The Ultimate Guide to Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Resource for Reagan County Families

If your phone rings in the middle of the night and your college student’s voice is trembling, you know something is wrong. You learn they’ve been at a fraternity house in Houston or a Corps event in College Station. There was pressure—lots of it. Forced drinking, humiliating tasks, physical exhaustion far beyond normal. Now, they’re hurt, scared, and whispering about not wanting to “get anyone in trouble.” For parents across Reagan County, from Big Lake to Stiles, this nightmare is increasingly real. Your child went to college to build a future, not to be injured in a dangerous ritual.

Right now, our firm is fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a student who was brutally hazed as a pledge of the Pi Kappa Phi Beta Nu chapter at the University of Houston in late 2025. The details are horrifying: forced to carry a degrading “pledge fanny pack,” subjected to hours of extreme physical workouts, sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” and made to consume excessive amounts of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting. The result was catastrophic: Bermudez developed rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, passed brown urine, and was hospitalized for four days. The Pi Kappa Phi chapter has been shut down, and we have filed a $10 million lawsuit against the University, the national fraternity, and the individual members responsible. This is not a historical example; this is ongoing litigation we are leading today.

This comprehensive guide is written specifically for parents and families in Reagan County, Texas. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, break down the Texas laws that protect your child, and show you how national patterns of abuse connect directly to campuses where Reagan County students study. We serve families across Texas, and our deep investigative resources and litigation experience are available to you.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR A HAZING CRISIS IN REAGAN COUNTY

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for any medical emergency.
• Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate legal guidance. We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

In the first 48 hours, you must:

1. Get Medical Attention: Even if injuries seem minor, see a doctor. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis or internal trauma can be delayed.
2. Preserve Digital Evidence: Screenshot ALL group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, text threads), social media posts, and DMs immediately. This evidence disappears fast.
3. Document Physically: Take clear, dated photos of any injuries. Save any clothing or objects involved.
4. Write Everything Down: Record who, what, when, and where while memories are fresh.
5. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team directly.
   • Let your child delete messages or “clean up” their phone.
   • Sign anything from a university or insurance company.
   • Post details on public social media.

Contact an experienced hazing attorney within 24-48 hours. Evidence vanishes, witnesses are coached, and universities move quickly to control the narrative. Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is no longer just about silly pranks. It is a calculated system of control, humiliation, and abuse designed to test loyalty through suffering. For Reagan County families, understanding its modern forms is critical to recognizing when your child is at risk.

Texas law (Education Code §37.151) defines hazing broadly as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation or affiliation with a group. Consent is not a defense.

Modern Hazing Tactics Include:

• Alcohol & Substance Coercion: Forced consumption during “lineups,” “family tree” drinking games, or “Big/Little” nights. This remains the leading cause of hazing deaths nationwide.
• Physical Torture: “Smokings” with extreme, punitive calisthenics; paddling; sleep deprivation; exposure to extreme elements; forced eating until vomiting (as in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case).
• Psychological & Digital Abuse: 24/7 monitoring via group chats, public shaming on social media, forced isolation from friends and family, and threats of expulsion for non-compliance.
• Sexualized Humiliation: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, and degrading costumes or roles.
• Disguised as “Tradition” or “Team Building”: Dangerous activities are often reframed as “character-building” workouts, “bonding” retreats, or “pledge education.”

These acts occur in fraternities, sororities, Corps of Cadets programs, athletic teams, spirit groups like cheerleading, marching bands, and other campus organizations. The common thread is an imbalance of power where new members are coerced into compliance.

Texas Hazing Law & Liability: What Reagan County Families Need to Know

When hazing injures your child, multiple layers of law come into play. Understanding this framework is the first step toward accountability.

1. Texas Criminal Hazing Law (Education Code, Chapter 37)

• It’s a Crime: Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. If it causes serious bodily injury or death, it becomes a state jail felony.
• Individual & Organizational Liability: Both the person who commits the act and the organization that authorized or knew about it can be prosecuted. Organizations can be fined up to $10,000.
• Duty to Report: Members or officers who knowingly fail to report hazing can be charged with a misdemeanor.
• Immunity for Good Faith Reporting: Those who call for help in an emergency are protected from prosecution, encouraging life-saving action.

2. Civil Lawsuits for Damages and Accountability

A criminal case punishes the wrongdoer. A civil lawsuit, which we specialize in, seeks to compensate your family and force institutional change. Potential defendants include:

• The Individual Students who planned and carried out the hazing.
• The Local Chapter as an entity.
• The National Fraternity/Sorority Headquarters for negligent supervision and failure to prevent known patterns of abuse.
• The University for negligent oversight, security, and enforcement of its own policies.
• Property Owners of off-campus houses where hazing occurs.

3. Federal Laws That Apply

• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): Requires colleges to report hazing incidents more transparently and strengthen prevention programs.
• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or gender-based discrimination, federal Title IX procedures and liability apply.
• The Clery Act: Mandates reporting of certain crimes on campus, which can include hazing-related assaults.

National Hazing Cases: The Patterns That Repeat in Texas

The tragedy in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case is not an isolated event. It is part of a decades-long, nationwide pattern. Seeing these patterns is key to proving that institutions should have known better and done more to protect your child.

• Stone Foltz, Bowling Green State University (Pi Kappa Alpha, 2021): Pledge died after being forced to drink a bottle of alcohol. Result: $10 million settlement from the national fraternity and university.
• Timothy Piazza, Penn State University (Beta Theta Pi, 2017): Died from traumatic brain injury after a night of forced drinking; help was fatally delayed. Result: Dozens of criminal convictions and new Pennsylvania anti-hazing laws.
• Max Gruver, LSU (Phi Delta Theta, 2017): Died from alcohol poisoning after a “Bible study” drinking game. Result: $6.1 million verdict and the Max Gruver Act in Louisiana.
• Danny Santulli, University of Missouri (Phi Gamma Delta, 2021): Suffered permanent, catastrophic brain damage from forced drinking. Result: Multi-million dollar settlements with 22 defendants.

These cases prove that specific, dangerous traditions are repeated across the country by the same national organizations. When those same organizations have chapters at Texas schools, they bring that foreseeable risk with them.

Where Reagan County Students Go: Hazing Realities at Texas Universities

Reagan County families have deep connections to Texas’s flagship universities. Many students stay close to home at excellent regional schools, while others head to major campuses across the state. Wherever they are, they may encounter Greek life or other organizations with hazing risks.

Texas Campuses with Significant Greek Life

Based on comprehensive public records, here are universities relevant to Reagan County students:

West Texas & Regional Campuses (Near Reagan County):

• Angelo State University (San Angelo, Tom Green County)
• Texas Tech University (Lubbock, Lubbock County)
• West Texas A&M University (Canyon, Randall County)
• University of Texas Permian Basin (Odessa, Ector County)

Major Statewide Hubs (Common Destinations for Texas Students):

• University of Houston (Houston, Harris County) – Site of our active Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit
• Texas A&M University (College Station, Brazos County)
• University of Texas at Austin (Austin, Travis County)
• Baylor University (Waco, McLennan County)
• Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Dallas County)
• Texas State University (San Marcos, Hays County)

The Texas Greek Ecosystem: A Web of Entities

When hazing occurs, liability rarely stops with the students in the room. National organizations create a complex network of legally responsible entities. Through our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine, we maintain a proprietary directory of these organizations to rapidly identify all potential defendants in a case.

Below is a sample from our public records directory, showing the types of organizations we track across Texas. This is the investigative advantage we bring to every case.

A Snapshot of Texas Greek Organizations (From IRS & Public Filings):

• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc, EIN: 133048786, 3007 Earl Rudder Fwy S, College Station, TX 77845 – IRS B83 Fraternity Filing.
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc, EIN: 475370943, 5019 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77204 – IRS B83 Fraternity Filing.
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, EIN: 746064445, 1855 Highway 69 N, Nederland, TX 77627 – IRS B83 Fraternity Filing.
• Sigma Chi Fraternity Epsilon Xi Chapter, EIN: 746084905, 4300 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX 77204 – IRS B83 Fraternity Filing.
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc, EIN: 462267515, 10601 Big Horn Trl, Frisco, TX 75035 – IRS B83 Housing Corporation.
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc, EIN: 741380362, PO Box 470061, Fort Worth, TX 76147 – IRS B83 Educational Foundation.
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, EIN: 900293166, 114 Henderson Hall 4233 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 – IRS B83 Academic Honor Society.
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, EIN: 364091267, 1101 Melrose Dr, Waco, TX 76710 – IRS B83 Sorority Filing.
• Frank Heflin Foundation, EIN: 203507402, 9000 W Country Club Rd, Canyon, TX 79015 – IRS B83 Alumni Foundation (Phi Delta Theta).
• Beta Upsilon Chi, EIN: 742911848, 12650 N Beach St Ste 114 PMB 305, Fort Worth, TX 76244 – IRS B83 Christian Fraternity.

This data, compiled from thousands of public records, allows us to immediately identify the housing corporations, alumni associations, and national affiliates behind a local chapter—entities that often carry insurance and share liability.

Building a Unbeatable Hazing Case: The Attorney911 Method

When you choose our firm, you are not just hiring a lawyer; you are engaging a full-scale investigative and legal team built to defeat well-funded institutional defendants.

Our Investigative Process:

1. Digital Forensics: We secure and analyze group chats, deleted messages, social media archives, and chapter communications. We know how to obtain evidence that organizations try to destroy.
2. Institutional Discovery: We subpoena records from national fraternity headquarters showing prior complaints, risk management failures, and knowledge of dangerous traditions. We obtain university files on past disciplinary actions against the same group.
3. Expert Collaboration: We work with medical experts to document injuries, toxicologists on forced consumption, psychologists on trauma, and economists to calculate lifelong impacts.
4. Witness Strategy: We compassionately interview other pledges, former members, and bystanders to build an irrefutable narrative.

Damages We Fight to Recover:

• All Medical Expenses: Past and future, including ER care, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, and long-term treatment.
• Lost Earning Capacity: For a young person with a catastrophic injury, this can be the most significant part of a claim.
• Pain and Suffering: Physical pain, emotional trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: If the unthinkable happens, we fight for funeral costs, loss of companionship, and the profound grief of your family.

Critical Guide for Reagan County Parents & Students

For Parents: Warning Signs & First Steps

Your child may be experiencing hazing if they:

• Have unexplained injuries, bruises, or burns.
• Exhibit extreme fatigue or sleep deprivation.
• Become secretive about group activities or appear anxious when their phone alerts.
• Withdraw from family, old friends, or academic responsibilities.
• Show sudden changes in mood, including depression, anxiety, or irritability.

If you suspect hazing:

1. Talk to your child calmly and without judgment. Assure them their safety is your only concern.
2. Follow the 48-hour evidence preservation checklist outlined at the top of this guide.
3. Contact our firm before reporting to the university. We can advise on how to navigate the process to protect your child’s rights and evidence.

For Students: Your Rights and Safety

• You have the right to be safe. No group, tradition, or “brotherhood” is worth your life or health.
• Consent is NOT a defense to hazing in Texas. You cannot legally agree to be abused.
• If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Texas law and most school policies offer amnesty for those who call for help in an emergency.
• Preserve evidence. Screenshot everything. Take photos. Save texts. Our video on using your phone to document evidence explains how.

The #1 Mistake That Ruins Hazing Cases: WAITING.

Universities and fraternities have crisis protocols designed to limit liability. Evidence is deleted. Witnesses are coached. The window to act closes quickly. The Texas statute of limitations is generally two years, but building a strong case requires immediate action. Watch our video on statutes of limitations in Texas to understand the urgency.

Why Choose Attorney911 for Your Reagan County Hazing Case?

Facing a hazing crisis, you need advocates who understand the depth of the fight. National fraternities and universities have teams of insurance lawyers and limitless resources. We have the experience, strategy, and determination to face them.

• We Are Fighting This Battle Right Now: We lead the litigation in the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi case. We are not theorizing about hazing law; we are actively applying it in federal court against a major university and national fraternity.
• Insider Insurance Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense lawyer for large companies. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers will try to deny, delay, and minimize your claim. We know their playbook because we used to run it.
• Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas lawyers involved in the historic BP Texas City Explosion litigation. We are not intimidated by powerful institutions with deep pockets.
• Data-Driven Investigation: Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—exemplified by the public records directory in this guide—means we start every case with a map of liability. We don’t hunt for responsible entities; we already know how to find them.
• Full-Spectrum Legal Expertise: With Mr. Manginello’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), we understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits. We can advise on all aspects of the legal battle.
• Spanish-Language Services: Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish. We are committed to serving all Texas families. Se habla Español.

We work on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases: you pay no upfront costs, and our fee is a percentage of the recovery we secure for you. We only get paid if you win.

Take the First Step Toward Accountability Today

If your child has been hazed at any Texas university—whether near Reagan County or anywhere in the state—you have the right to answers, justice, and the resources needed for healing. The institutions involved are counting on your fear, confusion, and inaction.

Don’t let them. Let us help you fight back.

Contact Attorney911 for a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation. We will listen to your story, explain your legal options clearly, and help you decide the best path forward for your family.

Call us 24/7 at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). You can also reach us directly at (713) 528-9070, or via email at ralph@atty911.com or lupe@atty911.com.

Visit our website at https://attorney911.com to learn more about our practice.

Legal Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Each case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. We encourage you to seek professional legal counsel for advice on your specific situation.