🛡️ Lincoln County Hazing Victims: Justice Starts Here
If your child was hazed at a fraternity, sorority, or student organization in Lincoln County, you are not alone. We are fighting this battle right now — and we will fight for Lincoln County families with the same fury.
At Attorney 911, we are currently litigating 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 operate in Lincoln County. The same hazing happens here. And we will bring the same aggressive representation to Lincoln County victims.
Lincoln County families: This is not “tradition.” This is not “brotherhood.” This is abuse. And it ends now.
🚨 The Hazing Crisis in Lincoln County
Hazing is not confined to major universities. It happens right here in Lincoln County, Oregon, at institutions like:
- Oregon Coast Community College — where Greek life may operate informally
- Nearby universities with active Greek systems — where Lincoln County students may pledge
- Local high school and college sports teams — where initiation rituals cross the line
- Student clubs and organizations — where “team bonding” becomes abuse
The same national fraternities and sororities involved in deadly hazing nationwide have chapters or affiliates near Lincoln County. Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi — these organizations have paid millions in settlements for hazing deaths and injuries. They operate near Lincoln County, and they bring the same culture of abuse with them.
Lincoln County Parents: You Sent Your Child to College to Be Safe
You trusted the university. You trusted the Greek organization. You trusted that these institutions would protect your child.
That trust was betrayed.
Your child may have been:
- Waterboarded — simulated drowning as “initiation”
- Forced to drink until vomiting — alcohol poisoning as “tradition”
- Beaten with wooden paddles — physical abuse as “brotherhood”
- Forced to exercise until collapse — rhabdomyolysis as “teamwork”
- Humiliated and degraded — psychological trauma as “character building”
This is not hazing. This is torture. And it is illegal.
⚠️ The Lincoln County Hazing Reality: What You Need to Know
1. Hazing Is Illegal in Oregon
Oregon Revised Statute § 163.197 makes hazing a crime. It is illegal to intentionally or recklessly engage in hazing, and consent is not a defense.
Oregon law defines hazing as:
Any act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into, or affiliation with, any organization operating under the sanction of a postsecondary institution.
Penalties:
- Class A misdemeanor — up to 1 year in jail and $6,250 fine
- Class C felony if the hazing results in serious physical injury or death — up to 5 years in prison
Lincoln County families: If your child was hazed, the perpetrators may face criminal charges in addition to civil liability.
2. Universities Near Lincoln County Are Liable
Institutions like Oregon State University, University of Oregon, and Western Oregon University have active Greek systems. They have a legal duty to protect students from hazing.
When universities fail to act, they can be held legally responsible.
In our current case:
- The University of Houston owned the fraternity house where hazing occurred
- They had a prior hazing incident in 2017 at a different fraternity
- They failed to implement effective oversight
- Now they face a $10 million lawsuit
Lincoln County institutions face the same liability when they fail to protect students.
3. National Organizations Know About Hazing — And Do Nothing
Pi Kappa Phi National knew about the 2017 death of Andrew Coffey at Florida State. They knew about their “hazing crisis.” They had 8 years to fix their culture.
They did nothing.
In 2025, Leonel Bermudez was hospitalized with kidney failure after being waterboarded and forced to do 500 squats at the University of Houston Pi Kappa Phi chapter.
The same national organizations operate near Lincoln County. They bring the same negligence with them.
4. Hazing Causes Permanent Damage — Physical and Psychological
Physical injuries from hazing include:
- Rhabdomyolysis — muscle breakdown leading to kidney failure (as seen in our current case)
- Alcohol poisoning — potentially fatal
- Traumatic brain injury — from beatings or falls
- Broken bones — from physical abuse
- Burns — from branding or hot objects
- Hypothermia or heat stroke — from exposure
- Death
Psychological trauma from hazing includes:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — from waterboarding, physical abuse
- Anxiety and depression — from humiliation and degradation
- Suicidal ideation — from extreme psychological distress
- Trust issues — from betrayal by organizations they trusted
- Academic decline — from trauma and sleep deprivation
Lincoln County families: These injuries are not temporary. They can last a lifetime.
💔 Lincoln County Families: We’ve Seen This Before
The University of Houston Case: What Happened in Houston Could Happen in Lincoln County
Victim: Leonel Bermudez — a “ghost rush” (not even enrolled at UH yet)
What They Did to Him:
- Waterboarded with a garden hose — simulated drowning
- Forced to do 500 squats, 100 pushups — until he couldn’t stand
- Struck with wooden paddles — physical beating
- Forced to eat until vomiting — then forced to keep running
- Carried sexual objects at all times — humiliation
- Slept on vomit-soaked grass — degradation
What Happened Next:
- He crawled up the stairs when he got home
- The next day, he couldn’t move
- His mother rushed him to the hospital
- Diagnosis: Severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure
- Hospitalized for 4 days
The Aftermath:
- Pi Kappa Phi closed the chapter (but said they “look forward to returning”)
- The University of Houston admitted the conduct was “deeply disturbing”
- We filed a $10 million lawsuit
Lincoln County families: This is what hazing looks like. This is what happens when institutions fail. This could happen to your child in Lincoln County.
🏛️ Who Is Liable for Lincoln County Hazing?
When hazing occurs in Lincoln County, multiple parties can be held legally responsible:
| Defendant | Why They’re Liable |
|---|---|
| Local Chapter | Directly organized and conducted hazing |
| National Organization | Failed to supervise; knew about prior incidents |
| University/College | Failed to protect students; premises liability |
| Chapter Officers | Leadership responsibility; directed activities |
| Individual Members | Participated in hazing; failed to stop it |
| Alumni/Hosts | Allowed hazing at their property |
| Insurance Companies | Provide coverage for institutional liability |
Lincoln County families: We pursue every liable party to maximize compensation and accountability.
💰 What Lincoln County Hazing Victims Can Recover
Hazing victims in Lincoln County are entitled to full compensation for their injuries, including:
Economic Damages:
- Medical expenses — hospital bills, rehabilitation, future treatment
- Lost wages — time missed from work or internships
- Educational losses — tuition, scholarships, academic disruption
- Future earning capacity — if injuries cause permanent limitations
Non-Economic Damages:
- Physical pain and suffering — from hazing injuries
- Mental anguish — PTSD, anxiety, depression
- Emotional distress — humiliation, shame, loss of trust
- Loss of enjoyment of life — impact on college experience and future
Punitive Damages:
- To punish egregious conduct — when hazing is intentional or reckless
- To deter future hazing — to send a message to other organizations
Precedent cases show that hazing lawsuits can recover:
- $10.1 million — Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha)
- $6.1 million — Maxwell Gruver (LSU, Phi Delta Theta)
- $110+ million — Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi)
Lincoln County families: Your child’s case could recover millions in compensation.
⏳ Lincoln County Families: Time Is Running Out
Oregon Statute of Limitations: 2 Years
Under Oregon law, you have only 2 years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you wait:
- Evidence disappears
- Witnesses forget
- Your legal rights expire
Lincoln County families: If your child was hazed, act now. Every day you wait is a day closer to losing your right to justice.
🛡️ What Lincoln County Families Should Do Immediately
If Your Child Was Hazed in Lincoln County:
-
Get Medical Attention
- Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor
- Document all symptoms and treatment
-
Preserve All Evidence
- Save all text messages, social media posts, GroupMe chats
- Take photos of injuries at all stages of healing
- Document the location where hazing occurred
-
Do NOT Talk to the Organization
- Do not confront fraternity/sorority leadership
- Do not give statements to university administrators
- Do not sign anything from the organization
-
Do NOT Post on Social Media
- Anything you post can be used against you
- Do not discuss the incident online
-
Contact an Attorney Immediately
- Free consultation available
- We work on contingency — $0 upfront
- We handle all communications with defendants
📞 Lincoln County Families: Call Us Now
We are Attorney 911. We are fighting this battle right now. And we will fight for Lincoln County families with the same aggression.
Free Consultation for Lincoln County Hazing Victims
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com
We work on contingency — Lincoln County families pay $0 upfront. We don’t get paid unless you get paid.
We travel to Lincoln County for depositions, trials, and client meetings. Distance is not a barrier to justice.
🎯 Lincoln County Fraternities and Sororities: We Are Watching
To Greek organizations operating near Lincoln County:
We know who you are. We know your corporate structures. We know your national organizations have paid millions in hazing settlements.
If you haze students in Lincoln County, we will find every liable entity. We will pursue every insurance policy. We will hold every individual accountable.
Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter at University of Houston? Shut down.
The same will happen to your Lincoln County chapter if you haze.
University of Houston? Facing a $10 million lawsuit.
The same will happen to your Lincoln County institution if you fail to protect students.
This is your warning. Clean up your chapters. Or we will clean them out in court.
🏆 Lincoln County Families: Justice Starts Here
You sent your child to college expecting them to be safe. That trust was betrayed.
But you are not powerless. You have legal rights. You have the power to hold these institutions accountable.
Lincoln County families: This is not your fault. This is not your child’s fault. This is the fault of the people and organizations who failed to protect them.
We are Attorney 911. We are fighting this battle right now. And we will fight for Lincoln County families.
Call us today. Justice starts here.
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 | ralph@atty911.com | attorney911.com
Enough is enough. Lincoln County families deserve justice.
