🛡️ Attorney 911 — Texas County, Missouri’s Trusted Hazing Litigation Experts

Serving Texas County, Missouri families from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont

🚨 Hazing in Texas County: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Texas County, Missouri is home to hardworking families who send their children to college expecting them to be safe. But the reality is that hazing happens at universities near Texas County — and it can cause life-altering injuries or even death.

At Attorney 911, we are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston after a student was hospitalized with kidney failure from extreme abuse. The same fraternities operate at universities near Texas County, and the same risks exist for Missouri students.

If your child has been hazed in Texas County or at any university nationwide, we can help you fight back.

🏢 Who We Are — Texas County’s Hazing Litigation Experts

Attorney 911 Legal Emergency Lawyers™

We are a Texas-based personal injury and hazing litigation firm with offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. While we are not located in Texas County, we proudly serve hazing victims and their families throughout Missouri and nationwide through our federal court authority, dual-state bar licenses, and commitment to traveling wherever justice demands.

Texas County families deserve the same aggressive representation we provide locally.

Why Texas County Families Choose Attorney 911 for Hazing Cases

The Attorney 911 Approach — How We Serve Texas County Hazing Victims

When a legal emergency hits — whether it’s on a Texas County campus or a fraternity house anywhere in America — we move FIRST, FAST, and DECISIVELY.

For Texas County hazing victims, our team:

• Builds cases with expert witnesses (medical, Greek life culture, institutional negligence)
• Preserves evidence immediately — texts, photos, medical records, witness statements
• Negotiates from strength — we’re currently litigating a $10 million hazing case
• Travels to Texas County — for depositions, meetings, and trials when needed
• Provides remote consultations — Texas County families can video chat with our attorneys
• Fights for maximum compensation — medical bills, pain and suffering, punitive damages

If a university, fraternity, or insurance company tries to silence Texas County hazing victims, we take it to court.

🚨 The Hazing Crisis in Texas County: It’s Closer Than You Think

Hazing Doesn’t Stop at State Lines

While our current case is in Houston, the same national fraternities involved in our lawsuit have chapters at universities near Texas County, Missouri.

Universities near Texas County with Greek life include:

• Missouri State University (Springfield, MO) — Approximately 1.5 hours from Texas County
• Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla, MO) — Approximately 1 hour from Texas County
• Drury University (Springfield, MO) — Approximately 1.5 hours from Texas County
• University of Missouri (Columbia, MO) — Approximately 3 hours from Texas County

The same national fraternities that have paid millions in hazing settlements operate at these institutions:

• Pi Kappa Phi — Involved in our current $10 million lawsuit
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) — Multiple hazing deaths nationwide
• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) — $10.1 million settlement in Ohio
• Phi Delta Theta — $6.1 million jury verdict in Louisiana
• Beta Theta Pi — $110 million settlement in Pennsylvania

Texas County families: If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority at a university near Texas County, they face the same risks that hospitalized our client in Houston.

What Is Hazing? It’s Not “Tradition” — It’s Abuse

Hazing is any activity expected of someone joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them — regardless of whether they consent.

Hazing activities reported in our current case and others:

• Waterboarding / simulated drowning — Happened to our client at UH
• Forced consumption of alcohol — Common in hazing deaths
• Extreme physical exercise — 500 squats, 100+ pushups, bear crawls, 100-yard crawls
• Forced eating until vomiting — Our client was forced to eat milk, hot dogs, peppercorns
• Sleep deprivation — Forced to drive members during early morning hours
• Physical beatings — Struck with wooden paddles
• Psychological torture — Humiliation, degradation, threats
• Sexual abuse — Forced nudity, sexual acts, carrying sexual objects
• Exposure to elements — Stripped to underwear in cold weather

Texas County parents: This is not “building character.” This is not “brotherhood.” This is abuse, and it can cause serious injury or death.

The Medical Consequences of Hazing — What Texas County Families Need to Know

Hazing doesn’t just cause embarrassment or temporary discomfort. It can cause life-threatening medical conditions.

Our client at UH suffered:

• Rhabdomyolysis — Muscle breakdown from extreme exercise
• Acute kidney failure — Life-threatening complication requiring 4 days in the hospital
• Severe muscle pain, difficulty walking, inability to move

Other medical consequences of hazing:

• Alcohol poisoning — Common in forced drinking hazing; can be fatal
• Traumatic brain injury — From beatings or falls
• Hypothermia / heat stroke — From exposure to elements
• Cardiac arrest — From extreme physical exertion
• PTSD, anxiety, depression — Long-term psychological damage
• Death — Hazing kills students every year

Texas County families: If your child comes home from college with unexplained injuries, fatigue, or changes in behavior, ask questions. Hazing may be the cause.

⚠️ The Landmark Case: What Happened at UH — And Why It Matters to Texas County

Bermudez v. Pi Kappa Phi — $10 Million Lawsuit (2025)

The Victim: Leonel Bermudez — A “ghost rush” (not even enrolled at UH yet) who was hazed as part of Pi Kappa Phi’s pledge process.

What Happened:

• Bermudez accepted a bid to join Pi Kappa Phi on September 16, 2025
• Over the next 7 weeks, he was subjected to systematic abuse and torture
• On November 3, 2025, he was punished with extreme physical exercise:
  • 100+ pushups
  • 500+ squats
  • Bear crawls, wheelbarrows, 100-yard crawls
  • Two-mile warmups
  • Forced to recite the fraternity creed while exercising
  • Threatened with expulsion if he stopped
• He became so exhausted he could not stand without help
• He crawled up the stairs when he got home
• The next day, he was too sore to move
• His condition worsened over the next two days
• On November 6, 2025, his mother rushed him to the hospital
• He was diagnosed with severe rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure
• He was hospitalized for 3 nights and 4 days

The Hazing Activities:

• Waterboarding with a garden hose — Simulated drowning
• Forced to eat milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting
• Forced to continue running sprints while in physical distress after vomiting
• Forced to lie in vomit-soaked grass after vomiting
• Struck with wooden paddles
• Forced to strip to underwear in cold weather
• Sprayed with garden hose while minimally clothed
• Forced to carry a fanny pack with objects of a sexual nature
• Another pledge hog-tied face-down on a table with an object in his mouth for over an hour
• A pledge lost consciousness and collapsed during a forced workout

The Aftermath:

• Pi Kappa Phi closed the UH chapter on November 14, 2025
• Our firm filed a $10 million lawsuit on November 21, 2025
• The lawsuit names:
  • Pi Kappa Phi National
  • UH Beta Nu Chapter
  • Beta Nu Housing Corporation
  • University of Houston
  • UH Board of Regents
  • Fraternity President
  • Pledgemaster
  • Current and former members
  • A former member and his spouse (hazing occurred at their residence)

Why This Matters to Texas County:

• The same national fraternities operate at universities near Texas County
• The same “traditions” that hospitalized our client exist at Texas County-area chapters
• Universities near Texas County face the same oversight failures as UH
• If your child is hazed at a university near Texas County, we will fight for you just like we’re fighting for Leonel Bermudez

⚖️ Texas County Hazing Victims’ Legal Rights

Missouri Hazing Laws — What Texas County Families Need to Know

Missouri has strong laws against hazing, and victims have legal rights to compensation.

Missouri Revised Statutes § 578.360 — Hazing Defined:

“Hazing is any activity which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with any organization.”

Missouri Revised Statutes § 578.363 — Criminal Penalties:

• Hazing is a Class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail and/or $2,000 fine)
• If hazing causes serious physical injury, it becomes a Class D felony (up to 7 years in prison)
• If hazing causes death, it becomes a Class C felony (up to 10 years in prison)

Missouri Revised Statutes § 578.366 — Consent Is Not a Defense:

“The implied or express consent of the victim is not a defense to any prosecution under this section.”

This is critical for Texas County families: Even if your child “agreed” to participate, consent is not a defense under Missouri law.

Civil Liability for Hazing in Texas County, Missouri

In addition to criminal charges, Texas County hazing victims can sue for compensation through civil lawsuits.

Who Can Be Sued:

• Local fraternity/sorority chapter — Directly organized and conducted hazing
• National fraternity/sorority organization — Failed to supervise; knew or should have known about hazing
• University/college — Failed to protect students; premises liability if hazing occurred on campus
• Individual members — Participated in hazing; failed to stop it
• Chapter officers (President, Pledgemaster, etc.) — Leadership responsibility
• Housing corporations — Owned/controlled property where hazing occurred
• Insurance companies — Coverage for institutional liability

Types of Compensation Available for Texas County Hazing Victims:

• Medical expenses — Hospital bills, rehabilitation, therapy
• Lost wages — Time missed from work or school
• Pain and suffering — Physical and emotional trauma
• Punitive damages — To punish egregious conduct and deter future hazing
• Wrongful death — If hazing results in death

💰 Precedent Cases: Hazing Victims Win Millions — Texas County Victims Can Too

Hazing cases result in multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts. The same legal strategies that won these cases apply to Texas County victims.

1. Stone Foltz — $10.1 Million (Ohio, 2021)

• Fraternity: Pi Kappa Alpha
• University: Bowling Green State University
• What Happened: Foltz forced to drink an entire bottle of alcohol during “Big/Little” event
• Outcome: Died from alcohol poisoning
• Settlement: $10.1 million (university paid $2.9M; fraternity paid $7.2M)

Why It Matters to Texas County: Our $10 million demand in the UH case is directly in line with this precedent.

2. Maxwell Gruver — $6.1 Million Jury Verdict (Louisiana, 2017)

• Fraternity: Phi Delta Theta
• University: Louisiana State University
• What Happened: Gruver forced to drink during “Bible Study” pledge event; wrong answers = drink more
• Outcome: Died from acute alcohol poisoning (BAC 0.495 — 6x legal limit)
• Verdict: $6.1 million jury verdict

Why It Matters to Texas County: Juries award millions in hazing cases. The same outcome is possible for Texas County victims.

3. Timothy Piazza — $110+ Million (Pennsylvania, 2017)

• Fraternity: Beta Theta Pi
• University: Penn State
• What Happened: Piazza forced to drink 18 drinks in 82 minutes; fell down stairs multiple times; fraternity members waited 12 hours to call 911
• Outcome: Died from traumatic brain injury and abdominal bleeding
• Settlement: Confidential — estimated $110+ million

Why It Matters to Texas County: When evidence is strong, settlements reach nine figures. Our UH case has detailed documentation.

4. Andrew Coffey — Same Fraternity as Our UH Case (Florida, 2017)

• Fraternity: Pi Kappa Phi — Same national organization as our UH case
• University: Florida State University
• What Happened: Coffey forced to drink an entire bottle of bourbon during “Big Brother Night”
• Outcome: Died from acute alcohol poisoning
• Chapter Status: Permanently closed

Why It Matters to Texas County:
⚠️ Pi Kappa Phi had 8 years to fix their hazing culture after Andrew Coffey died. They did nothing.

• In 2025, Leonel Bermudez was hospitalized at UH — same fraternity, 8 years later
• This proves pattern of negligence by the national organization
• Punitive damages are appropriate for this knowing disregard

📋 What to Do If Your Child Is Hazed in Texas County, Missouri

If your child has been hazed at a university near Texas County or anywhere in Missouri, take these steps immediately to protect their rights and your case:

Step 1: Ensure Safety and Seek Medical Attention

• Remove your child from the dangerous situation immediately
• Go to the emergency room — even if injuries seem minor
  • Hazing injuries like rhabdomyolysis may not appear immediately
  • Adrenaline can mask pain after a traumatic event
  • Document all injuries medically — this creates evidence for your case

Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

DO NOT DELETE ANYTHING.

DO NOT:

• Delete any messages or posts
• Talk to fraternity/sorority leadership without legal counsel
• Sign anything from the organization
• Post about the incident on social media
• Give statements to university administration alone

Step 3: Report the Incident

• File a police report — Hazing is a crime in Missouri
• Report to the university — Request a formal investigation
• Report to the national fraternity/sorority organization — Demand action

Step 4: Contact an Experienced Hazing Attorney

Call Attorney 911 immediately — 24/7 free consultation

📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Email: ralph@atty911.com

We offer:

• Free, confidential case evaluation for Texas County families
• $0 upfront cost — we work on contingency; you don’t pay unless we win
• Remote consultations — video chat with our attorneys from home
• Willingness to travel — we come to Texas County for depositions and meetings

The sooner you contact us, the better we can preserve evidence and build your case.

🎯 Who Is Liable in Texas County Hazing Cases?

Hazing cases involve multiple liable parties. We pursue all responsible entities to maximize compensation for Texas County victims.

1. Local Fraternity/Sorority Chapter

• Directly organized and conducted hazing
• Chapter officers (President, Pledgemaster) have leadership responsibility
• Members who participated or failed to stop hazing

2. National Fraternity/Sorority Organization

• Failed to supervise local chapter
• Knew or should have known about hazing risks
• Failed to enforce anti-hazing policies
• Deep pockets — millions in assets and insurance

3. University/College

• Failed to protect students
• Premises liability if hazing occurred on campus property
• Negligent supervision of Greek life
• Institutional knowledge of prior hazing incidents

4. Individual Members

• Participated in hazing
• Failed to stop hazing
• Personal liability — can be sued individually
• Criminal liability — can face jail time

5. Housing Corporation

• Owned or controlled property where hazing occurred
• Premises liability

6. Insurance Companies

• National organizations and universities have liability insurance
• We know how to pursue these policies — former insurance defense attorneys

💔 Why Texas County Families Need Us: The Emotional Impact of Hazing

Hazing doesn’t just cause physical injuries. It causes long-lasting emotional and psychological trauma.

Our client in the UH case is “fearful of doing an interview due to retribution” — this fear is real and is itself evidence of the harm hazing causes.

Psychological consequences of hazing:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — Flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety
• Depression — Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness
• Anxiety — Fear of social situations, panic attacks
• Trust issues — Difficulty forming relationships
• Academic decline — Inability to focus, dropping out
• Substance abuse — Self-medicating to cope
• Suicidal ideation — Hazing has driven students to suicide

Texas County families: If your child comes home withdrawn, anxious, or depressed, ask questions. Hazing may be the cause.

📢 Message to Texas County Fraternities and Universities: We Are Watching

To fraternities and universities operating near Texas County:

We are Attorney 911. We are Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena. And we are watching.

The same legal strategies that secured $10+ million verdicts nationwide apply to your chapters. If you haze students in Texas County or anywhere in Missouri, we will find every liable entity.

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

Universities near Texas County: The same institutional negligence that made University of Houston a defendant exists at your campus. Act now or face the same accountability.

To Greek life leadership at Texas County-area institutions: The Bermudez case is a warning. Clean up your chapters before we clean them out in court.

📞 Texas County Families: You Are Not Alone — Call Attorney 911 Today

If your child has been hazed at a university near Texas County or anywhere in Missouri, you have legal rights. We can help you fight back.

Call us 24/7 for a free, confidential consultation:

📞 1-888-ATTY-911

Email: ralph@atty911.com
Website: attorney911.com

We offer:

• Free case evaluation — No obligation
• $0 upfront cost — We work on contingency; you don’t pay unless we win
• Remote consultations — Video chat with our attorneys
• Willingness to travel — We come to Texas County for your case

Texas County families: Distance is not a barrier to justice. We will fight for you.

🛡️ Attorney 911 — Texas County’s Legal Emergency Lawyers™

Immediate, aggressive help for Texas County hazing victims — 24/7 free consultations.

Serving Texas County, Missouri from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont

We protect the injured and defend the accused across Missouri and nationwide.

Texas County hazing victims deserve justice. We will fight for you.