If you’re reading this, your family may be facing one of the most terrifying moments of your life. Your child was supposed to make friends at college, build connections, and look forward to a bright future. Instead, they were tortured. They were abused. They were brought to the brink of collapse, both physically and emotionally, by people they thought they could trust. We understand what you’re going through, and we’re here to help families in Rockdale County fight back.

Hazing is not a harmless rite of passage. It is systematic abuse that can lead to severe injury, life-altering trauma, and even death. When your child is the victim of hazing by fraternities, sororities, sports teams, or any other organization in Rockdale County, you need aggressive, experienced legal representation that understands the unique complexities of these cases. You need attorneys who know how to dismantle the defenses of powerful universities and national Greek organizations. You need Attorney911.

We are actively involved in this fight right now. Our attorneys, Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña, are currently litigating a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for the horrific hazing of Leonel Bermudez. This isn’t theoretical; it’s happening today, and we’re using everything we’ve learned to hold those responsible accountable. The same type of hazing that sent Leonel to the hospital can occur at colleges and universities that students from Rockdale County attend, and we are ready to bring the same aggressive representation to your family.

The Bermudez Case: A Warning to Rockdale County Families

The case of Leonel Bermudez is a stark, recent example of the brutal reality of hazing in America. It happened in Houston in the fall of 2025, a case that attorney Ralph Manginello and attorney Lupe Peña filed in Harris County Civil District Court. This incident, just weeks ago, serves as a critical warning: hazing continues to be a dangerous, life-threatening crisis at institutions across the country, including those that children from Rockdale County may one day attend.

Leonel Bermudez was a “ghost rush” – a prospective member who wasn’t even enrolled at the University of Houston yet. He was planning to transfer for the upcoming Spring 2026 semester. Yet, the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity subjected this young man, who simply wanted to find camaraderie, to weeks of systematic abuse intended to “build brotherhood.” What they built instead was a medical emergency that brought him to death’s door.

His story should shake every parent in Rockdale County to their core. What happened to Leonel reveals how deep the rot of hazing runs and the lengths these organizations will go to psychologically and physically torture young people.

What Happened to Leonel Bermudez?

The hazing began shortly after Leonel accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi on September 16, 2025. What followed was a horrifying litany of abuses:

• Waterboarding with a Garden Hose: Leonel was repeatedly subjected to simulated waterboarding, where he was sprayed in the face with a garden hose while doing calisthenics. This despicable act, considered torture in any other context, highlights the extreme nature of the abuse. As Houston Public Media noted, “Waterboarding, which simulates drowning, is a form of torture.”
• Forced Eating Until Vomiting: He was compelled to consume large amounts of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until he vomited. Then, in a truly degrading act, he was forced to run sprints while clearly in physical distress and lie in his own vomit-soaked grass.
• Extreme Physical Punishment: The hazing culminated on November 3, 2025, when, as punishment for missing an event, Leonel was forced to perform over 100 pushups, 500 squats, high-volume “suicides,” bear crawls, wheelbarrows, and repeated 100-yard crawls. He was struck with wooden paddles and forced to recite the fraternity creed during these exercises. This grueling regimen continued until he was so exhausted he couldn’t stand without help.
• Psychological Torture and Humiliation: Leonel was forced to strip to his underwear in cold weather and carry a fanny pack containing objects of a sexual nature at all times. The lawsuit also detailed how another pledge was hog-tied face-down on a table with an object in his mouth for over an hour. Threats of physical punishment and expulsion for non-compliance maintained an atmosphere of terror.
• Sleep Deprivation: He was compelled to drive fraternity members during early morning hours, which, combined with the other abuses, led to severe exhaustion.

The Medical Aftermath: Rhabdomyolysis and Kidney Failure

The physical toll of this torture was catastrophic. After the November 3rd incident, Leonel could barely move. As attorney Ralph Manginello recounted to ABC13, “When he finally made it home, he crawled up the stairs and went to bed. The next day, he was really sore and couldn’t really move. The next day was worse, and the next day, his mom rushed him to the hospital, and he had some kidney failure.”

Hospitalized for three nights and four days starting November 6, 2025, Leonel was diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. He was passing brown urine, a classic sign of muscle breakdown, and his creatine kinase levels were dangerously high. This is a life-threatening condition where damaged muscle tissue releases harmful proteins into the bloodstream, overwhelming the kidneys. While Leonel survived, he faces the ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

The Institutional Response: A Pattern of Negligence

Within days of Leonel’s hospitalization, Pi Kappa Phi National suspended its University of Houston chapter. On November 14, 2025 – just seven days before Attorney911 filed the lawsuit – Pi Kappa Phi officially closed the Beta Nu Chapter. In a statement on their website, the national organization admitted “violations of the Fraternity’s risk management policy and membership conduct standards.”

The University of Houston, which owned the fraternity house where much of the hazing took place, also issued a statement through its spokesperson, calling the events “deeply disturbing” and representative of a “clear violation of our community standards.” They also mentioned “potential criminal charges.”

But these responses came only after a student was gravely injured. The lawsuit alleges that both Pi Kappa Phi National and the University of Houston knew about a “hazing crisis” but failed to enforce anti-hazing policies. This isn’t mere negligence; it’s a pattern of deliberate indifference that enabled this torture to occur. Pi Kappa Phi even remarkably stated, “We look forward to returning to campus at the appropriate time,” showing a stunning lack of remorse or true accountability.

Why This Matters for Rockdale County Families

This case, unfolding in Houston, is not an isolated incident. The same national fraternities, including Pi Kappa Phi, have chapters near Rockdale County, at universities such as the University of Georgia, Emory University, and Georgia State University, as well as smaller regional colleges. The same dangerous hazing “traditions” exist. The same institutional failures by universities and national organizations allow it to continue.

Families in Rockdale County send their children off to college expecting them to be safe. They expect universities to protect their students. They expect Greek organizations to foster growth, not inflict torture. When that trust is shattered, Attorney911 is here to fight back. Attorney Lupe Peña articulated our firm’s mission perfectly when speaking to ABC13: “If this prevents harm to another person, that’s what we’re hoping to do. Let’s bring this to light. Enough is enough.”

Your child’s experience, heartbreaking as it may be, can become the catalyst for change. It can prevent other Rockdale County students from enduring the same nightmare. We are actively fighting this battle right now, and we will bring the same level of aggression, expertise, and determination to your child’s case, regardless of where the hazing occurred.

What Hazing Really Looks Like: Beyond the Stereotypes

When we talk about hazing, many people still imagine harmless pranks, goofy initiation rituals, or a little good-natured roughhousing. But in the real world, hazing is far darker and far more sinister. It is not about building character or bonding; it is about deliberate humiliation, physical abuse, and psychological torture designed to break down individuals and enforce absolute submission. For families in Rockdale County, it’s crucial to understand the true face of modern hazing.

Hazing techniques evolve, often becoming more insidious and dangerous. What happened to Leonel Bermudez at the University of Houston is precisely what hazing looks like at colleges and universities across the nation, including those in or near Rockdale County.

The Categories of Hazing:

Hazing doesn’t fit neatly into one box. It encompasses a wide spectrum of abusive behaviors that endanger a student’s mental or physical health or safety.

• Physical Abuse: This is often the most visible and widely condemned form of hazing. It includes extreme and forced exercises to exhaustion (like Leonel’s 500 squats and 100 pushups), paddlings, beatings, branding, or forced exposure to harsh elements. The physical demands can lead to serious medical conditions like rhabdomyolysis, broken bones, heatstroke, or hypothermia. The wooden paddles used on Leonel Bermudez are a chilling example of this direct physical assault.
• Forced Consumption: This category dangerously often involves alcohol, leading to alcohol poisoning, permanent brain damage, or death. But it also includes forcing pledges to eat until they vomit, consuming non-food items, or binge-drinking milk or other fluids, as Leonel suffered. The sheer volume and unpleasant nature of the forced consumption are designed to humiliate and assert dominance.
• Sleep Deprivation: Forcing students to stay awake for extended periods, disrupting their sleep schedules with late-night cleaning duties, early morning workouts, or driving assignments (as Leonel experienced) can lead to physical and mental deterioration, impair judgment, and increase vulnerability to accidents.
• Psychological Torture and Humiliation: Often overlooked but deeply damaging, psychological hazing aims to break a person’s spirit. This can involve verbal abuse, forced isolation, public degradation (like Leonel carrying sexually suggestive items), intentional terrorization (such as waterboarding), threats, and constant harassment. The fear of retribution, as Leonel Bermudez reportedly experienced, is a powerful and destructive psychological weapon.
• Simulated Drowning/Waterboarding: This is one of the most extreme forms of torture, making its appearance in fraternity hazing particularly shocking. When Leonel was sprayed in the face with a garden hose to simulate drowning, the intent was to instill terror and demonstrate absolute control, mirroring techniques used to extract information from enemy combatants.
• Servitude and Dehumanization: Pledges are often treated as servants, forced to perform trivial or demeaning tasks for older members, clean houses, or run errands at inconvenient hours. This stripping away of dignity is a foundational component of hazing, establishing a hierarchical power dynamic.
• Sexual Harassment and Abuse: This can range from forced nudity and inappropriate touching to carrying sexually suggestive items (as Leonel was forced to do) or, in the most egregious cases, sexual assault. These acts inflict profound trauma and can have long-lasting psychological consequences.

The Medical Consequences: A Hidden Crisis

The physical impacts of hazing often go far beyond typical injuries. As Leonel Bermudez’s case tragically demonstrates, hazing can lead to severe, life-threatening medical conditions:

• Rhabdomyolysis and Acute Kidney Failure: This is the direct result of extreme physical exertion, where muscle fibers break down and release harmful proteins (myoglobin) into the bloodstream. These proteins can overwhelm and severely damage the kidneys, leading to acute kidney failure, a condition that can be fatal or require lifelong dialysis. Leonel’s brown urine was a clear marker of this dangerous process.
• Alcohol Poisoning: Forced excessive drinking remains a leading cause of hazing deaths. This can lead to brain damage, coma, and organ failure.
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): From beatings, falls, or other physical assaults.
• Hypothermia/Hyperthermia: Exposure to extreme cold or heat.
• Organ Damage: From forced consumption of various substances.
• Internal Bleeding: From blunt force trauma or falls.

The psychological toll is equally devastating, manifesting as severe anxiety, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and even suicidal ideation. Many victims suffer in silence due to shame, fear, or a misguided sense of loyalty.

For parents in Rockdale County, it is vital to acknowledge that institutions like the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia State University in Atlanta, and Emory University nearby, along with many others, all host Greek life organizations. While the details may vary, the core abuses seen in Leonel’s case are echoed in hazing incidents across the country. We are here to help your family understand the true scope of what happened to your child and ensure that the responsible parties are held fully accountable.

Who Is Responsible? Holding Every Perpetrator Accountable

When hazing tears a family apart in Rockdale County, the natural question is, “Who allowed this to happen?” The answer is rarely simple, which is why aggressive and thorough legal representation is critical. Our approach at Attorney911 is to cast a wide net, identifying and pursuing every individual and institution that contributed to your child’s trauma. We don’t just go after the students directly involved; we pursue everyone up the chain of command, from the local chapter to the national organization, and most critically, to the university itself.

The Bermudez case exemplifies this comprehensive strategy, naming not just the fraternity, but also the University of Houston, its Board of Regents, and multiple individuals.

The Multiple Layers of Accountability:

1. The Individual Perpetrators:

   • Chapter Officers: The president, pledgemaster, and other leaders who organized, directed, or overtly encouraged the hazing are directly liable. In our Pi Kappa Phi case, the chapter president and pledgemaster are named defendants. These individuals often exert significant power over new members, making their actions pivotal.
   • Participating Members: Any fraternity or sorority member who actively participated in the hazing activities, such as waterboarding Leonel or striking him with paddles, can be held individually responsible. Their actions constitute assault, battery, and hazing under Georgia law.
   • Facilitating Members: Even those who stood by, witnessed the hazing, and did nothing to stop it, could face liability for their inaction, especially if they held positions of authority or were aware of the danger.
   • Alumni and Their Spouses: In the Bermudez case, former fraternity members and even the spouse of one former member were named as defendants because hazing sessions occurred at their private residence. This extends liability to anyone who knowingly provides a venue for illegal hazing, allowing them to facilitate the abuse.

2. The Local Chapter:

   • The chapter itself, while often unincorporated, can be a defendant if it operated as a distinct entity. It served as the immediate组织for the hazing, coordinating the activities and enforcing member participation.

3. The National Fraternity/Sorority Organization:

   • This is often called the “deep pocket.” National organizations, like Pi Kappa Phi, are multi-million dollar corporations with extensive assets and liability insurance. They hold the ultimate authority over their local chapters, approving charters, setting policies, and providing oversight.
   • Failure to Supervise: When a national organization fails to adequately train, supervise, or monitor its chapters, it can be held liable. The Bermudez case alleges Pi Kappa Phi National had knowledge of a “hazing crisis” but failed to enforce its anti-hazing rules. The fact that Pi Kappa Phi had a prior hazing death (Andrew Coffey in 2017) makes their failure to act eight years later particularly egregious.
   • Vicarious Liability: Nationals can be held responsible for the actions of their local members and chapters under various legal theories, arguing that the local chapter is an extension of the national entity.

4. The University or College:

   • Universities in and around Rockdale County, just like the University of Houston, have a fundamental duty to protect their students. They provide a campus environment, oversee student organizations, and often lease or own fraternity housing.
   • Negligent Supervision and Control: When a university fails to adequately monitor Greek life, investigate hazing allegations, enforce its own anti-hazing policies, or provide proper education, it contributes to a culture where abuse can thrive. The University of Houston, for instance, had a prior hazing hospitalization in 2017 (involving Pi Kappa Alpha), meaning they had actual notice of the danger on their campus.
   • Premises Liability: Crucially, if hazing occurs on university-owned property (like the Pi Kappa Phi house at UH), the university can be held liable for creating or allowing a dangerous condition to exist on its premises. They cannot claim ignorance when they are the landlord.
   • Title IX Violations: In cases involving sexual hazing or gender-based violence, universities can also face liability under Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education.

5. Housing Corporations:

   • These entities often own the physical fraternity or sorority houses. They can be held liable if they knew or should have known about dangerous conditions or activities occurring on their property but failed to intervene. The Pi Kappa Phi Housing Corporation is a defendant in the Bermudez case.

Why Attorney911 Pursues All Liable Parties:

Our strategy is built on relentlessly pursuing every entity with a hand in your child’s suffering. Why?

• Maximize Compensation: Each defendant represents a potential source of recovery. National organizations and universities often carry substantial insurance policies that can cover multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts.
• True Accountability: We believe that for change to occur, every party that contributes to the culture of hazing must feel the financial and reputational consequences. This includes the individual student perpetrators who cause direct harm, the local chapter that enables it, the national organization that fails to oversee it, and the university that condones it through inaction.
• Foreseeability: By demonstrating a history of hazing at a national level (like Pi Kappa Phi’s prior death) or at the university level (like UH’s 2017 incident), we can prove that the harm to your child was foreseeable, strengthening claims of negligence and deliberate indifference.

For Rockdale County families, understanding that multiple powerful defendants can be held accountable is essential. You are not just suing a group of college students; you are taking on complex, well-funded organizations that have enabled these abuses for far too long. We have the expertise and the commitment to ensure that no stone is left unturned in our pursuit of justice for your child.

What These Cases Win: Multi-Million Dollar Proof

When families in Rockdale County bravely step forward to confront hazing, they are often fighting against powerful institutions with seemingly endless resources. It’s natural to wonder if justice is truly possible, or if the system is rigged against victims. Our answer is unequivocal: Yes, justice is possible, and it often comes in the form of multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements that send a clear message: Hazing costs millions. These same results are possible for Rockdale County victims.

Our $10 million lawsuit for Leonel Bermudez is not an arbitrary number. It is firmly rooted in the precedents set by other hazing cases across the country, cases where juries and defendants acknowledged the profound suffering inflicted by these brutal acts.

Landmark Verdicts and Settlements: They Will Pay

The following cases demonstrate that when hazing leads to severe injury or death, the responsible parties are forced to pay substantial compensation. These are not just legal victories; they are pivotal moments that have driven legislative change and, most importantly, brought some measure of justice to grieving families.

• Stone Foltz at Bowling Green State University / Pi Kappa Alpha ($10.1+ Million):

  • In 2021, Stone Foltz was forced to drink an entire bottle of alcohol during a Pi Kappa Alpha initiation event. He died from alcohol poisoning. The case resulted in criminal convictions, and a total recovery of over $10.1 million, with $2.9 million from Bowling Green State University and $7.2 million from Pi Kappa Alpha and its members. Just recently, in December 2024, Daylen Dunson, the former chapter president, was ordered to pay $6.5 million in personal liability.
  • Relevance: This case established a precedent for multi-million dollar payouts against both universities and national fraternities. Our $10 million demand for Leonel Bermudez is directly aligned with this. It shows that individual perpetrators, too, can face massive personal liability.

• Maxwell Gruver at Louisiana State University / Phi Delta Theta ($6.1 Million Verdict):

  • In 2017, Max Gruver was forced to drink excessive alcohol during a Phi Delta Theta “Bible Study” hazing event. He died from acute alcohol poisoning (BAC 0.495). A jury awarded his family a $6.1 million verdict. The case led to the Max Gruver Act, making hazing a felony in Louisiana.
  • Relevance: This jury verdict unequivocally proves that juries are outraged by hazing and are willing to award significant damages. The egregious acts against Leonel Bermudez, including waterboarding, could similarly inflame a Rockdale County jury.

• Timothy Piazza at Penn State University / Beta Theta Pi ($110+ Million Estimated):

  • In 2017, Timothy Piazza was forced to consume 18 drinks in 82 minutes, fell repeatedly down stairs, and was left untreated for 12 hours by Beta Theta Pi members. He died from his injuries. While the settlement amount was confidential, it is estimated to be over $110 million, marking one of the largest hazing payouts in history. The case resulted in multiple criminal charges and convictions, and the Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law in Pennsylvania.
  • Relevance: This case demonstrates that with strong evidence (which we have in the Bermudez case) and a clear pattern of institutional negligence, settlements can reach astronomical figures.

• Andrew Coffey at Florida State University / Pi Kappa Phi (Confidential Settlement):

  • Tragically, in 2017, Andrew Coffey died from alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink an entire bottle of bourbon at a Pi Kappa Phi “Big Brother Night” event. This is the same national fraternity involved in Leonel Bermudez’s case. Nine fraternity members were criminally charged, and the chapter was permanently closed. The family later reached a confidential settlement.
  • Relevance: This is the smoking gun for Pi Kappa Phi. They knew their chapters engaged in deadly hazing in 2017. Eight years later, Leonel Bermudez was hospitalized under their watch. This establishes a clear pattern of negligence and deliberate indifference, strengthening our demand for punitive damages in the Bermudez lawsuit and any future Rockdale County case against them.

• Adam Oakes at Virginia Commonwealth University / Delta Chi ($4+ Million Settlement):

  • In 2021, Adam Oakes died from alcohol poisoning during a Delta Chi hazing event. His family filed a lawsuit seeking $28 million and eventually settled for over $4 million, which included a significant donation to their “Love Like Adam” Foundation and led to “Adam’s Law” in Virginia.
  • Relevance: Another example of a multi-million dollar settlement resulting from a hazing death, showing that courts and legal systems are increasingly holding these organizations accountable.

The Message to Fraternities, Universities, and National Organizations:

These multi-million dollar outcomes send an unambiguous message: if you tolerate, facilitate, or ignore hazing, you will pay dearly. The families of Rockdale County whose children have been victimized deserve the same aggressive advocacy to ensure that the harm inflicted by hazing carries a high price tag.

• Our $10 Million Demand is Supported: The severity of Leonel Bermudez’s rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure, coupled with the particularly egregious torture he endured, aligns directly with payouts for severe injury cases like Stone Foltz’s.
• Pattern of Negligence Matters: Pi Kappa Phi’s history (Andrew Coffey’s death) and the University of Houston’s prior hazing incident (Jared Munoz’s injury) establish critical pattern evidence that inflates potential damages.
• Juries Hate Hazing: The $6.1 million verdict in Gruver’s case demonstrates that juries are inclined to punish hazing organizations and award substantial compensation. Our goal is to bring a Rockdale County jury to the same conclusion through compelling evidence and powerful storytelling.
• Legislation Follows Litigation: These cases often lead to real change. Your family’s pursuit of justice in Rockdale County can contribute to stronger anti-hazing laws and policies that protect other students.

At Attorney911, we believe that these financial consequences are the most effective way to force powerful institutions to change their dangerous cultural practices. We will meticulously build your child’s case, leveraging these precedents and our experience to demand the maximum compensation they deserve, ensuring that hazing stops here, in Rockdale County and beyond.

Texas Law Protects You: Understanding Victims’ Rights

For families grappling with the aftermath of hazing in Rockdale County, understanding the legal landscape is paramount. While our firm is based in Texas, where we are actively litigating the Bermudez case, the underlying legal principles, particularly civil liability, apply nationwide. Furthermore, similar anti-hazing statutes exist in many states, and our federal court authority allows us to pursue justice for your family no matter where your child was hazed.

The cornerstone of accountability in Texas lies in its comprehensive anti-hazing laws, which provide criminal penalties and, critically for civil lawsuits, declare that consent is NOT a defense.

The Texas Anti-Hazing Law (Texas Education Code § 37.151-37.157):

1. Broad Definition of Hazing (§ 37.151): Texas law defines hazing expansively. It includes any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers a student’s mental or physical health or safety for the purpose of initiation or maintaining membership in an organization. This covers:

   • Physical Brutality: Whipping, beating, striking (like the wooden paddles Leonel endured), branding, electric shocking, placing harmful substances on the body.
   • Endangerment of Health & Safety: Sleep deprivation, exposure to elements, confinement in small spaces, calisthenics (like Leonel’s 500 squats and 100 pushups leading to rhabdomyolysis), or other activities creating unreasonable risk.
   • Forced Consumption: Water, food (such as Leonel’s forced eating until vomiting), liquids, alcohol, drugs, or other substances that pose an unreasonable risk.
   • Criminal Acts: Any activity that requires a student to violate the Penal Code.
   • Coerced Consumption: Forcing excessive amounts of drugs or alcohol.

   Application: The horrific acts perpetrated against Leonel Bermudez—waterboarding, forced eating, extreme calisthenics, physical strikes—fall squarely within multiple categories of this legal definition. This comprehensive definition means that the hazing your child suffered in Rockdale County is likely a violation of anti-hazing laws.

2. Criminal Penalties (§ 37.152): Texas law makes hazing a crime, with escalating penalties based on the severity of the harm:

   • Class B Misdemeanor: For engaging in hazing, soliciting, encouraging, or aiding it, or for having firsthand knowledge and failing to report (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
   • Class A Misdemeanor: If hazing causes serious bodily injury (up to 1 year jail, $4,000 fine). Leonel Bermudez’s rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure clearly constitute serious bodily injury.
   • State Jail Felony: If hazing causes death (180 days to 2 years state jail, $10,000 fine).

   Application: These criminal provisions mean that individual perpetrators of hazing in Rockdale County can face jail time, not just university disciplinary action.

3. Organizational Liability (§ 37.153): Organizations themselves can be held liable if they condone or encourage hazing, or if an officer, member, pledge, or alumnus commits or assists in hazing. Penalties include fines and denial of the right to operate.
   Application: Both the local chapter and the national organization of Pi Kappa Phi, along with the University of Houston, face organizational liability in the Bermudez case. This principle of holding the organization accountable for the actions of its members is critical in hazing litigation in Rockdale County.

4. CONSENT IS NOT A DEFENSE (§ 37.154): This is arguably the most powerful provision for victims and a critical one for Rockdale County families to understand. The statute explicitly 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.”
   Application: Fraternities and universities often try to deflect blame by arguing that the victim “consented” or “knew what they were getting into.” Texas law unequivocally shuts down this defense. Whether it’s in Texas or a state with similar progressive anti-hazing laws, the argument that your child willingly participated is often irrelevant. The coercive nature of hazing means true consent is impossible.

5. University Reporting Requirements (§ 37.155): Universities are legally obligated to report hazing incidents, with failure to do so being a Class B Misdemeanor. This clause provides mechanisms for holding institutions accountable for transparency.

Civil Liability: Beyond Criminal Charges

While criminal charges punish the act, civil lawsuits aim to compensate the victim and prevent future occurrences through financial deterrence. For Rockdale County victims, civil claims offer a path to recovery even if criminal charges are not pursued or result in acquittal.

• Negligence Claims: The core of many hazing lawsuits. We argue that the university, national organization, and individual perpetrators owed a duty of care to your child, breached that duty through their actions or inactions, and directly caused the injuries.
• Premises Liability: If hazing occurred on property owned or controlled by the university (like the UH fraternity house), or by a housing corporation, these entities can be held liable for maintaining an unsafe environment.
• Negligent Supervision: Claims that national organizations failed to adequately supervise their chapters, or that universities failed to oversee Greek life, leading to the hazing.
• Assault and Battery: Individual hazers directly involved in physical abuse can be sued for intentional torts.
• Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress: For outrageous conduct that causes severe emotional trauma, a critical claim given the psychological impact of hazing.

National Reach: Your Rights in Rockdale County and Beyond

Our firm is experienced in federal courts and holds dual-state bar licenses in Texas and New York, giving us strategic flexibility to pursue justice nationwide. This means that even though your child may have been hazed at a university in or near Rockdale County, such as the University of Georgia or Georgia Tech, our expertise and reach are fully applicable. Many states have laws similar to Texas’s, and the core civil liability theories for negligence apply across state lines. Our ability to pursue your claim in federal court can be a significant advantage when dealing with national organizations.

For families in Rockdale County, Georgia, whether your child was hazed at a local institution or one across the country, Georgia’s anti-hazing law (O.C.G.A. § 16-5-61) similarly defines hazing broadly and criminalizes it. It also makes institutional compliance mandatory. We will integrate Georgia’s specific legal framework into your case, while leveraging our national experience and the powerful precedents established in other states.

We are here to ensure that the laws written to protect students are rigorously applied to your child’s case, holding every responsible party accountable for their actions and inactions.

Why Attorney911: Your Champion in the Fight Against Hazing

When your child has been subjected to brutal hazing, you need more than just a lawyer; you need a champion. You need advocates who understand the deep personal pain, the institutional complexities, and the relentless fight required to bring powerful fraternities and universities to justice. For families in Rockdale County, Attorney911 offers an unparalleled combination of expertise, aggression, and empathy that makes us the obvious choice.

We don’t just talk about hazing; we’re in the trenches fighting it right now. The $10 million lawsuit we’ve filed against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for what they did to Leonel Bermudez is proof of our commitment. This isn’t theoretical – it’s real, live litigation that demonstrates our capabilities in the most direct way possible.

Our Unmatched Advantages for Rockdale County Families:

1. Currently Litigating a $10 Million Hazing Lawsuit: This is our most significant differentiator. While many firms might claim hazing experience, we are actively battling a national fraternity, a university, and multiple individuals in court today. This means we are intimately familiar with the latest tactics, defenses, and strategies required to win these complex cases, and we bring that direct, front-line experience to Rockdale County.
2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys: Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña began their careers defending insurance companies and corporations. This invaluable insider knowledge means we know exactly how the opposition thinks, strategizes, and attempts to minimize payouts. Lupe Peña’s background with a nationwide insurance defense firm, Litchfield Cavo LLP, before switching to represent victims, is a particularly powerful advantage. We dismantle their defenses because we helped build them. This insight is critical when challenging the deep pockets of national fraternities and universities in Rockdale County.
3. Extensive Courtroom Experience (25+ Years): Ralph Manginello brings over two and a half decades of battle-tested trial experience. His experience spans complex mass tort litigation (like the BP Texas City refinery explosion) and federal civil rights cases. This means we are capable of taking on the largest defendants, a necessity when confronting multi-million dollar institutions.
4. Federal Court Admissions & Dual-State Bar Licenses: We are admitted to practice in U.S. District Courts and hold bar licenses in both Texas and New York. This broad authority is a strategic advantage for hazing cases that often involve national organizations headquartered outside any single state. It allows us to pursue justice for Rockdale County victims across state lines, ensuring no defendant can hide.
5. Bilingual Representation (Se Habla Español): With Lupe Peña being fluent in Spanish, we can provide comprehensive legal services to Spanish-speaking families in Rockdale County, removing language barriers and ensuring that all victims have a voice and receive the support they deserve.
6. Proven Track Record Against Difficult Opponents: Ralph’s experience uncovering flaws in cases to get hundreds of DWI/DUI charges dismissed and fighting against corporate giants in mass torts demonstrates a relentless, evidence-driven approach that we apply to hazing cases. We expose inconsistencies and shred cover-ups.
7. Hazing-Specific Expertise: From rhabdomyolysis injury litigation to understanding the nuances of Kappa Sigma fraternity practices, we possess specific knowledge of hazing incidents, injuries, and the particular liabilities of Greek organizations. We don’t just handle personal injury; we specialize in hazing.
8. Willingness to Go to Trial: While many firms shy away from court, we prepare every case as if it will go to trial. We won’t settle for less than your child deserves, and we have the proven courtroom experience to take on universities and national fraternities in Rockdale County if necessary.
9. Compassionate and Empathetic Approach: We understand that you’re coming to us in one of the most painful moments of your life. Our opening paragraph is not legal jargon; it’s a direct connection with your emotional reality. We foster a firm culture where Rockdale County families are treated like our own. We see your child as a person, not a file number.
10. The “Unfair Advantage” of Internal Knowledge: With both Ralph and Lupe having faced off against plaintiffs while working for insurance companies, we hold a unique “counter-intelligence” against the defense. This is an unfair advantage for victims, as we anticipate their every move.
11. Remote Consultations and Travel Commitment: Though our primary offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve hazing victims nationwide, including those in Rockdale County. We offer video consultations for convenience and will travel to Rockdale County for depositions, client meetings, and trials whenever needed. Distance will never be a barrier to seeking justice for your child.

Our Founding Philosophy:

Ralph Manginello started Attorney911 to provide “immediate, aggressive, and professional help from someone they could trust.” When a legal emergency hits – especially a hazing emergency that devastates a family in Rockdale County – we move FIRST, FAST, and DECISIVELY.

We know the fear, anger, and despair you’re feeling. We know the fight ahead is daunting. But we also know how to win these cases. If you choose Attorney911, you’re choosing a legal team that is not just knowledgeable, but deeply invested in exposing the truth and holding every responsible party accountable. We are ready to be your child’s voice and your family’s strongest advocate in Rockdale County.

What To Do Right Now: Actionable Steps for Rockdale County Families

If your child has been hazed, the moments immediately following the incident are critical. While emotional distress is overwhelming, taking swift, decisive action can make all the difference in preserving evidence and strengthening your legal case. For families in Rockdale County, we provide clear, actionable steps to protect your child’s rights and prepare for the fight ahead.

IMMEDIATE STEPS TO TAKE:

1. Seek Medical Attention Immediately: This is step number one, always.

   • Prioritize Health: Even if injuries seem minor, get a full medical evaluation from a doctor or hospital near Rockdale County. Some hazing injuries, like rhabdomyolysis or internal bruising, may not be immediately apparent but can have severe, delayed consequences.
   • Document Everything: Every medical visit, diagnosis, treatment, and medication needs to be thoroughly documented. This creates an indisputable record of the harm inflicted. Leonel Bermudez’s medical records were crucial evidence of his severe rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure.

2. Preserve All Evidence – No Matter How Small: Hazing organizations thrive on secrecy and intimidation. Evidence can disappear quickly.

   • Text Messages & Group Chats: Save every text, message, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DM, or any other digital communication. These often contain direct evidence of hazing instructions, threats, derogatory comments, or witness accounts. Do not delete anything.
   • Photos & Videos: If you or your child took any pictures or videos of injuries, hazing activities, the location, or even the individuals involved, preserve them. If your child is injured, photograph their injuries at all stages of healing. If your child was unable to do this, ask any friends or witnesses if they have photos or videos.
   • Physical Evidence: Keep any clothing, objects, or items related to the hazing.
   • Documents: Retain pledge manuals, schedules, rules, or any other paperwork given to your child by the organization or university.
   • Witness Information: Collect names, phone numbers, and any contact information for other pledges, fraternity/sorority members, or bystanders who witnessed the hazing. Their testimony can be invaluable.
   • Financial Records: Keep track of all medical bills, therapy costs, lost wages from missed work, and any tuition or fees for a semester that was disrupted.

3. Do NOT Communicate with the Organization, University, or Their Lawyers:

   • Silence is Golden: Do not speak to fraternity or sorority leadership, campus administrators, or any university legal counsel without your own attorney present. Their primary goal is to protect the institution, not your child.
   • Do Not Make Statements: Never give a recorded statement or sign any documents presented by the organization or university. These will almost certainly be used against you.
   • Protect Your Story: Let your attorneys manage all communications. They are trained to extract information while protecting your child’s rights.

4. Avoid Social Media Discussions:

   • Stay Offline: Do not post about the incident on social media. Anything you post, or anything friends or family post, can be used by the defense to discredit your child or minimize their injuries.
   • Limit Activity: Be mindful of all social media activity. Posts showing your child out with friends, traveling, or appearing “fine” can be twisted to suggest their injuries or trauma are not as severe as claimed.

5. Contact Attorney911 Immediately: The single most important step after ensuring your child’s safety.

   • Time is Critical: In Georgia, like most states, personal injury lawsuits (including hazing claims) generally have a two-year statute of limitations from the date of injury or discovery of injury. For wrongful death, it’s two years from the date of death. This means you have a limited window to file a lawsuit, and evidence can disappear quickly.
   • Expert Guidance: Our attorneys will guide you through this complex process, ensuring all deadlines are met and evidence is properly collected. Even though we are based in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we serve Rockdale County families through remote consultations and a willingness to travel for your case.
   • Free Consultation: We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to help you understand your legal options. You pay us nothing upfront; we only get paid if we win your case.

Rockdale County Families – We Are Ready to Help:

We understand the trauma, confusion, and anger you are experiencing. The thought of taking on a powerful national fraternity or a well-funded university might seem overwhelming. But you don’t have to face it alone. We have been in this fight. We are in this fight right now.

If your child attends a university in or near Rockdale County, such as the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, or Emory University – or any institution across the country – and has been victimized by hazing, we are equipped to pursue justice for them.

Call us now. The consultation is free. We will come to you, virtually or in person, to ensure your child’s story is heard and those responsible are held accountable.

Contact Us: Your Immediate Call to Action in Rockdale County

If you’re a parent in Rockdale County whose child has suffered the unimaginable trauma of hazing, you are likely feeling a profound mix of fear, anger, and devastation. Your child’s future, their health, and their sense of security have been shattered. We understand that this is a legal emergency, and we are here to provide immediate, aggressive, and professional help.

We are not just any law firm. We are Attorney911. We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ here to fight for your Rockdale County family.

Our commitment isn’t theoretical. As you’ve read, our attorneys Ralph Manginello and Lupe Peña are currently leading a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for the horrific hazing of Leonel Bermudez. This case, unfolding in real-time, demonstrates our unwavering resolve to hold universities, national organizations, and individual perpetrators accountable. We bring this same proven strategy, relentless dedication, and deep experience to every hazing case we take, including yours in Rockdale County.

Your Child Deserves Justice. Your Family Deserves Accountability.

The thought of confronting powerful institutions might feel impossible right now. But you do not have to do it alone. We have the resources, the legal skill, and the genuine compassion to stand by your side every step of the way.

Rockdale County families, act now to protect your loved one’s rights.

• The Clock is Ticking: Most states, including Georgia, have a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Evidence disappears, witnesses’ memories fade, and the sooner we are involved, the stronger your case will be.
• Powerful Opponents: Universities and national Greek organizations have legal teams and insurance companies whose primary goal is to minimize their liability. You need an expert team on your side who knows how to counter their tactics.
• No Financial Barrier: We understand that dealing with medical expenses and legal fees can add immense stress. That’s why we take hazing cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay absolutely $0 upfront. We don’t get paid unless and until we win your case.

ROCKDALE COUNTY FAMILIES — CALL NOW FOR A FREE CONSULTATION:

📞 1-888-ATTY-911

This hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for your hazing emergency.

Email us directly: ralph@atty911.com

Visit our website: attorney911.com

What You Can Expect When You Contact Us:

• Empathetic Listening: We begin by listening to your story with compassion and understanding. We know this is incredibly difficult, and we create a safe space for you to share what happened.
• Thorough Case Evaluation: We will meticulously review the details of your child’s experience, assessing its strength against current laws and legal precedents.
• Clear Legal Options: We will explain your legal rights and options in plain English, empowering you with knowledge.
• Strategic Action Plan: If we determine you have a viable case, we will outline a clear plan of action to pursue justice and maximize your compensation.
• Remote & Accessible: While our main offices are in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, we proudly serve Rockdale County and victims nationwide. We offer convenient video consultations to discuss your case remotely, and our attorneys are prepared to travel to Rockdale County for depositions, client meetings, or trial if necessary.

To Other Victims of the UH Pi Kappa Phi Hazing:

If you were another pledge subjected to the same waterboarding, forced eating, physical abuse, or psychological torture as Leonel Bermudez, we know you are out there. We know another pledge collapsed and lost consciousness. You have witnessed these horrors firsthand.

You have rights too, and we can represent you. Your testimony and experience are crucial not only for your own justice but for preventing this from ever happening again. As attorney Lupe Peña stated, “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.

Don’t let distance stand in the way of justice. Don’t let fear silence the truth. Contact Attorney911 today. Your call can change everything.