If you’re reading this in Randolph County, Georgia, your family may be facing one of the most terrifying moments of your life. Your child was supposed to make friends at college. Instead, they were tortured. They were humiliated, abused, and potentially suffered life-altering injuries, all in the name of a so-called “tradition” that has no place in our society. We understand what you’re going through, and we’re here to help families in Randolph County fight back.
At Attorney911, we are active, aggressive, and relentless in our pursuit of justice for hazing victims. We don’t just talk about hazing; we’re fighting it right now in court, seeking $10 million in damages against a national fraternity and a major university for the horrific hazing of a young man. The same senseless acts that caused his hospitalization are happening at institutions across the country, including those where Randolph County students attend. We want Randolph County families to know: you are not alone, and we are powerfully equipped to stand by you.
## The Case That Shows Randolph County Families Why We Fight: Leonel Bermudez v. Pi Kappa Phi & University of Houston
This isn’t a hypothetical example from a textbook. This is a real, ongoing lawsuit that demonstrates exactly what Attorney911 stands for: aggressive representation, data-driven strategy, and unwavering accountability for every entity responsible for hazing injuries. This case, filed in November 2025, serves as a stark warning to fraternities, universities, and parents in Randolph County alike.
Leonel Bermudez was not even a University of Houston student when he accepted a bid to join the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity on September 16, 2025. He was a “ghost rush,” a prospective transfer student hoping to enroll in Spring 2026. This fact alone underscores the reckless disregard of the fraternity: they inflicted torture on someone not even officially under their university’s direct care.
What followed his bid acceptance was weeks of systematic abuse that culminated in a horrifying incident on November 3, 2025. Leonel was forced to perform extreme physical exertions—over 100 push-ups, 500 squats, high-volume “suicides,” bear crawls, wheelbarrows, and repeated 100-yard crawls, all while reciting fraternity creeds and under threat of immediate expulsion. He was exercised past the point of physical exhaustion, collapsing and unable to stand without help.
When he finally made it home—crawling up the stairs, as his attorney Ralph Manginello recounted to ABC13 Houston—his condition worsened rapidly. Just days later, on November 6, 2025, his mother rushed him to the hospital. He was passing brown urine, a classic sign of muscle breakdown, and was diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. Leonel spent three nights and four days in the hospital, fighting for his life. The medical evidence confirms alarmingly high creatine kinase levels, indicating significant muscle damage, and he faces the ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.
But the physical torture didn’t stop there. The lawsuit details “simulated waterboarding with a garden hose,” where pledges were sprayed in the face with water while doing calisthenics, enduring multiple threats of further waterboarding. He was forced to eat large amounts of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until he vomited. Then, in a truly degrading act, he was forced to continue running sprints while clearly in physical distress and made to lie in his own vomit-soaked grass. Other egregious acts included being struck with wooden paddles, forced to strip to his underwear in cold weather, and repeatedly driving fraternity members during early morning hours, leading to severe sleep deprivation. The lawsuit even uncovered an incident on October 13 where another pledge was hog-tied face-down on a table with an object in his mouth for over an hour. Just two days later, on October 15, another pledge lost consciousness and collapsed during a forced workout.
This wasn’t just “boys being boys.” This was systematic abuse and torture. Houston Public Media explicitly stated, “Waterboarding, which simulates drowning, is a form of torture.” The acts described in our lawsuit cross the line from hazing into criminal assault and battery.
Within weeks of Leonel’s hospitalization, the Pi Kappa Phi National Headquarters suspended, and then closed, the Beta Nu chapter at the University of Houston. Their own website statement on November 21, 2025, admitted to “violations of the Fraternity’s risk management policy and membership conduct standards.” KHOU 11 reported that the national organization failed to enforce anti-hazing rules “despite knowledge of ‘a hazing crisis.'” Attorney911 filed a $10 million lawsuit naming the university, the national fraternity, the housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity members, including the president, pledgemaster, and even a former member and his spouse who allowed hazing to occur at their residence.
“If this prevents harm to another person, that’s what we’re hoping to do,” our attorney Lupe Pena told ABC13. “Let’s bring this to light. Enough is enough.”
The Bermudez case is our proof that Attorney911 isn’t theoretical. We are actively fighting right now in Harris County Civil District Court, demonstrating that we are aggressive, thorough, data-driven, and relentless in pursuing accountability for hazing victims like those in Randolph County. This is what hazing looks like today, in Texas, at universities their children might attend. And Attorney911 is the firm that fights back.
## What Hazing Really Looks Like in Randolph County and Beyond: Beyond the Stereotypes
If you’re a parent in Randolph County, your idea of hazing might be limited to harmless pranks or mild inconveniences portrayed in movies. Unfortunately, the reality is far more sinister. Hazing today is not about building character; it’s about breaking individuals through physical and psychological torment. It is systemic abuse that can lead to permanent injury, psychological scarring, and even death.
The narrative of “boys being boys” or “just a tradition” is a dangerous lie perpetuated by institutions that prioritize reputation over safety. As the Leonel Bermudez case chillingly reveals, hazing tactics are often indistinguishable from torture.
**Here’s what hazing truly entails, often concealed behind closed doors, even at seemingly respectable institutions where Randolph County students enroll:**
* **Extreme Physical Abuse:** This goes far beyond push-ups. It includes forced calisthenics to the point of collapse, beatings, paddling, branding, and exposure to dangerous elements. In the Bermudez case, Leonel was forced into extensive physical exercises that caused his muscles to literally break down, leading to kidney failure. He suffered wooden paddle strikes.
* **Forced Consumption:** This is not just binge drinking. It’s coercing individuals to consume dangerous amounts of alcohol, often to black-out levels, putting them at extreme risk of alcohol poisoning. It also includes forcing pledges to eat unusual or disgusting food combinations until they vomit, as Leonel Bermudez experienced with milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns.
* **Water Torture:** The “simulated waterboarding with a garden hose” endured by Leonel Bermudez highlights a terrifying escalation of hazing methods, aligning with tactics recognized as torture in international law. This isn’t a prank; it’s an assault.
* **Psychological Manipulation and Humiliation:** This can involve verbal abuse, forced public nudity, sexual degradation, sleep deprivation, and coercive tactics that strip individuals of dignity and self-worth. Leonel was forced to carry a fanny pack with objects of a sexual nature and made to lie in his own vomit. The constant threats of expulsion for non-compliance are a form of psychological control.
* **Sleep Deprivation:** Forcing pledges to stay awake for extended periods, perform tasks late at night or early in the morning, or disrupt their sleep patterns until their bodies and minds are compromised. Leonel was forced to drive fraternity members during early morning hours, leading to profound exhaustion.
* **Isolation and Control:** Restricting communication with the outside world, dictating their attire, study habits, and even forcing them to serve existing members.
These are not pranks. They are acts of violence and abuse, carried out under the guise of “brotherhood” or “sisterhood.” The secrecy surrounding hazing makes it particularly insidious, causing victims in Randolph County and elsewhere to often suffer in silence, fearing retaliation or social ostracism.
If your child in Randolph County has experienced or witnessed any of these traumatic acts, know that it is not their fault. They did not consent to torture. What they endured was a violation of their rights and a betrayal of trust.
## Who Is Responsible When Hazing Invades Randolph County Campuses? Everyone Who Enabled It.
Holding those accountable for hazing requires a deep understanding of the complex web of liability that extends beyond the individuals directly involved. At Attorney911, we sue everyone responsible, identifying all potential defendants with deep pockets. The Bermudez case exemplifies this comprehensive approach, and we apply the same strategy for Randolph County victims.
Here’s who can be held responsible when hazing occurs:
1. **The Local Chapter of the Fraternity or Sorority:** This is often the most direct perpetrator. The local chapter organizes, facilitates, and executes the hazing rituals. Officers, such as the president and pledgemaster (as named in the Bermudez lawsuit), bear significant responsibility for directing and allowing the abuse. Individual members who actively participate in or fail to prevent hazing can also be held liable for assault, battery, and negligent behavior. Even former members and their spouses, like those named in the Bermudez case for hosting hazing at their residence, can be held accountable under premises liability laws.
2. **The National Fraternity or Sorority Organization:** National organizations, like Pi Kappa Phi, often claim ignorance or distance from local chapter actions. However, these are multi-million dollar corporations with extensive resources, insurance, and the ultimate authority over their chapters. We hold them liable for failing to supervise, train, and enforce their anti-hazing policies. In the Bermudez case, KHOU 11 reported that the national organization failed to act “despite knowledge of ‘a hazing crisis.'” We proved Pi Kappa Phi had actual notice of deadly hazing because Andrew Coffey died in a Pi Kappa Phi hazing incident in 2017—just eight years before Leonel Bermudez was hospitalized. This pattern of negligence demonstrates a deliberate indifference to student safety and strengthens claims for punitive damages.
3. **The University or College:** Colleges and universities, whether in Randolph County or anywhere else, have a fundamental duty to protect their students. They control the Greek life system, provide resources, and often own or oversee fraternity properties. The University of Houston, a named defendant in the Bermudez lawsuit, owned the actual fraternity house where much of the hazing took place. This makes their liability undeniable under premises liability laws. Furthermore, we know the University of Houston had a prior hazing hospitalization in 2017 involving a different fraternity, meaning they had eight years to prevent a recurrence and failed. Universities can be held responsible for:
* **Negligent Supervision:** Failing to adequately monitor Greek life activities.
* **Premises Liability:** Allowing dangerous conditions (hazing) on their property.
* **Failure to Warn:** Not adequately informing students and parents of hazing risks.
* **Institutional Indifference:** Turning a blind eye to obvious or reported hazing.
* **Breach of Contract:** Failing to uphold promises of a safe educational environment.
4. **The Board of Regents (or Governing Board):** For state universities, the governing board, like the UH Board of Regents also named in our lawsuit, bears ultimate responsibility for institutional policies and student safety.
5. **Individual Perpetrators:** Every person directly involved in the hazing, including those who stood by and failed to intervene, can be held personally accountable for their actions. As we’ve seen in other landmark hazing cases, individual perpetrators can face severe personal liability, sending a powerful message.
6. **Insurance Carriers:** Ultimately, the funds for significant settlements and verdicts often come from the liability insurance policies held by the national organizations, universities, and even individual members. As former insurance defense attorneys, Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena bring invaluable insider knowledge to identify and pursue every applicable insurance policy, maximizing our clients’ recovery.
When your child is hazed in Randolph County, Georgia, or any other location, we cast a wide net to ensure every responsible party is brought to justice. This isn’t about suing broke college kids; it’s about holding powerful institutions and their enablers fully accountable.
## What These Cases Win for Randolph County Families: Multi-Million Dollar Proof of Accountability
For Randolph County families reeling from a hazing incident, the question of justice often comes with the practical concern of how to make things right. The good news is that hazing victims and their families across the nation have successfully pursued multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements that not only provide compensation but also force institutions to change. These cases set powerful precedents that Attorney911 leverages for every client, including those in Randolph County.
**Our $10 million demand in the Leonel Bermudez case is not arbitrary; it is built upon a foundation of landmark settlements and verdicts that prove hazing is a costly behavior for fraternities, universities, and individuals.**
Here are some of the precedent-setting cases that show what is possible:
### Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State University / Pi Kappa Alpha (2021)
**Total: $10.1 Million+**
Stone Foltz, a 20-year-old student, died from alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink an entire bottle of alcohol during a Pi Kappa Alpha “Big/Little” event. His family’s successful legal actions resulted in:
* A **$2.9 million settlement** from Bowling Green State University.
* **$7.2 million in combined settlements** from Pi Kappa Alpha national fraternity and individuals.
* In December 2024, a former chapter president, Daylen Dunson, was ordered to pay **$6.5 million in personal liability**. This case shows that individual perpetrators cannot hide behind the fraternity’s corporate veil; they will be held personally accountable.
This case is particularly relevant for Randolph County families because its record payout directly aligns with our $10 million demand in the Bermudez case, establishing its reasonableness and precedent.
### Maxwell Gruver – Louisiana State University / Phi Delta Theta (2017)
**Total: $6.1 Million Jury Verdict**
Max Gruver, an 18-year-old freshman, died from acute alcohol poisoning with a BAC of 0.495 after a Phi Delta Theta “Bible Study” event where he was forced to drink excessive amounts of alcohol for answering questions incorrectly. The civil lawsuit resulted in a **$6.1 million jury verdict** for his family. This case proved that juries will deliver substantial verdicts when presented with clear evidence of egregious hazing. The tragedy also led to the passage of the “Max Gruver Act” in Louisiana, making felony hazing a crime, a legislative response echoed in many states.
### Timothy Piazza – Penn State University / Beta Theta Pi (2017)
**Total: $110 Million+ (Estimated)**
Timothy Piazza, 19, died after consuming 18 drinks in 82 minutes during a Beta Theta Pi hazing ritual, falling down stairs, and suffering severe injuries. Fraternity brothers waited 12 hours before calling 911. The presence of security cameras that captured the entire horrifying ordeal led to an estimated **$110 million+ in settlements**, multiple criminal convictions, and Pennsylvania’s “Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law.” This case illustrates that powerful evidence of explicit negligence and a cover-up can lead to truly massive financial and legal consequences.
### Andrew Coffey – Florida State University / Pi Kappa Phi (2017)
**Status: Confidential Settlement, Criminal Charges**
What makes this case profoundly significant for Leonel Bermudez and Attorney911 is that Andrew Coffey died from alcohol poisoning during a Pi Kappa Phi hazing event. This is the **same national fraternity** responsible for Leonel’s injuries. Andrew’s tragic death eight years prior established that Pi Kappa Phi National had actual notice of the deadly hazing culture within its chapters. Their failure to implement effective changes despite this knowledge directly supports our claims of negligence, deliberate indifference, and the need for substantial punitive damages against the national organization.
These multi-million dollar outcomes send an unequivocal message to universities and fraternities: hazing will not be tolerated, and the cost of negligence is steep. For Randolph County parents, these precedents mean that pathways to significant compensation and accountability exist. Whether your child attends a university in Georgia or elsewhere, the same national fraternities operate, the same institutional responsibilities apply, and the same pursuit of justice is possible. We at Attorney911 are committed to bringing this level of proven results and unyielding advocacy to your family in Randolph County.
## Texas Law Protects Randolph County Victims: Consent is NOT a Defense
For Randolph County families facing the aftermath of hazing, understanding the legal framework is crucial. While hazing incidents may occur in any state, our firm’s deep expertise in Texas hazing laws provides a strong foundation for understanding the legal landscape that applies broadly, and our federal court authority extends our reach nationwide. We want Randolph County parents to be empowered with knowledge: the law is on your side, not the hazers’.
One of the most insidious arguments employed by fraternities and universities when hazing comes to light is that the victim “consented” to the activities. They might claim, “he knew what he was signing up for” or “he could have left at any time.” This narrative attempts to shift blame from the perpetrators to the victim, absolving the institutions of responsibility.
**However, in Texas—and many other states—the law explicitly and unequivocally rejects this defense.**
**Texas Education Code § 37.154 states:**
> **”It is not a defense to prosecution for an offense under this subchapter that the person against whom the hazing was directed consented to or acquiesced in the hazing activity.”**
This statute is a powerful shield for victims and a critical weapon in our litigation. It means that whether Leonel Bermudez or any Randolph County student “agreed” to participate, or “acquiesced” under immense peer pressure, fear of exclusion, or threat, their supposed consent **cannot be used** to avoid criminal prosecution or escape civil liability. Coercion, manipulation, and the inherent power imbalance in pledging rituals negate true consent.
### What Constitutes Hazing under Texas Law (and why it matters for Randolph County)
The Texas Education Code § 37.151 provides a clear and comprehensive definition of hazing, covering a wide array of abusive behaviors that often occur at universities where Randolph County students might attend:
1. **Physical Brutality:** Any act like whipping, beating, striking (like with wooden paddles in the Bermudez case), branding, or placing harmful substances on the body.
2. **Endangerment to Health or Safety:** Activities involving sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements (like stripping in cold weather and being sprayed with a hose), confinement in small spaces, or excessive calisthenics (such as the 500 squats that caused Leonel’s kidney failure) that subject a student to unreasonable risk of harm or adversely affect mental or physical health.
3. **Forced Consumption:** Requiring students to consume dangerous amounts of food (milk, hot dogs, peppercorns), liquids, or alcohol that pose an unreasonable risk of harm or negatively affect their health. This covers the forced eating until vomiting that Leonel experienced, and the binge drinking seen in fatal hazing cases.
4. **Criminal Acts:** Any activity that forces a student to violate the Texas Penal Code.
5. **Coerced Consumption of Drugs or Alcohol:** Forcing a student to consume drugs or alcohol to the point of intoxication.
The incidents Leonel Bermudez endured—waterboarding, forced eating, extreme calisthenics, physical abuse, and sleep deprivation—fall squarely within multiple categories of this legal definition. This robust legal framework allows us to directly confront the arguments of fraternities and universities.
### Criminal and Organizational Penalties:
Beyond civil lawsuits, Texas law also imposes significant criminal penalties for hazing:
* **Class B Misdemeanor:** For engaging in hazing, soliciting it, or failing to report it (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
* **Class A Misdemeanor:** If hazing causes serious bodily injury, like Leonel’s rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure (up to 1 year jail, $4,000 fine).
* **State Jail Felony:** If hazing causes death (180 days to 2 years in state jail, $10,000 fine).
Organizations that condone or encourage hazing, or whose officers or members engage in it, also face penalties, including fines up to $10,000, denial of operating permission on campus, and forfeiture of property.
For Randolph County families, this means that every individual, every chapter, and every organization involved in hazing faces not only the financial consequences of a civil lawsuit but also potential criminal prosecution. We work closely with law enforcement when necessary to ensure all avenues of justice are pursued. The University of Houston spokesperson herself mentioned “potential criminal charges” in response to the Bermudez case, underscoring the severity of the legal implications. We stand ready to bring these legal protections to families across Randolph County, Georgia, and nationwide.
## Why Attorney911 Is the Obvious Choice for Randolph County Hazing Victims
When tragedy strikes and your child becomes a victim of hazing, finding the right legal representation is paramount. In Randolph County, you need a firm that not only understands the nuances of hazing litigation but also possesses the experience, insight, and dedication to stand up against powerful institutions. Attorney911 is that firm, and our commitment to justice for hazing victims extends far beyond our Texas offices.
**We are not just a law firm; we are legal emergency lawyers. And for Randolph County families facing the nightmare of severe hazing, we are your first responder.**
Here’s why Attorney911 is uniquely positioned to fight for your child in Randolph County:
1. **Active, Aggressive Hazing Litigation on a National Scale:** We aren’t just reading about hazing; we’re in the trenches fighting it. Our ongoing $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston is proof. This isn’t theoretical – it’s a real fight for a real family, right now. Randolph County families can be confident that the same aggressive, informed strategies that apply to a major university and national fraternity in Texas will be brought to bear on their case, regardless of where it occurs. We know the playbook because we wrote parts of it, and we are constantly refining our approach.
2. **Unparalleled Insider Knowledge: Two Former Insurance Defense Attorneys:** This is our most significant strategic advantage. Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña are former insurance defense attorneys. We know exactly how insurance companies, national fraternities with their complex insurance structures, and universities with their self-insured retention funds think, strategize, and try to deny claims. We’ve seen their playbook from the inside. Lupe Peña’s experience at a national defense firm, Litchfield Cavo LLP, defending businesses and insurance companies across multiple practice areas, gives us battlefield intelligence. We use this deep understanding to dismantle their defenses and maximize recovery for our hazing victims. For Randolph County, this means we can anticipate every tactic the opposition will employ.
3. **Extensive Courtroom Experience: 25+ Years of Battle-Tested Advocacy:** Ralph Manginello brings over 25 years of trial experience, having handled hundreds of cases. His involvement in the multi-billion dollar BP Texas City Explosion litigation demonstrates our capacity to take on massive corporate defendants, a crucial skill when confronting national fraternities and multi-billion dollar universities. This experience means we are not afraid to take your Randolph County hazing case to trial if a fair settlement cannot be reached.
4. **Federal Court Admissions for Nationwide Reach:** We are admitted to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, and have experience in federal appellate courts. This federal authority means we are not confined by state lines. Hazing incidents involving national fraternities or interstate travel often have federal implications, allowing us to pursue cases regardless of where the incident occurred in relation to your home in Randolph County. We come to Randolph County.
5. **Dual-State Bar Licenses (Texas and New York):** Ralph Manginello is licensed in both Texas and New York. This dual licensure provides a strategic advantage for Randolph County cases involving national fraternities, many of which are headquartered or have significant operations in the Northeast. This allows us to cut through jurisdictional complexities and pursue all responsible parties effectively.
6. **Hazing-Specific Expertise: From Rhabdomyolysis to Wrongful Death:** We don’t just handle general personal injury; hazing litigation is a specialized focus. Ralph Manginello has specific expertise in rhabdomyolysis hazing cases, such as Leonel Bermudez’s medical condition. We understand the unique medical, psychological, and legal complexities of hazing injuries, from severe physical trauma and brain injuries to the profound psychological impact of PTSD, anxiety, and wrongful death. We know these cases require specialized knowledge of Greek life culture, university administrative processes, and Title IX implications.
7. **Data-Driven Litigation Strategy: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine:** We don’t guess; we know. We maintain one of the most comprehensive private directories of Greek organizations in Texas, including IRS EINs, legal names, and insurance structures. We track over 125 registered Greek organizations in Texas and have detailed information on 1,423 Greek-related organizations across 25 Texas metros. This allows us to instantly identify every entity responsible for a hazing incident, from local chapters and housing corporations to national headquarters. When hazing happens, we already know who to sue. We use this same data-driven approach to investigate national fraternities across the country, providing an unmatched intelligence advantage for Randolph County victims.
8. **Compassionate and Client-Focused Advocacy:** We understand that hazing devastates families. Our approach is empathetic, warm, and parent-facing. When you call Attorney911, you’re not just a case file; you’re family. We prioritize communication, ensuring Randolph County families are kept informed and supported every step of the way. Our 4.9-star rating with over 250 reviews on Google My Business reflects our commitment to client satisfaction. “You are FAMILY to them and they protect and fight for you as such,” reads one testimonial.
9. **No Upfront Costs: Contingency Fee Basis:** We take hazing cases on contingency, meaning Randolph County families pay absolutely $0 upfront. We don’t get paid unless and until you get paid. This removes the financial barrier, allowing any family, regardless of their economic situation, to access top-tier legal representation against powerful, well-funded adversaries.
10. **Bilingual Services (Se Habla Español):** Lupe Peña is fluent in Spanish, and our staff is bilingual. This ensures that Spanish-speaking families in Randolph County impacted by hazing can communicate effectively and comfortably, without language barriers impeding their access to justice.
11. **Willingness to Travel and Remote Consultations:** While our offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we proudly serve hazing victims in Randolph County and nationwide. We offer convenient video consultations for Randolph County families and are prepared to travel to Randolph County for depositions, client meetings, and trials whenever necessary. Distance is not a barrier to justice when stakes are this high.
When you choose Attorney911, you’re choosing a legal team that has the skills, the experience, the insider knowledge, and the unwavering commitment to fight for your child’s rights and secure the justice your family deserves in Randolph County, Georgia. We are not hypothetical; we are actively fighting hazing right now, and we’ll bring that same fight to you.
## What To Do Right Now: Actionable Steps for Randolph County Hazing Victims and Families
If your child in Randolph County has been subjected to hazing, the moments immediately following the incident are critical. Panic, confusion, and fear are natural responses, but quick, decisive action can significantly impact the strength of your legal case. Remember, the statute of limitations in most states for personal injury is typically two years, but evidence disappears rapidly, and memories fade. Do not wait.
Here are the crucial steps we advise for Randolph County hazing victims and their families:
### 1. Prioritize Safety and Seek Immediate Medical Attention (if Applicable)
* **Remove Your Child from the Situation:** No matter the pressure, get your child safely away from the hazing environment immediately.
* **Call 911 for Emergencies:** If your child is in immediate medical distress, unconscious, heavily intoxicated, or severely injured (like Leonel Bermudez was), call emergency services without hesitation. Your child’s life comes first.
* **Seek Medical Care, Even for “Minor” Injuries:** Even if injuries seem minor, or if psychological trauma is the primary concern, seek medical evaluation from a doctor, emergency room, or mental health professional. Rhabdomyolysis symptoms, like Leonel’s, can be delayed.
* **Document Everything Medically:** Ensure all injuries, symptoms, complaints, and their connection to the hazing incident are clearly documented in medical records. This creates an objective timeline of harm.
* **Follow All Medical Advice:** Adhere to doctors’ orders for follow-up appointments, physical therapy, and mental health counseling. Inconsistent medical care can jeopardize your claim.
### 2. Preserve All Evidence (Think Like an Attorney, Act Immediately)
The burden of proof falls on the victim, and fraternities and universities will aggressively try to suppress or destroy evidence. You must act fast. As Ralph Manginello states in our video, “Take pictures. Take pictures. Take pictures. Take more pictures than you think you need to.”
* **Photograph and Video Record Everything:**
* **Injuries:** Take clear photos and videos of all bruises, cuts, burns, swelling, and any other physical marks at all stages of healing. Continue to document treatment and recovery.
* **Hazing Locations:** If safe to do so, photograph the fraternity house, off-campus residence, fields, or any other location where hazing occurred. Note specific details.
* **Physical Evidence:** Capture images of any objects used in hazing (e.g., paddles, alcohol containers, degrading items), or any visible aftermath (e.g., vomit-soaked grass from the Bermudez case).
* **Save All Communications (Digital is Key):**
* **Text Messages:** Crucial evidence! Screenshot every text message, GroupMe chat, Snapchat, Instagram DM, or any other digital communication from fraternity members, pledges, friends, or witnesses related to the hazing. Print them out or save them to multiple devices. Often, these messages contain explicit instructions, threats, or admissions of hazing.
* **Emails:** Preserve all emails from the fraternity, university, or individuals.
* **Social Media:** Take screenshots of any relevant social media posts, stories, or profiles that show hazing activities or discussions, even if they’re from other attendees.
* **Identify and Secure Witness Information:**
* **Other Pledges:** Crucial for corroborating your child’s story. If possible, discreetly obtain names and contact information from other pledges or witnesses who saw the hazing. Your child is likely not the only victim.
* **Bystanders:** Anyone who saw elements of the hazing or observed your child’s condition.
* **Collect All Documents:**
* **Hazing Manuals/Schedules:** Any written or digital documents outlining pledge activities, “rules,” or schedules.
* **Medical Bills:** Keep meticulous records of all medical expenses.
* **Academic Records:** Save transcripts to show any impact on grades or enrollment.
* **Financial Records:** Document any lost wages, tuition, or fees.
### 3. Do NOT Engage with the Fraternity, University, or Their Lawyers Alone
This is a critical warning. Institutions and their legal teams are not on your side. They are trying to limit their liability.
* **Do NOT Talk to Fraternity/Sorority Leadership:** They will attempt to control the narrative, persuade your child to stay silent, or destroy evidence.
* **Do NOT Give Statements to University Administration Alone:** Universities have Title IX and Dean of Students offices, but their primary loyalty is to the institution. Any statement your child makes can be used against them. Let your attorney guide this interaction.
* **Do NOT Sign Anything:** Never sign any waivers, releases, confidentiality agreements, or disciplinary documents from the fraternity or university without consulting an attorney first.
* **Do NOT Post on Social Media:** Anything you or your child posts can and will be used against you. Defense attorneys will scour social media for posts showing your child “looking fine” or engaging in activities that contradict claims of injury or emotional distress. Do not delete old posts either, as this can be considered spoliation of evidence. Stay completely silent online.
* **Do NOT Delete Messages:** If you delete messages, it can be viewed as destroying evidence, which can severely damage your case. Preserve everything, no matter how insignificant it seems.
### 4. Contact Attorney911 Immediately for a Free Consultation
Time is of the essence. The earlier we are involved, the stronger your case will be.
* **Call 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7):** Our legal emergency hotline is available around the clock. Your call is confidential, and the initial consultation is absolutely free.
* **Email Us:** Reach out to ralph@atty911.com.
* **Remote Consultations:** For Randolph County families, we offer convenient and secure video consultations. You don’t need to travel to us; we can connect with you wherever you are.
* **We Travel to You:** For depositions, trials, and critical meetings, our attorneys are prepared to travel to Randolph County as needed.
**Why immediate action with an attorney is vital:**
* **Statute of Limitations:** Most states, including Georgia, have a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death cases. Missing this deadline means you lose your right to sue forever.
* **Evidence Preservation:** We send immediate preservation notices to ensure defendants do not destroy crucial evidence, such as security footage, internal communications, or other documents.
* **Expert Guidance:** We can guide you through every step, protecting your rights and building a strong case from day one against powerful adversaries.
If you or your child in Randolph County has been subjected to hazing, please do not suffer in silence. Your courage to step forward can not only bring justice to your family but also protect other students from suffering the same fate. We are here to listen, to advise, and to fight relentlessly on your behalf.
🚨 Randolph County Families: Have You or Your Child Been Hazed? 🚨
You Have Legal Rights. We Are Fighting This Fight Right Now—and We’ll Fight for Randolph County Victims Too.
Our attorneys are currently representing a hazing victim against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston in a $10 MILLION lawsuit. We know how to build these cases. We know how to hold institutions accountable. We know how to WIN.
Randolph County families get the same aggressive representation.
### Randolph County Families — Call Now — Free Consultation
# 📞 1-888-ATTY-911
**Email:** ralph@atty911.com
**Available 24/7 for Randolph County hazing emergencies.**
**We work on CONTINGENCY — $0 upfront for Randolph County families. We don’t get paid unless YOU get paid.**
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### What Randolph County Hazing Victims Should Do Right Now:
1. **GET MEDICAL ATTENTION** if you haven’t already — document everything.
2. **PRESERVE ALL EVIDENCE** — texts, photos, GroupMe chats, Snapchats, witness names. Using your phone to document evidence can be crucial: learn more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs.
3. **DO NOT** talk to the fraternity/sorority, university, or their lawyers without legal counsel. Avoid common mistakes that can ruin your injury case; watch “Client Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Case” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY.
4. **DO NOT** post on social media about the incident.
5. **CALL US IMMEDIATELY** — the 2-year statute of limitations in most states is critical, and evidence disappears fast. Understand the importance of legal deadlines by watching “Texas Statutes of Limitations” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c.
6. **Randolph County Families:** Distance is not a barrier — we offer video consultations and travel to Randolph County for cases.
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### We Serve Randolph County Hazing Victims — and Hazing Victims Nationwide
While we are based in Texas with offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, hazing happens at colleges and universities in Randolph County, Georgia, and across America. We can evaluate your Randolph County case regardless of location through:
* **Federal court authority** — pursue cases in federal jurisdiction if appropriate.
* **Dual-state bar licenses** — Texas and New York, providing strategic advantage against national organizations.
* **Video consultations** — Randolph County families can meet with us remotely from the comfort of their homes.
* **Travel commitment** — we come to Randolph County for depositions, client meetings, and trials for your case because justice knows no geographical limits.
Hazing is not limited to Greek life in Randolph County. We represent victims of hazing in:
* Fraternities and sororities with chapters near Randolph County.
* Randolph County sports teams, clubs, and organizations.
* Marching bands and other student groups at institutions attended by Randolph County students.
* ROTC programs.
* Military academies.
* Any organization where abuse is used as “initiation.”
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### To Other Victims of the UH Pi Kappa Phi Hazing:
We know there are more of you. Leonel Bermudez was not the only one hazed. Another pledge collapsed and lost consciousness on October 15. Others were subjected to the same waterboarding, forced eating, and physical abuse.
**You have rights too. We can represent you.**
Lupe Pena said it best: “If this prevents harm to another person, that’s what we’re hoping to do. Let’s bring this to light. Enough is enough.”
**Call us. Let’s bring them ALL to justice.**
📞 1-888-ATTY-911 | ralph@atty911.com | attorney911.com