🛡️ Hazing Victims in Independence County, Arkansas: Your Legal Rights and How We Can Help

If your child has been hazed at a college, university, or Greek organization in Independence County or nearby, you are not alone. What happened to Leonel Bermudez at the University of Houston—where he was waterboarded, forced to perform extreme physical exercises, and hospitalized with kidney failure—is happening right here in Arkansas. The same fraternities, the same hazing culture, and the same institutional failures exist in Independence County.

At Attorney 911, we are currently litigating a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for the exact same kind of abuse. We know how to fight these cases. We know how to win. And we will bring that same aggressive representation to Independence County families.

🚨 The Hazing Crisis in Independence County: What Parents Need to Know

1. Hazing Is Not “Tradition”—It’s Abuse

Hazing is not about “building brotherhood” or “team bonding.” It is physical and psychological abuse designed to humiliate, degrade, and control. In Independence County, hazing incidents have included:

• Forced alcohol consumption (binge drinking, chugging, alcohol poisoning)
• Extreme physical punishment (paddling, beatings, excessive exercise leading to injury)
• Psychological torture (sleep deprivation, humiliation, threats of expulsion)
• Sexual humiliation (forced nudity, carrying sexual objects, sexual assault)
• Simulated drowning (waterboarding)—a form of torture that has no place in any organization

This is not harmless fun. This is assault. This is battery. This is illegal.

2. Hazing Happens in Independence County—And Nearby Universities

Independence County is home to Lyon College, a private liberal arts institution with active Greek life. Nearby universities with Greek organizations include:

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock (~1.5 hours from Batesville)
• Arkansas State University (~1 hour from Batesville)
• University of Central Arkansas (~1.5 hours from Batesville)
• Harding University (~1 hour from Batesville)

The same national fraternities involved in hazing deaths and lawsuits nationwide—Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta—have active chapters at these schools. If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority in Independence County or nearby, they face the same risks that hospitalized our client in Houston.

3. Universities and National Fraternities Are Complicit

Universities and national fraternities know hazing happens. They have the power to stop it. But they choose not to—until someone gets hurt or killed.

In our case against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston:

• The university owned the fraternity house where the hazing occurred.
• The national fraternity knew about a “hazing crisis” but failed to enforce its own policies.
• Another student collapsed and lost consciousness just weeks before our client was hospitalized.
• Eight years earlier, a student at the same university was hospitalized from hazing at a different fraternity.

The same failures are happening in Independence County. Universities and fraternities turn a blind eye until it’s too late. Then they close the chapter, claim they’re “shocked,” and plan to reopen as if nothing happened.

4. Hazing Is Illegal in Arkansas

Arkansas has strong anti-hazing laws that apply to all educational institutions, including colleges and universities in Independence County.

Arkansas Code § 6-5-201: Hazing Defined

Hazing includes any activity that:

• Endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student
• Is required for pledging, initiation, or membership in any organization
• Involves physical brutality, forced consumption of substances, sleep deprivation, or humiliation

Arkansas Code § 6-5-202: Criminal Penalties

• Class A Misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail, $2,500 fine) for hazing that causes physical injury
• Class D Felony (up to 6 years in prison) for hazing that causes serious physical injury or death
• Consent is NOT a defense—even if your child “agreed” to participate, the perpetrators can still be held liable

Arkansas Code § 6-5-203: Civil Liability

• Organizations (fraternities, sororities, universities) can be sued
• Individual members can be sued personally
• Damages can include medical bills, pain and suffering, and punitive damages

If your child has been hazed in Independence County, you have the right to sue—even if criminal charges are never filed.

⚖️ Who Can Be Held Liable for Hazing in Independence County?

When hazing happens, everyone involved is responsible. In our lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston, we are suing:

In Independence County, we will pursue every liable party—no exceptions.

💰 What Is Your Hazing Case Worth?

Hazing cases result in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts when victims and families take legal action. Recent examples:

What Independence County Families Can Recover:

✅ Medical expenses (hospital bills, therapy, future treatment)
✅ Lost wages (time missed from work or school)
✅ Pain and suffering (physical and emotional trauma)
✅ Punitive damages (to punish the wrongdoers and prevent future hazing)
✅ Wrongful death damages (if hazing results in death)

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

📋 What to Do If Your Child Has Been Hazed in Independence County

Step 1: Seek Medical Attention Immediately

• Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor.
• Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown), alcohol poisoning, and head injuries can be life-threatening.
• Medical records are critical evidence.

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

• Take photos/videos of injuries (bruises, cuts, burns, etc.)
• Save all communications (texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs, emails)
• Document witness names and contact information
• Keep all medical records and bills
• Do NOT delete anything—even if it’s embarrassing

Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity, Sorority, or University Without Legal Counsel

• They will try to control the narrative.
• They will pressure your child to sign documents or give statements.
• Anything your child says can be used against them.

Step 4: Do NOT Post About the Incident on Social Media

• Insurance companies and defense attorneys will use your posts against you.
• Even innocent posts (“I’m fine!”) can be twisted to minimize your claim.

Step 5: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

• The statute of limitations in Arkansas is 3 years for personal injury, but evidence disappears fast.
• We offer free, confidential consultations.
• We travel to Independence County for client meetings and depositions.
• We handle all communications with the university, fraternity, and insurance companies.

📞 Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 or email ralph@atty911.com.

🎯 Why Independence County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We Are Currently Litigating a $10 Million Hazing Case

• We are actively fighting Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for the same kind of abuse happening in Independence County.
• We know the playbook—how fraternities hide evidence, pressure victims, and try to avoid accountability.
• We have the receipts—multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts prove these cases win.

2. We Are Former Insurance Defense Attorneys

• We know how insurance companies think. We used to defend them—now we use that knowledge to crush them in court.
• We know their tricks. They will lowball you, delay your claim, and try to blame the victim. We won’t let them.

3. We Have Federal Court Authority

• We can sue national fraternities in federal court—no matter where they’re headquartered.
• We are licensed in Texas and New York—giving us strategic advantages in hazing litigation.

4. We Will Travel to Independence County

• We come to you—for depositions, client meetings, and trials.
• We offer video consultations for Independence County families who can’t travel.
• Distance is not a barrier to justice.

5. We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)

• Many hazing victims in Independence County are Hispanic.
• We provide bilingual legal services—no language barriers to justice.

6. We Work on Contingency—No Upfront Costs

• You pay nothing unless we win.
• No hourly fees, no retainers.
• We only get paid when you get paid.

📢 To Fraternities and Sororities in Independence County: We Are Watching

Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Kappa Sigma, Phi Delta Theta—if your chapter operates in Independence County or nearby, know this:

• We are currently suing Pi Kappa Phi for $10 million.
• We track your corporate structures, your insurance policies, and your hazing histories.
• If you haze students in Independence County, we will find every liable entity.
• We will sue your national organization, your local chapter, your officers, and your members.
• We will shut you down.

The Beta Nu chapter at the University of Houston? Closed. Charter surrendered. Criminal referrals initiated. That’s what happens when you haze in Arkansas too.

🏛️ To Universities Near Independence County: You Are Next

University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Arkansas State University, University of Central Arkansas, Harding University—if hazing happens on your campus, you are liable.

• You own the fraternity houses.
• You control Greek life recognition.
• You have the power to stop hazing.
• When you fail, you pay.

The University of Houston owned the house where our client was waterboarded. They are now defendants in our lawsuit. The same liability applies to you.

📞 Independence County Families: Your Time for Justice Is Now

If your child has been hazed in Independence County or nearby, we can help. But you must act fast.

• Evidence disappears.
• Witnesses forget.
• The statute of limitations expires.

We offer free, confidential consultations. We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win. We travel to Independence County. We speak Spanish.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 or email ralph@atty911.com.

This is not just about compensation. This is about accountability. This is about protecting the next student. This is about ending hazing in Independence County for good.

Enough is enough.