🚨 Hazing Victims in Luzerne County Deserve Justice — Attorney 911 Fights for Your Family

📍 Serving Luzerne County, Pennsylvania from Houston, Austin & Beaumont, Texas
📞 24/7 Legal Emergency Hotline: 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Website: attorney911.com

Luzerne County Families: This Is Happening Here. This Is Happening to Our Kids.

Hazing isn’t just a problem at big universities in Texas or Florida. It’s happening right here in Luzerne County. At colleges and universities near Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton, and across Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The same fraternities that waterboarded a student at University of Houston have chapters at universities near Luzerne County. The same national organizations that paid millions in hazing settlements operate right here in Pennsylvania. The same negligence that hospitalized our client exists at institutions your child attends.

Luzerne County parents: your child could be next.

🔥 The Hazing Crisis in Luzerne County — It’s Closer Than You Think

Universities Near Luzerne County with Greek Life:

Luzerne County is surrounded by colleges and universities with active Greek organizations, including:

• King’s College (Wilkes-Barre) — 15+ fraternities and sororities
• Wilkes University (Wilkes-Barre) — 12+ Greek organizations
• Misericordia University (Dallas, PA) — 8+ fraternities and sororities
• University of Scranton (Scranton) — 10+ Greek organizations
• Bloomsburg University (Bloomsburg) — 20+ fraternities and sororities
• Penn State Wilkes-Barre (Lehman) — Part of Penn State’s massive Greek system
• Penn State Hazleton (Hazleton) — Greek life presence
• Marywood University (Scranton) — Greek organizations
• Lackawanna College (Scranton) — Fraternities and sororities
• East Stroudsburg University (East Stroudsburg) — 20+ Greek organizations

These are not just names on a map. These are the schools where Luzerne County students attend. Where your children pledge. Where hazing happens.

The Fraternities Near Luzerne County That Have Paid Millions for Hazing:

These are the same national fraternities with chapters at universities near Luzerne County.

They have paid millions for hazing deaths and injuries. And they’re still operating in Pennsylvania.

What Hazing Looks Like in Luzerne County

Our client at University of Houston was:

• Waterboarded with a garden hose — simulated drowning
• Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups until he collapsed
• Struck with wooden paddles — physical assault
• Forced to eat until vomiting — then made to run through his own vomit
• Hog-tied with an object in his mouth — another pledge, not even him
• Hospitalized for 4 days with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure

This is not “tradition.” This is not “brotherhood.” This is torture.

And it’s happening at universities near Luzerne County right now.

🚨 We Are Fighting This Battle Right Now — And We’ll Fight for Luzerne County Families Too

Our Current $10 Million Hazing Lawsuit — The Same Fight We Bring to Luzerne County

Case: Bermudez v. Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, Inc., et al.
Court: Harris County Civil District Court
Filing Date: November 21, 2025
Damages Sought: $10,000,000
Attorneys: Ralph Manginello & Lupe Pena — Attorney 911

What Happened:
Leonel Bermudez, a transfer student who wasn’t even enrolled at University of Houston yet, accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Over weeks of “pledging,” he was subjected to systematic abuse that hospitalized him with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure.

The Hazing He Endured:

• Waterboarded with a garden hose
• Forced to do 500 squats and 100+ pushups
• Struck with wooden paddles
• Forced to eat milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting
• Forced to continue running while vomiting
• Stripped to underwear in cold weather and sprayed with hose
• Forced to drive fraternity members at all hours, causing exhaustion
• Another pledge was hog-tied with an object in his mouth for over an hour

The Result:

• November 3, 2025: Collapsed after extreme hazing
• November 6, 2025: Hospitalized with kidney failure
• 3 nights, 4 days in the hospital
• Diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure

What the Fraternity Did:

• Closed the chapter 7 days before the lawsuit was filed — they knew it was coming
• Admitted “violations” in their own public statement
• Said they “look forward to returning to campus” — no remorse, just planning their comeback

What the University Did:

• Owned the fraternity house — they own the building where torture occurred
• Had a prior hazing hospitalization in 2017 — knew hazing was dangerous
• Did nothing meaningful to prevent it from happening again

Why This Case Matters for Luzerne County Families

1. The same national fraternities operate near Luzerne County

   • Pi Kappa Phi, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi — all have chapters at Pennsylvania universities

2. The same “traditions” exist in Luzerne County

   • Waterboarding, forced exercise, physical abuse, forced drinking — it’s all happening here

3. The same negligence exists at Luzerne County institutions

   • Universities know hazing happens
   • They have the power to stop it
   • They choose not to

4. The same legal rights apply to Luzerne County victims

   • You can sue for hazing injuries
   • You can hold institutions accountable
   • You can recover compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and more

5. We know how to win these cases

   • We’re currently litigating this $10 million case
   • We have a proven track record in hazing litigation
   • We have the experience to take on national fraternities and universities

⚖️ Your Legal Rights as a Luzerne County Hazing Victim

1. You Have the Right to Sue for Hazing Injuries

Hazing is illegal in Pennsylvania. It’s also a civil wrong that gives you the right to sue for compensation.

Pennsylvania Hazing Law (18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2802-2810):

• Makes hazing a misdemeanor or felony, depending on severity
• Consent is not a defense — even if you “agreed” to participate, you can still sue
• Applies to high schools, colleges, and universities

You can sue for:

• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Lost wages
• Punitive damages (to punish the wrongdoers)

2. You Can Hold Multiple Parties Accountable

In our current case, we’re suing:

• The local fraternity chapter
• The national fraternity organization
• The university
• The fraternity housing corporation
• Individual members who participated
• Former members who allowed hazing at their homes

Luzerne County families can sue the same types of defendants.

3. The Statute of Limitations — Act Now

In Pennsylvania, you generally have:

• 2 years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit
• 2 years from the date of death for wrongful death claims

Do not wait.

• Evidence disappears
• Witnesses forget
• Your rights expire

Call us immediately if your child has been hazed.

💰 What Luzerne County Hazing Victims Can Recover

1. Medical Expenses

• Emergency room visits
• Hospital stays
• Doctor appointments
• Medications
• Physical therapy
• Future medical treatment (dialysis, transplants, etc.)

2. Pain and Suffering

• Physical pain from injuries
• Emotional trauma from abuse
• PTSD, anxiety, depression
• Humiliation and shame

3. Lost Wages and Earning Capacity

• Time missed from work during recovery
• Impact on future career opportunities
• If injuries are permanent, lost future earnings

4. Punitive Damages

• Awarded when conduct is especially egregious
• Meant to punish the wrongdoers and deter future hazing
• Can be millions of dollars

5. Wrongful Death Damages (If Applicable)

• Funeral expenses
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of future earnings
• Pain and suffering before death

🏆 Precedent Cases — Luzerne County Victims Can Win Big

Luzerne County families: these results are possible for you too.

🛡️ Why Luzerne County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Currently Fighting This Exact Battle

While other law firms talk about hazing cases, we’re actively litigating one right now. We filed a $10 million lawsuit on November 21, 2025. We know the defendants’ playbook. We know how to build these cases. We know how to win.

2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys — We Know Their Tricks

Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena worked for insurance companies before switching sides. We know how they value claims. We know how they try to deny liability. We know how to dismantle their defenses.

This is our unfair advantage for Luzerne County victims.

3. Federal Court Authority — We Can Pursue Your Case Anywhere

We’re admitted to:

• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
• Texas State Bar
• New York State Bar

We can represent Luzerne County victims regardless of where the hazing occurred.

4. Dual-State Bar Licenses — Strategic Advantage Against National Fraternities

Many national fraternities are headquartered in New York. Our New York bar admission gives us strategic leverage when pursuing national organizations.

5. We Will Travel to Luzerne County

We understand that Luzerne County families may not want to travel to Texas for legal representation. We come to you.

• Video consultations available immediately
• Travel to Luzerne County for depositions, trials, and client meetings
• Local coordination with Pennsylvania attorneys if needed

Distance is not a barrier to justice.

6. Contingency Fee — $0 Upfront for Luzerne County Families

We understand that cost can be a prohibitive factor in hiring a lawyer, especially for Luzerne County families dealing with the trauma of hazing.

We take hazing cases on CONTINGENCY:

• You pay $0 upfront
• We don’t get paid unless we win your case
• Our fee comes from the settlement or verdict

Luzerne County families: you can afford to fight back.

7. Bilingual Services — Se Habla Español

Many hazing victims and their families in Luzerne County are Spanish-speaking. We provide comprehensive legal services in Spanish, including:

• Initial consultations in Spanish
• Case communication in Spanish
• Document translation
• Courtroom interpretation coordination

No language barriers to justice.

8. Proven Results — Millions Recovered for Victims

We have recovered millions of dollars for personal injury victims, including:

• Multi-million dollar settlements in trucking accidents
• Significant recoveries in wrongful death cases
• Major verdicts in catastrophic injury cases

We bring this same aggressive representation to Luzerne County hazing victims.

9. 25+ Years of Litigation Experience

Ralph Manginello has over 25 years of courtroom experience. He has:

• Litigated against major corporations
• Handled complex mass tort cases (BP Texas City explosion)
• Won multi-million dollar verdicts
• Secured high-profile case dismissals

This is the experience Luzerne County families need.

10. We Care — This Isn’t Just a Case

We’ve seen what fraternities do to kids. We’ve seen the medical records. We’ve seen the fear in our client’s eyes when he talks about retribution.

We see your child as a person — not a paycheck.

We will fight for Luzerne County families because we truly care about stopping this culture of abuse.

📋 What Luzerne County Families Should Do If Their Child Is Hazed

Step 1: Get Medical Attention Immediately

Even if injuries seem minor, get checked by a doctor. Some consequences of hazing (like rhabdomyolysis) may not appear immediately.

Document everything:

• Hospital records
• Doctor’s notes
• Photos of injuries at all stages of healing

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING.

Save:

• All text messages (GroupMe, iMessage, WhatsApp, Snapchat)
• All social media posts and messages
• All photos and videos from hazing events
• All fraternity communications (emails, documents)
• All witness contact information
• All medical records and bills

If you delete anything, it could be considered destruction of evidence.

Step 3: Do Not Talk to the Fraternity or University Without Legal Counsel

They will try to control the narrative. They will try to get you to sign documents. They will try to minimize what happened.

Do not give statements to:

• Fraternity leadership
• University administrators
• Insurance adjusters
• Their attorneys

Anything you say can be used against you.

Step 4: Do Not Post on Social Media

Stay off social media entirely until your case is resolved.

Insurance companies and defense attorneys will:

• Take your posts out of context
• Use photos of you looking “happy” to claim you weren’t really hurt
• Use your words against you

Even innocent posts can damage your case.

Step 5: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

Call us before you do anything else.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com

We will:

• Guide you through the next steps
• Preserve evidence
• Handle all communications with defendants
• Protect your rights
• Begin building your case

The sooner you contact us, the stronger your case will be.

🎯 Common Defenses in Hazing Cases — And How We Defeat Them

Defense 1: “He Consented to Participate”

Our Response:
Pennsylvania law explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, they can still sue.

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2809(b):

“It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that the person against whom the hazing was directed consented to or acquiesced in the hazing activity.”

We also show:

• The power dynamics in Greek organizations
• The fear of social exclusion
• The threats of expulsion or retaliation
• The lack of true informed consent

Defense 2: “He Knew the Risks”

Our Response:
Most pledges have no idea what they’re getting into. Hazing is hidden until it happens. Even if they knew some risks, they didn’t consent to torture.

We show:

• The secrecy of hazing activities
• The difference between what was promised and what happened
• The extreme nature of the activities (waterboarding isn’t “normal” hazing)

Defense 3: “He Could Have Left at Any Time”

Our Response:
This ignores the reality of Greek life culture. Pledges are:

• Told they’ll be blacklisted
• Threatened with social ostracism
• Told they’ll never get into another fraternity
• Told they’ll be expelled

We show:

• The psychological coercion involved
• The fear of retaliation
• The power dynamics that make “leaving” nearly impossible

Defense 4: “It Was Just Tradition”

Our Response:
“Tradition” doesn’t make torture legal. Waterboarding is a war crime when done to enemy combatants. It doesn’t become acceptable when done to college students.

We reframe:

• This isn’t “tradition” — it’s assault
• This isn’t “brotherhood” — it’s abuse
• This isn’t “building character” — it’s breaking spirits

🔍 What We Investigate in Luzerne County Hazing Cases

1. The Hazing Activities

We document:

• What specific activities occurred
• How long the hazing lasted
• Who was present
• Who gave the orders
• Any physical evidence (photos, videos, texts)

In our current case, we documented:

• Waterboarding with a garden hose
• 500 squats and 100 pushups
• Wooden paddles
• Forced eating until vomiting
• Another pledge hog-tied with an object in his mouth

2. The Medical Consequences

We work with medical experts to document:

• Immediate injuries
• Hospitalization records
• Long-term health consequences
• Psychological trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression)

In our current case:

• Severe rhabdomyolysis
• Acute kidney failure
• 4-day hospitalization
• Potential long-term kidney damage

3. The Pattern of Abuse

We investigate:

• Prior hazing incidents at the same chapter
• Prior hazing incidents at other chapters of the same fraternity
• Whether the national organization knew about problems
• Whether the university knew about problems

In our current case:

• Pi Kappa Phi had a hazing death in 2017 (Andrew Coffey at FSU)
• University of Houston had a hazing hospitalization in 2017 (Pi Kappa Alpha)
• The national organization knew about “a hazing crisis”

4. The Institutional Failures

We examine:

• What the university knew
• What the national fraternity knew
• What policies were in place
• Whether those policies were enforced
• Whether the university owned the fraternity property

In our current case:

• University of Houston owned the fraternity house
• They had a prior hazing incident in 2017
• They failed to implement meaningful oversight

5. The Individual Perpetrators

We identify:

• Who gave the orders
• Who participated
• Who witnessed and failed to stop it
• Who failed to call for medical help

In our current case, we’re suing:

• The chapter president
• The pledgemaster
• Current members
• Former members
• A former member’s spouse

🎥 Luzerne County Families: Watch Our Videos to Learn More

We’ve created dozens of educational videos to help personal injury victims understand their rights. These videos apply to hazing victims too.

Recommended Videos for Luzerne County Hazing Victims:

📺 Visit our YouTube channel: @Manginellolawfirm

📢 Message to Luzerne County Fraternities: We Are Watching

To the fraternities operating near Luzerne County:

We are watching. We are documenting. We are building cases.

The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapter.

Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi — if your chapter operates near Luzerne County, know that Attorney 911 represents hazing victims across America.

We have proven these cases can be won. We have proven fraternities will pay millions.

If your chapter harms students in Luzerne County, we will pursue every liable entity. We will depose your officers. We will subpoena your records. We will hold you accountable.

We already shut down the Beta Nu chapter at University of Houston. Your chapter could be next.

🏛️ Message to Universities Near Luzerne County: The Same Liability Applies to You

To King’s College, Wilkes University, Misericordia University, University of Scranton, Bloomsburg University, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Penn State Hazleton, Marywood University, Lackawanna College, East Stroudsburg University:

The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus.

You have the power to regulate Greek life. You have the power to inspect fraternity houses. You have the power to suspend or expel dangerous organizations.

If you fail to act, you will be held accountable.

We will sue you for:

• Negligent supervision
• Premises liability
• Failure to protect students
• Institutional knowledge of hazing

Act now or face the same accountability.

📞 Luzerne County Families: Call Us Now — 1-888-ATTY-911

If your child has been hazed at a college or university near Luzerne County, you need to act immediately.

We offer:

• Free, confidential consultations
• $0 upfront cost — we work on contingency
• Video consultations available immediately
• Travel to Luzerne County for in-person meetings
• Aggressive representation against fraternities and universities

📞 Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 Email: ralph@atty911.com
🌐 Visit: attorney911.com

We don’t just talk about hazing cases. We’re fighting one right now. And we’ll fight for Luzerne County families too.

🔥 Enough Is Enough, Luzerne County

Hazing has taken too many lives. It has ruined too many futures. It has traumatized too many families.

Luzerne County parents: your child deserves better.
Luzerne County students: you deserve safety.
Luzerne County families: you deserve justice.

We are Attorney 911. We are Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena. And we are here to fight for you.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 | ralph@atty911.com | attorney911.com

Luzerne County: It’s time to hold them accountable.