Hazing at Alabama Colleges: A Legal Guide for Lamar County Families

We understand the unique position of families in Lamar County, Alabama. While your children may attend universities across the state or the Southeast, the fear of hazing and campus abuse is universal. At Attorney911, we are Texas-based hazing litigation specialists, but the dangerous patterns we fight in Texas—forced drinking, physical abuse, institutional cover-ups—are tragically mirrored on campuses nationwide, including those attended by students from Vernon, Sulligent, and throughout Lamar County. Right now, we are actively litigating one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, representing Leonel Bermudez in his $10 million lawsuit against the University of Houston and the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. This chapter was shut down after our client suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure from brutal hazing rituals. We bring this same relentless dedication to helping families in Alabama and across the United States.

If you are a parent in Lamar County and suspect your child is being hazed or has been injured in connection with a fraternity, sorority, athletic team, or other campus group, you are not alone. This guide is for you.

If This Just Happened: Immediate Steps for Lamar County Families

MEDICAL EMERGENCY: If your child is injured, intoxicated, or in danger, call 911 first. Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.

Within the First 48 Hours:

1. Seek Medical Care: Get a full medical evaluation immediately. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) or internal injuries may not be obvious.
2. Preserve Digital Evidence: Help your child screenshot all relevant group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, texts), social media posts, and DMs before they are deleted. Our educational video on using your phone to document evidence explains how.
3. Document Everything: Write down a detailed account of what happened, including names, dates, locations, and witnesses. Photograph any visible injuries.
4. Contact an Attorney: Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, confidential consultation. Evidence disappears quickly, and universities often move to control the narrative.

Do NOT:

• Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
• Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
• Make detailed public posts on social media.
• Provide a statement to a university or insurance adjuster without legal counsel.

Understanding Hazing: It’s More Than “Just Tradition”

Hazing is any action or situation, whether on or off campus, created intentionally or through negligence, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or admission to any student organization.

For Lamar County families, it’s crucial to recognize that hazing isn’t just about fraternity “hell week.” It occurs in sororities, athletic teams, marching bands, ROTC programs, and spirit groups at colleges across Alabama and the nation.

Modern hazing tactics include:

• Forced Consumption: Coerced drinking of alcohol, eating excessive amounts of food, or ingesting vile concoctions.
• Physical Abuse: Paddling, beatings, extreme calisthenics (“smokings”), sleep deprivation, and exposure to the elements.
• Psychological Torment: Verbal abuse, humiliation, isolation, and threats of expulsion from the group.
• Sexualized Acts: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, or degrading rituals.
• Digital Hazing: 24/7 demands via group chat, forced posting of humiliating content on social media, and cyberbullying.

The recent case we are litigating at the University of Houston involved a “pledge fanny pack” containing humiliating items, forced overconsumption of food leading to vomiting, and extreme physical workouts that resulted in life-threatening kidney injury. These are not isolated incidents; they are patterns.

Hazing Laws: Alabama State and Federal Frameworks

Hazing laws vary by state. While we are experts in Texas law (Chapter 37 of the Education Code), we work with families nationwide and understand how to navigate different legal landscapes.

In Alabama, hazing is addressed under Alabama Code § 16-1-23. The law makes it unlawful to organize, promote, or engage in hazing. Penalties can include fines and, in some circumstances, criminal sanctions. Importantly, consent of the victim is not a defense under most state laws, including Alabama’s. The legal principle is clear: you cannot consent to your own assault or endangerment, especially under the coercive pressure of wanting to belong to a group.

Federal laws also create liability and reporting requirements:

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based discrimination, your child’s school has specific obligations to investigate and respond.
• The Clery Act: Requires colleges to report campus crime statistics, including certain hazing-related assaults and arrests.
• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires increased transparency and public reporting of hazing incidents at institutions receiving federal funds.

A civil lawsuit can be pursued independently of any criminal case. It aims to secure compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and other damages, while holding all responsible parties accountable—from the individual students who carried out the acts to the national organization that failed to supervise them.

National Hazing Cases: Patterns That Repeat Everywhere

The fraternities and sororities on Alabama campuses are national organizations. The dangerous rituals that have caused deaths and life-altering injuries at schools in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Florida are often the same “traditions” that chapters elsewhere continue to practice.

• Stone Foltz, Bowling Green State University (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Died from alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink a bottle of liquor. National settlement exceeded $10 million.
• Max Gruver, LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died from alcohol toxicity after a “Bible study” drinking game. Led to Louisiana’s felony hazing statute.
• Andrew Coffey, Florida State University (Pi Kappa Phi, 2017): Died from alcohol poisoning at a “Big Brother” event.
• Timothy Piazza, Penn State (Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died from traumatic brain injury after a night of forced drinking; brothers delayed calling for help.

We are currently fighting this same battle in Harris County, Texas, in Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi. Our client, a pledge, was subjected to weeks of abuse culminating in a workout of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats. He developed rhabdomyolysis, passed brown urine, and was hospitalized for four days with acute kidney failure. This $10 million lawsuit names the university, the national fraternity, and 13 individual members. This case demonstrates our active, high-stakes approach to hazing litigation.

These national patterns prove that hazing methods are foreseeable and that national organizations can be held liable for failing to eradicate them. When a chapter at the University of Alabama, Auburn University, or the University of Montevallo engages in forced drinking, they are repeating a known, deadly script.

Hazing at Alabama Universities: Where Lamar County Students Attend

Lamar County families often send their children to major universities within Alabama and across the Southeast. Understanding the Greek life and organizational landscape at these schools is critical.

The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa)

The University of Alabama has one of the largest Greek systems in the country. With a deep-seated tradition comes a responsibility for oversight. Alabama’s Anti-Hazing Policy prohibits all forms of hazing and requires reporting. Incidents have occurred here, as they have at other large SEC schools. Families should be aware of the scale and social pressure inherent in this environment. A hazing case here may involve navigating a powerful institutional culture while pursuing accountability.

Auburn University

Auburn University also maintains a significant Greek community. The university’s hazing policy aligns with Alabama state law, emphasizing prevention and reporting. Historical incidents at Auburn underscore that no campus is immune. The university’s response to allegations and its disciplinary history for specific chapters are factors we examine when evaluating a case’s strength and the institution’s potential liability.

Other Alabama Campuses

From the University of Montevallo to Jacksonville State University and the University of North Alabama, Greek life and campus organizations exist across the state. The same dynamics of power, tradition, and secrecy can lead to hazing in these settings as well. The smaller campus size does not eliminate risk; it may simply change how incidents are reported or covered up.

For any Alabama school, the legal questions remain: What did the organization do? What did the university know, and when did they know it? Did they take meaningful steps to prevent foreseeable harm?

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Recovery

When a family from Lamar County contacts us, we immediately focus on evidence preservation and investigation. Our experience from Texas and national cases gives us a blueprint.

Critical Evidence We Seek:

1. Digital Communications: Group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), social media posts, and emails that plan, discuss, or boast about hazing activities. We work with digital forensics experts to recover deleted messages.
2. Photographs & Videos: Media from the events, often shared by participants themselves on Snapchat, Instagram, or in private groups.
3. Medical Records: Documentation of injuries, ER visits, hospitalizations, and psychological evaluations (for PTSD, anxiety, depression).
4. Witness Testimony: Statements from other pledges, former members, roommates, or bystanders.
5. Organizational Records: Through litigation, we can subpoena the national fraternity or sorority’s records regarding prior complaints, disciplinary actions, and risk management policies for the chapter in question.

Potential Defendants in a Civil Lawsuit:

• The individual students who planned and executed the hazing.
• The local chapter as an entity.
• The national fraternity/sorority headquarters, which often has deeper insurance pockets and a duty to supervise its chapters.
• The university or college, for negligent supervision or failure to enforce its own policies.
• Property owners where the hazing occurred.

How We Can Help Alabama Families:
While our physical offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas, we serve hazing victims and families nationwide. For Alabama cases, we can:

• Provide immediate case evaluation and strategy consultation.
• Serve as co-counsel with a trusted local Alabama attorney, bringing our specific hazing and institutional litigation expertise to your team.
• If the case has a Texas connection (e.g., a national fraternity headquartered in Texas, Texas-based insurance), we may be able to serve as lead counsel.
• Navigate the complex interplay of criminal investigations (if any) and civil lawsuits.

Practical Guide for Parents & Students in Lamar County

For Parents: Warning Signs

• Unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Sudden changes in behavior: withdrawal, anxiety, depression, or hostility.
• Excessive fatigue or sleep deprivation.
• Constant, secretive phone use related to group chats.
• Requests for large amounts of money with vague explanations.
• Loss of interest in academic work or old friends.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You have the right to be safe. No “tradition” is worth your life or health.
• Consent is not a defense for hazing. You cannot legally agree to be assaulted or endangered.
• If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Most schools and states have “Good Samaritan” or medical amnesty policies to protect those who call for help.
• Preserve evidence. Take screenshots, photos of injuries, and save all communications.
• Report it. Tell a trusted adult, the Dean of Students, Campus Police, or use the anonymous National Anti-Hazing Hotline at 1-888-NOT-HAZE.

Why Attorney911 for Your Alabama Hazing Case

When your family faces the trauma of hazing, you need advocates who understand the playbook of the opposition and have the proven skill to win against powerful institutions.

Our Competitive Advantages:

• Active, High-Stakes Litigation: We are not theorists. We are currently litigating the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case, a $10 million lawsuit involving catastrophic injury. We know what it takes to fight a major university and national fraternity right now. You can read media coverage of this active case from Click2Houston and ABC13.
• Insurance Insider Expertise: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense lawyer for large national firms. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We use this insider knowledge to build leverage and maximize recovery for our clients. Learn more about Mr. Peña’s background.
• Experience Against Giant Institutions: Founding attorney Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff lawyers involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced billion-dollar defendants with endless legal resources and won. Universities and national fraternities employ the same tactics, and we are not intimidated. See Ralph Manginello’s profile for his full credentials.
• Comprehensive Investigative Resources: We maintain a proprietary data intelligence engine on Greek organizations and have a network of experts—digital forensics specialists, medical professionals, life care planners, and economists—to build an unassailable case.
• Nationwide Service for Families: We provide free consultations and case evaluations for families anywhere in the U.S. We can work alongside your local Alabama counsel to ensure you have the specific hazing litigation experience necessary for a successful outcome.

Contact Attorney911 for a Free, Confidential Consultation

If your child has been hazed or injured in connection with a campus organization, time is your most critical resource. Evidence vanishes, witnesses become reluctant, and statutes of limitations apply. Watch our video on Texas statutes of limitations to understand the urgency, as deadlines vary by state.

We offer free, confidential consultations to listen to your story, explain your legal options, and help you plan a path forward. We work on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case. Learn how contingency fees work.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ 24/7:
1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)

Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com
Se habla Español: Mr. Lupe Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.

For families in Lamar County, Alabama—from Vernon to Sulligent to Millport—we are here to help you secure justice, obtain accountability, and prevent this from happening to another student.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources

News Coverage of Our Active UH Hazing Case:

• Click2Houston Report: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/11/21/only-on-2-lawsuit-alleges-severe-hazing-at-university-of-houstons-pi-kappa-phi-chapter-fraternity/
• ABC13 Eyewitness News Coverage: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• Using Your Phone to Document Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Understanding Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes to Avoid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Website & Profiles:

• Main Website & Contact: https://attorney911.com
• Ralph Manginello Profile: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/ralph-manginello/
• Lupe Peña Profile: https://attorney911.com/attorneys/lupe-pena/

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Hazing laws vary by state. The outcome of any case depends on its specific facts and applicable law. We are licensed to practice in Texas. For cases outside Texas, we work with local counsel as appropriate. Contact us for a consultation regarding your specific situation.