# **Hazing Victims in Menominee County: Your Legal Rights & How We Can Help**
## **The Hazing Crisis Hits Close to Home**
Menominee County families send their children to college expecting them to be safe. They trust universities and student organizations to provide a positive, supportive environment. But for too many students, Greek life and other campus organizations have become dangerous—even deadly.
**Hazing is not tradition. It’s not bonding. It’s abuse.**
And it’s happening at colleges and universities near Menominee County.
At **Attorney 911**, we’re currently fighting a **$10 million lawsuit** against **Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and the University of Houston** for the severe hazing of a student who was waterboarded, forced to do extreme physical punishment, and hospitalized with **rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure**. This isn’t an isolated incident—it’s part of a nationwide crisis.
**If your child has been hazed in Menominee County or anywhere in Wisconsin, you have legal rights. And we can help.**
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## **What Is Hazing? (And Why It’s Illegal in Wisconsin)**
Hazing is any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that **humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them**, regardless of whether they consent.
**Common hazing activities include:**
– **Forced alcohol consumption** (binge drinking, drinking games)
– **Extreme physical punishment** (excessive exercise, beatings, paddling)
– **Sleep deprivation** (late-night activities, forced errands)
– **Psychological abuse** (threats, humiliation, isolation)
– **Waterboarding or simulated drowning** (as seen in our current case)
– **Forced consumption of food, liquids, or non-food items** (until vomiting)
– **Sexual humiliation or assault**
**Wisconsin law (Wis. Stat. § 948.51) makes hazing a crime.** Even if a student “consents,” it is **not a legal defense**—organizations can still be held liable.
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## **Real Cases, Real Consequences**
Hazing isn’t just “kids being kids.” It has **life-altering—and sometimes fatal—consequences.**
### **Our Current Case: $10 Million Lawsuit Against Pi Kappa Phi & UH**
– **Victim:** Leonel Bermudez (a “ghost rush” pledge—not even enrolled at UH yet)
– **Hazing:** Waterboarding, forced 500 squats, wooden paddles, sleep deprivation
– **Result:** **Severe rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure**—hospitalized for **4 days**
– **Defendants:** Pi Kappa Phi National, local chapter, University of Houston, individual members
– **Status:** **$10 million lawsuit filed**—we’re fighting this battle right now
**This same fraternity has chapters near Menominee County. The same risks exist here.**
### **Other Hazing Cases That Changed the Law**
| **Case** | **Fraternity** | **Outcome** | **Impact** |
|———-|—————|————-|————|
| **Stone Foltz (BGSU, 2021)** | Pi Kappa Alpha | **$10.1M settlement** | Ohio passed **Collin’s Law** (felony hazing) |
| **Max Gruver (LSU, 2017)** | Phi Delta Theta | **$6.1M jury verdict** | Louisiana passed **Max Gruver Act** (felony hazing) |
| **Timothy Piazza (Penn State, 2017)** | Beta Theta Pi | **$110M+ settlement** | Pennsylvania passed **Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law** |
| **Andrew Coffey (FSU, 2017)** | **Pi Kappa Phi** | Settlement | Florida strengthened anti-hazing laws |
**These cases prove that hazing victims can—and do—win big. The same justice is available to Menominee County families.**
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## **Who Is Liable for Hazing in Menominee County?**
If your child was hazed, **multiple parties can be held legally responsible**, including:
1. **The Local Chapter** – The fraternity/sorority that organized the hazing
2. **National Organization** – They set the culture and failed to prevent abuse
3. **University/College** – They have a duty to protect students (especially if they own the fraternity house)
4. **Individual Members** – Those who directly participated in or allowed hazing
5. **Alumni & Advisors** – If they knew about hazing and did nothing
6. **Insurance Companies** – Many organizations have liability policies that cover hazing claims
**In our current case, we’re suing:**
– **Pi Kappa Phi National** (failed to enforce anti-hazing policies despite knowing about a “hazing crisis”)
– **The local UH chapter** (directly organized and conducted the abuse)
– **University of Houston** (owned the fraternity house where hazing occurred)
– **Individual members** (including the president, pledgemaster, and others)
**The same legal strategy applies to Menominee County hazing cases.**
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## **What Should You Do If Your Child Was Hazed?**
### **Step 1: Seek Medical Attention Immediately**
– **Rhabdomyolysis, alcohol poisoning, and head injuries can be life-threatening.**
– **Get a full medical evaluation**—even if your child “feels fine,” symptoms may appear later.
– **Document everything**—hospital records, doctor’s notes, and photos of injuries.
### **Step 2: Preserve All Evidence**
– **Save all communications** (texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs, emails)
– **Take screenshots** of any social media posts about hazing
– **Photograph injuries** at all stages of healing
– **Get witness contact information** (other pledges, bystanders)
– **Do NOT delete anything**—even if it seems embarrassing or incriminating
### **Step 3: Do NOT Speak to the Organization or University Alone**
– **Fraternities, sororities, and universities will try to control the narrative.**
– **They may pressure your child to sign documents or give statements.**
– **Anything your child says can be used against them in a lawsuit.**
### **Step 4: Contact an Experienced Hazing Attorney Immediately**
– **Wisconsin has a 3-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.**
– **Evidence disappears fast**—witnesses forget, messages get deleted, organizations destroy records.
– **The sooner we get involved, the stronger your case will be.**
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## **Why Choose Attorney 911 for Your Menominee County Hazing Case?**
### **1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now**
– We’re currently litigating a **$10 million hazing lawsuit** against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston.
– We know **exactly how these organizations operate**—and how to hold them accountable.
– We’ve already **shut down the UH chapter**—and we’re not stopping until justice is served.
### **2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys—We Know Their Playbook**
– **Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena** both worked for **insurance companies** before switching sides to fight for victims.
– We know **how fraternities, universities, and insurance companies try to deny claims.**
– We use that insider knowledge to **maximize your compensation.**
### **3. Nationwide Reach—We Can Handle Your Menominee County Case**
– **Headquartered in Texas, but we serve hazing victims nationwide.**
– **Federal court authority** (U.S. District Court admission) allows us to pursue cases anywhere.
– **We travel to Menominee County** for depositions, client meetings, and trials.
– **Video consultations available**—you don’t have to come to us.
### **4. No Upfront Costs—We Work on Contingency**
– **You pay $0 upfront.** We only get paid if we win your case.
– **No hourly fees, no retainers**—just a percentage of your settlement or verdict.
– **If we don’t win, you owe us nothing.**
### **5. Aggressive, Compassionate Representation**
– We treat every client like family.
– We understand the **emotional trauma** of hazing—we’ve seen it firsthand.
– We **don’t back down** from powerful institutions.
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## **What Compensation Can You Recover?**
Hazing victims may be entitled to **economic and non-economic damages**, including:
### **Economic Damages (Tangible Losses)**
✅ **Medical bills** (hospital stays, ER visits, therapy, future treatment)
✅ **Lost wages** (if hazing caused your child to miss work or internships)
✅ **Educational disruption** (tuition refunds, scholarship losses)
✅ **Rehabilitation costs** (physical therapy, mental health treatment)
### **Non-Economic Damages (Pain & Suffering)**
✅ **Physical pain and suffering** (from injuries, medical treatment)
✅ **Emotional distress** (PTSD, anxiety, depression)
✅ **Humiliation and shame** (from degrading hazing rituals)
✅ **Loss of enjoyment of life** (inability to participate in normal activities)
### **Punitive Damages (Punishing the Wrongdoers)**
– If the hazing was **extreme, intentional, or reckless**, courts may award **punitive damages** to punish the organization and deter future misconduct.
– In our **Pi Kappa Phi case**, we’re seeking punitive damages for **waterboarding, forced exercise until collapse, and wooden paddles.**
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## **Menominee County Universities & Greek Organizations: We’re Watching**
The same national fraternities involved in hazing deaths and lawsuits nationwide **have chapters near Menominee County**, including:
| **Fraternity** | **Hazing History** | **Nearby Chapters** |
|—————|——————-|———————|
| **Pi Kappa Phi** | **Leonel Bermudez (2025, UH) – $10M lawsuit**
**Andrew Coffey (2017, FSU) – Death** | Multiple Wisconsin chapters |
| **Pi Kappa Alpha** | **Stone Foltz (2021, BGSU) – $10.1M settlement**
**UH Pike (2017) – Hospitalization** | Multiple Wisconsin chapters |
| **Phi Delta Theta** | **Max Gruver (2017, LSU) – $6.1M verdict** | Multiple Wisconsin chapters |
| **Beta Theta Pi** | **Timothy Piazza (2017, Penn State) – $110M+ settlement** | Multiple Wisconsin chapters |
| **Sigma Alpha Epsilon** | **Multiple hazing deaths & lawsuits** | Multiple Wisconsin chapters |
**If your child was hazed at any of these organizations—or any other fraternity, sorority, or campus group—we can help.**
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## **Next Steps for Menominee County Families**
### **1. Call Us Immediately for a Free Consultation**
📞 **1-888-ATTY-911** (24/7)
📧 **ralph@atty911.com**
**We’ll evaluate your case at no cost and explain your legal options.**
### **2. Don’t Wait—Evidence Disappears Fast**
– Organizations **delete messages, destroy records, and intimidate witnesses.**
– The **sooner we get involved, the stronger your case will be.**
### **3. Let Us Handle the Legal Battle**
– We’ll **preserve evidence, file the lawsuit, and fight for maximum compensation.**
– You focus on **your child’s recovery.**
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## **Menominee County Parents: This Is Your Warning**
If your child is pledging a fraternity, sorority, or any campus organization near Menominee County, **they are at risk.**
**The same hazing that hospitalized our client in Houston is happening here.**
**The same fraternities with deadly histories operate near Menominee County.**
**The same universities that fail to protect students exist in Wisconsin.**
**But you don’t have to accept it.**
**If your child has been hazed, call us now. We will fight for them.**
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### **🚨 FREE CONSULTATION — CALL NOW**
📞 **1-888-ATTY-911**
📧 **ralph@atty911.com**
🌐 **attorney911.com**
**We serve Menominee County and all of Wisconsin. We come to you.**
**No upfront costs. No fees unless we win.**
**Enough is enough.**
