Hazing Lawyer in Lee County, Texas — Attorney 911 Fights for Hazing Victims
If your child was hazed in Lee County, Texas, you are not alone. We are fighting this battle right now — and we will fight for Lee County families with the same fury.
At Attorney 911, we are currently representing a hazing victim in a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and the University of Houston after our client was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats, and hospitalized with kidney failure. This isn’t just a case — it’s a warning to every fraternity, sorority, and university in Texas, including those near Lee County, that hazing will not be tolerated.
Lee County parents: The same fraternities that tortured our client operate at universities near Lee County. The same negligence exists at Lee County institutions. And we will fight for Lee County families just like we’re fighting in Houston.
🚨 This Happened in Houston. It Could Happen in Lee County.
The Case That Proves Hazing Is Out of Control in Texas
On November 21, 2025, we filed a $10 million lawsuit on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a young man who accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi fraternity at the University of Houston. What followed was weeks of systematic abuse that left him hospitalized with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, requiring four days in the hospital.
What They Did to Him:
✅ Waterboarded with a garden hose — simulated drowning, a form of torture
✅ Forced to do 500 squats, 100 pushups, and extreme workouts until he collapsed
✅ Struck with wooden paddles — physical assault with weapons
✅ Forced to eat milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting — then forced to keep running
✅ Forced to strip to underwear in cold weather — humiliation and exposure
✅ Another pledge was hog-tied face-down with an object in his mouth for over an hour
✅ A pledge lost consciousness and collapsed during a workout — and they kept going
The result? Leonel Bermudez couldn’t walk, couldn’t move, and passed brown urine — a sign of muscle breakdown. His mother rushed him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure.
This wasn’t “tradition.” It was torture.
💔 Why This Matters to Lee County Families
1. The Same Fraternities Operate Near Lee County
Pi Kappa Phi has 150+ chapters across America, including at universities near Lee County. If they were waterboarding students in Houston, how many other chapters are doing the same near Lee County?
2. Universities Near Lee County Face the Same Liability
The University of Houston owned the fraternity house where the hazing occurred. They had the power to inspect, regulate, and shut it down — but they didn’t. Universities near Lee County have the same responsibility — and the same failure when hazing happens.
3. This Isn’t the First Time — And It Won’t Be the Last
- 2017: A student at UH was hospitalized with a lacerated spleen from hazing at Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
- 2017: Andrew Coffey died at Pi Kappa Phi (FSU) from forced alcohol consumption.
- 2025: Leonel Bermudez hospitalized at Pi Kappa Phi (UH) from waterboarding and extreme physical abuse.
Eight years. Two serious incidents at two different chapters. Same fraternity. Same negligence.
If they knew this could happen — and did nothing — they must be held accountable.
⚖️ Lee County Hazing Victims Have Legal Rights
Texas Law Protects Hazing Victims — Even If They “Consented”
Many fraternities and sororities try to claim that victims “consented” to hazing. Texas law says that’s not a defense.
Texas Education Code § 37.154:
“It is not a defense to prosecution that the person against whom the hazing was directed consented to or acquiesced in the hazing activity.”
Translation: Even if your child “agreed” to participate, they cannot legally consent to being abused.
Who Can Be Held Liable in Lee County Hazing Cases?
We sue everyone responsible — not just the individuals who did it, but the institutions that allowed it:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable |
|---|---|
| Local Fraternity/Sorority Chapter | Directly organized and conducted hazing |
| National Organization | Failed to supervise despite knowing about hazing (like Pi Kappa Phi’s “hazing crisis”) |
| University/College | Owned or controlled property where hazing occurred; failed to protect students |
| Individual Members | Participated in or facilitated hazing |
| Alumni/Hosts | Allowed hazing at their homes |
| Insurance Companies | Provide coverage for institutional liability |
💰 Hazing Cases Win Millions — Lee County Families Can Too
Precedent Cases Prove Hazing Victims Get Justice
| Case | Fraternity | University | Outcome | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Foltz | Pi Kappa Alpha | Bowling Green State | Settlement | $10.1 Million |
| Maxwell Gruver | Phi Delta Theta | LSU | Jury Verdict | $6.1 Million |
| Timothy Piazza | Beta Theta Pi | Penn State | Settlement | $110+ Million |
| Andrew Coffey | Pi Kappa Phi | Florida State | Settlement | Confidential (major) |
| Leonel Bermudez | Pi Kappa Phi | University of Houston | $10M Lawsuit Pending | Our Case |
The message is clear: Hazing costs millions. Lee County families can send the same message.
🔍 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Lee County
Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately
Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor. Some hazing injuries (like rhabdomyolysis) don’t show symptoms right away. Medical records are critical evidence.
Step 2: Preserve All Evidence
✅ Photos/Videos of injuries, hazing activities, or locations
✅ Texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs — DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING
✅ Witness names and contact info — other pledges, bystanders
✅ Medical records — hospital bills, doctor’s notes, therapy records
✅ Academic records — impact on grades, scholarships, enrollment
Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity, Sorority, or University Alone
They will try to control the narrative, destroy evidence, and intimidate witnesses. Do not give statements without an attorney present.
Step 4: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately
Time is critical. Texas has a 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget, and your rights expire.
📞 Call us 24/7: 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
We offer FREE consultations and work on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win.
🛡️ Why Lee County Families Choose Attorney 911
1. We Are Fighting This Battle Right Now
While other firms talk about hazing, we are in the courtroom right now with a $10 million hazing lawsuit. Lee County families get the same aggressive representation.
2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys — We Know Their Playbook
Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena worked for insurance companies before switching to represent victims. We know how they lowball settlements, delay claims, and try to blame victims. We use that knowledge to maximize your recovery.
3. Nationwide Reach — We Serve Lee County Hazing Victims
While based in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we represent hazing victims nationwide, including Lee County. We offer:
✅ Video consultations for Lee County families
✅ Willingness to travel to Lee County for depositions and trials
✅ Federal court authority to pursue cases anywhere in America
4. We Speak Spanish — Se Habla Español
Many hazing victims are from Hispanic families. We provide full legal services in Spanish — no language barriers to justice.
5. We Work on Contingency — $0 Upfront for Lee County Families
We understand that cost can be a barrier. We take hazing cases on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win.
🎯 Our Message to Fraternities Near Lee County
To Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, and every other fraternity operating near Lee County:
We are coming for you.
The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter. We track your corporate structures, insurance policies, and documented hazing histories.
If you haze students in Lee County, we will find every liable entity — the university, the national organization, the housing corporation, and every individual member.
The Beta Nu chapter at UH? Shut down.
The fraternity president? Personally liable for $6.5 million in another case.
The national organization? They knew about the “hazing crisis” and did nothing.
Your chapter could be next.
📢 Enough Is Enough — Lee County Families Deserve Justice
Hazing isn’t “tradition.” It’s not “brotherhood.” It’s abuse. And it ends now.
If your child was hazed at a Lee County university, fraternity, sorority, sports team, or any organization, we can help. You have legal rights. You have a voice. And you have us.
📞 Call 1-888-ATTY-911 now for a FREE consultation.
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Visit: attorney911.com
Lee County families: We will fight for you like we’re fighting in Houston. Because no parent should have to rush their child to the hospital after “initiation.”
