Hazing Lawyer in Kingman County: Protecting Students from Fraternity and Sorority Abuse
If your child has been the victim of hazing in Kingman County, Kansas, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to face this battle by yourself. At Attorney 911, we are currently fighting a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston, where a student was hospitalized with kidney failure after being waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, and beaten with wooden paddles during pledge activities. The same fraternities and sororities operate near Kingman County, and we’re here to hold them accountable for the harm they’ve caused your family.
Why Kingman County Families Trust Attorney 911 for Hazing Cases
1. We’re Fighting Hazing Right Now—And Winning
While other law firms talk about hazing cases, we’re actively litigating one of the most high-profile hazing lawsuits in the country. Our client, Leonel Bermudez, was hospitalized with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after being subjected to weeks of torture at the hands of Pi Kappa Phi at the University of Houston. We’ve already forced the fraternity to shut down its UH chapter, and we’re pursuing $10 million in damages to send a message: Hazing will not be tolerated.
The same fraternities and sororities with chapters near Kingman County have paid millions in settlements—we can help your family get justice too.
2. We Know How to Beat the “Consent” Defense
Fraternities and universities will try to claim your child “consented” to hazing. But Texas law—and Kansas law—explicitly states that consent is NOT a defense. If your child was coerced, threatened, or pressured into participating, they did not truly consent. We’ve already defeated this argument in court, and we’ll do the same for your case.
3. We Don’t Just Sue Students—We Go After the Institutions That Enable Hazing
Many law firms only pursue individual members, but we sue the deep pockets:
✅ National fraternity/sorority organizations (they have millions in assets and insurance)
✅ Universities and colleges (they own the houses where hazing happens and fail to stop it)
✅ Housing corporations (they profit from unsafe properties)
✅ Individual perpetrators (we hold them personally accountable)
We don’t just settle for a slap on the wrist—we demand real change and maximum compensation.
4. We Serve Kingman County Families—No Matter Where the Hazing Happened
While we’re based in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we represent hazing victims nationwide, including in Kingman County, Kansas. We offer:
✔ Free remote consultations (phone or video)
✔ Travel to Kingman County for depositions, meetings, and trials
✔ Federal court authority (we can file in federal court if needed)
✔ Dual-state bar admission (Texas and New York—strategic for national fraternity cases)
Distance is not a barrier to justice. We will fight for your family.
5. We Work on Contingency—You Pay Nothing Upfront
We understand that legal fees can be a concern, especially when your child is recovering from trauma. That’s why we take hazing cases on contingency—meaning:
✅ $0 upfront costs
✅ We only get paid if we win your case
✅ No hidden fees or surprises
If we don’t recover compensation for you, you owe us nothing.
What Counts as Hazing in Kingman County?
Hazing isn’t just “boys being boys” or “harmless tradition.” Under Kansas law, hazing includes any activity that:
✔ Endangers mental or physical health (forced drinking, extreme exercise, sleep deprivation)
✔ Humiliates or degrades (forced nudity, carrying sexual objects, verbal abuse)
✔ Causes injury or death (alcohol poisoning, rhabdomyolysis, traumatic brain injuries)
✔ Involves coercion or threats (fear of expulsion, social ostracism)
Common Hazing Activities We’ve Seen in Cases:
🔴 Forced alcohol consumption (binge drinking, drinking games, “chugging” contests)
🔴 Extreme physical punishment (500 squats, 100 pushups, “suicides,” bear crawls)
🔴 Waterboarding/simulated drowning (yes, this is happening—we’re suing over it)
🔴 Beatings with wooden paddles (a “tradition” that causes serious injuries)
🔴 Forced eating until vomiting (milk, hot dogs, peppercorns—then forced to keep exercising)
🔴 Sleep deprivation (forced late-night activities, early morning driving)
🔴 Psychological torture (hog-tying, sexual humiliation, threats of expulsion)
🔴 Exposure to extreme weather (stripping in cold, lying in vomit-soaked grass)
If your child experienced any of these, they may have a case.
Who Can Be Sued for Hazing in Kingman County?
When we file a hazing lawsuit, we don’t just go after the students who participated—we target everyone who enabled the abuse:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable | Example from Our Case |
|---|---|---|
| Local fraternity/sorority chapter | Directly organized and conducted hazing | Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu Chapter (UH) |
| National fraternity/sorority organization | Failed to supervise chapters despite knowing about hazing | Pi Kappa Phi National (knew about “hazing crisis”) |
| University/college | Owned the fraternity house; failed to prevent hazing despite prior incidents | University of Houston (owned the house where waterboarding occurred) |
| Housing corporation | Owned or controlled the property where hazing happened | Beta Nu Housing Corporation |
| Chapter officers (President, Pledgemaster, etc.) | Leadership responsibility; directed hazing | Fraternity President, Pledgemaster |
| Individual members | Participated in or failed to stop hazing | Multiple current members |
| Former members/alumni | Hosted hazing at their homes | Former member and spouse named in lawsuit |
| Spouses of members | Allowed hazing at their residence | Spouse of former member |
We don’t just settle for a quick payout—we pursue every liable party to maximize your compensation.
What Compensation Can Kingman County Hazing Victims Recover?
Hazing can cause lifelong physical, emotional, and financial harm. We fight for full and fair compensation, including:
Economic Damages (Actual Financial Losses)
✔ Medical bills (ER visits, hospital stays, surgeries, therapy)
✔ Future medical expenses (kidney monitoring, dialysis, transplants)
✔ Lost wages (time missed from work during recovery)
✔ Lost earning capacity (if injuries affect future career)
✔ Educational disruption (tuition refunds, scholarship losses)
Non-Economic Damages (Pain & Suffering)
✔ Physical pain (from injuries, surgeries, recovery)
✔ Mental anguish (PTSD, anxiety, depression from abuse)
✔ Emotional distress (humiliation, fear, loss of trust)
✔ Loss of enjoyment of life (inability to participate in normal activities)
✔ Disfigurement (scars, permanent injuries)
Punitive Damages (Punishment for Egregious Conduct)
If the hazing was intentional, reckless, or involved torture (like waterboarding), we may pursue punitive damages to punish the defendants and deter future hazing.
Recent hazing verdicts and settlements show that juries are outraged by this conduct—and they’re awarding millions:
💰 $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)
💰 $4+ million – Adam Oakes (Delta Chi, VCU)
Your child’s case could be worth millions—we’ll fight to get them every dollar they deserve.
What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Kingman County
Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately
Even if your child says they’re “fine,” hazing injuries can be life-threatening. Some symptoms (like rhabdomyolysis or alcohol poisoning) don’t appear right away. Go to the ER or urgent care and tell them your child was hazed.
Step 2: Preserve All Evidence
✔ Take photos/videos of injuries, the hazing location, and any objects used (paddles, alcohol bottles, etc.)
✔ Save all communications (texts, GroupMe messages, Snapchats, emails)
✔ Get witness names and contact info (other pledges, bystanders)
✔ Document everything (dates, times, what was said, who was involved)
Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity, Sorority, or University Without a Lawyer
❌ Do NOT give a statement to the fraternity, sorority, or university
❌ Do NOT sign anything from the organization
❌ Do NOT post about the incident on social media
❌ Do NOT confront the perpetrators
Insurance companies and university lawyers will try to trick your child into saying something that hurts their case. We’ll handle all communications for you.
Step 4: Call Attorney 911 Immediately
The clock is ticking. In Kansas, you typically have 2 years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and your rights expire.
Call us now for a free, confidential consultation:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com
Why Kingman County Families Choose Attorney 911
1. We’re Former Insurance Defense Lawyers—We Know Their Playbook
Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña worked for insurance companies and national defense firms before switching sides to represent victims. We know exactly how they try to deny and minimize claims—and we know how to beat them.
2. We Have a Proven Track Record of Multi-Million Dollar Wins
✅ $10 million hazing lawsuit (currently litigating against Pi Kappa Phi & UH)
✅ Millions recovered in wrongful death, dram shop, and catastrophic injury cases
✅ Former BP Texas City explosion litigation (mass tort experience)
✅ Federal court admission (U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas)
3. We’re Not Afraid to Go to Trial
Many personal injury lawyers settle cases quickly to avoid the courtroom. We’re trial attorneys. If the fraternity, university, or insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement, we’ll take them to trial—and win.
4. We Speak Spanish (Se Habla Español)
Many hazing victims and their families are Spanish-speaking. We provide full legal services in Spanish, including:
✔ Consultations in Spanish
✔ Case updates in Spanish
✔ Document translation
✔ Courtroom interpretation
5. We Care About Your Family—Not Just the Money
We’ve seen what hazing does to families. We’ve seen the fear, the shame, the long-term trauma. We don’t just see your child as a “case”—we see them as someone who trusted an institution that betrayed them. We’ll fight for them like they’re our own family.
Hazing Happens at Kingman County Schools—We Can Help
While Kingman County doesn’t have a major university, students from the area often attend schools where hazing is a serious problem, including:
✔ Wichita State University (45 minutes from Kingman County)
✔ University of Kansas (2 hours away)
✔ Kansas State University (2.5 hours away)
✔ Fort Hays State University (2 hours away)
✔ Newman University (45 minutes away)
✔ Friends University (45 minutes away)
The same fraternities and sororities with chapters at these schools have paid millions in hazing settlements. If your child was hazed at any of these institutions—or anywhere in Kansas or the U.S.—we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hazing Lawsuits in Kingman County
Q: My child was hazed, but they don’t want to sue. Should we still call a lawyer?
A: Yes. Even if your child is hesitant, they have legal rights. Many hazing victims fear retaliation or social consequences, but we can protect their identity and pursue the case confidentially. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to gather evidence.
Q: The fraternity says my child “consented” to hazing. Can they still sue?
A: Absolutely. Kansas and Texas law both state that consent is NOT a defense to hazing. If your child was coerced, threatened, or pressured into participating, they did not truly consent. We’ve defeated this argument in court before, and we’ll do it again for your family.
Q: How much is my child’s hazing case worth?
A: Every case is different, but recent hazing verdicts and settlements range from $4 million to $110 million. Factors that increase case value include:
✔ Severity of injuries (hospitalization, surgery, permanent damage)
✔ Egregious conduct (waterboarding, beatings, forced drinking)
✔ Pattern of abuse (prior hazing incidents at the same chapter)
✔ Institutional knowledge (university/fraternity knew about hazing and did nothing)
Q: How long will the lawsuit take?
Most hazing cases settle within 12-24 months, but complex cases (like ours against Pi Kappa Phi and UH) can take longer. We work to resolve cases as quickly as possible while maximizing compensation.
Q: What if the hazing happened at a school outside of Kansas?
We represent hazing victims nationwide. Whether the incident happened in Kansas, Texas, or anywhere in the U.S., we can evaluate your case and pursue justice.
Q: Will my child have to testify in court?
Possibly, but most cases settle before trial. If the case does go to trial, we’ll prepare your child thoroughly and support them every step of the way.
Q: How much does it cost to hire Attorney 911?
Nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only get paid if we win your case. If we don’t recover compensation for you, you owe us nothing.
Kingman County Hazing Victims: You Are Not Alone
Hazing is not tradition—it’s abuse. It’s not bonding—it’s torture. And it’s not harmless—it can be deadly.
We’re fighting this battle right now with a client who was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, and hospitalized with kidney failure. We’ve already forced the fraternity to shut down its chapter, and we’re pursuing $10 million to send a message: This ends now.
If your child was hazed in Kingman County—or anywhere in Kansas or the U.S.—we can help.
Call us now for a free, confidential consultation:
📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com
We will travel to Kingman County. We will fight for your family. And we will make sure the people who hurt your child are held accountable.
Enough is enough.
