold every responsible party accountable—from the local chapter to the national organization.
✅ Protect your child’s future by ensuring this never happens to another student.

The consultation is free. The call is confidential. And there’s no obligation.

🔥 A Message to Howard County Fraternities & Universities: We Are Watching

To the fraternities operating near Howard County:

• Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi—we know your chapters.
• The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your organization.
• If you haze students in Howard County, we will find you, we will sue you, and we will win.

To the universities near Howard County:

• If you own fraternity houses, you are responsible for what happens inside them.
• If you know about hazing and do nothing, you are complicit.
• The University of Houston paid millions for their negligence. Your institution could be next.

The hazing stops here. We are coming.

📌 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Howard County Families

Q: My child was hazed, but they’re afraid of retaliation. Can you protect them?

A: Yes. We understand the fear of retaliation—our current hazing client is afraid to speak publicly for this very reason. We will protect your child’s identity and ensure they are not intimidated or harassed. We also pursue punitive damages to send a message that hazing will not be tolerated.

Q: The fraternity says my child “consented” to hazing. Does that matter?

A: No. Texas law explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the organization and individuals can still be held liable.

Q: We’re not in Houston. Can you still help us?

A: Absolutely. While we’re based in Houston, we serve hazing victims nationwide, including Howard County. We offer video consultations and will travel to Howard County for depositions, meetings, and trials.

Q: How much does it cost to hire Attorney 911?

A: Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win your case. Our fee is a percentage of the recovery, so you never pay out of pocket.

Q: What if my child was hazed at a private university or college near Howard County?

A: It doesn’t matter. Whether the hazing occurred at a public university, private college, or community college, we can pursue legal action. All students deserve protection from hazing.

Q: My child was hazed, but they weren’t physically injured. Can we still sue?

A: Yes. Psychological trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression) is just as valid a claim as physical injuries. We’ll work with mental health experts to document the emotional harm and pursue compensation.

Q: The university says they’re “investigating.” Should we wait?

A: No. Universities often drag out investigations to run down the clock on the statute of limitations. Do not wait. Contact us immediately so we can preserve evidence and protect your rights.

Q: What if the hazing happened off-campus?

A: It doesn’t matter. Hazing is illegal whether it happens on or off campus. If it occurred at an off-campus fraternity house, apartment, or private residence, we can still pursue the property owner, the fraternity, and the individuals involved.

📢 Howard County: It’s Time to End the Silence on Hazing

Hazing thrives in secrecy. But when victims come forward, they save lives.

Our client in the UH case was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, and hospitalized with kidney failure. He didn’t deserve that. Neither does your child.

If you stay silent, the hazing continues. If you speak up, you protect the next student.

Call 1-888-ATTY-911 today. Let’s hold them accountable—and make sure this never happens again in Howard County.

🚨 Howard County Families: Your Child Deserves Justice. Call Now.

1-888-ATTY-911 | ralph@atty911.com | attorney911.com

Serving Howard County, Texas, and nationwide.