The Essential Guide to Hazing Lawsuits and University Accountability for Thorndale Families

If your son or daughter is at a Texas university, the fear is real. The late-night call, the unexplained injury, the sudden withdrawal from everything they once loved. The world of fraternities, sororities, and campus organizations, sold as a path to brotherhood, sisterhood, and lifelong friendship, can hide a dangerous reality: a culture of brutal hazing that injures, hospitalizes, and—as national headlines show—sometimes kills.

For parents in Thorndale, nestled in the heart of Milam County, this isn’t abstract. Your child might be a short drive away at Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin, or perhaps attending the University of Houston, drawn by its urban energy and programs. The relationships are deep and the ties are strong between our close-knit Central Texas communities and the state’s major educational hubs. When a student from our area is hurt, the shockwaves ripple through our entire community.

Right now, our law firm is fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, right here in Texas. We represent Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student who nearly died after alleged hazing by the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity’s Beta Nu chapter. In a lawsuit detailed by Click2Houston and ABC13, Bermudez suffered rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure after being subjected to extreme physical abuse, forced overeating, and humiliation, requiring a four-day hospitalization. The chapter has been shut down, but his recovery—and our fight for justice—continues.

This guide is for you, the parent in Thorndale, Milano, or Rockdale, who needs to understand this threat. We will explain what modern hazing truly looks like, break down the Texas laws designed to protect your child, expose the national patterns of abuse within Greek organizations, and provide a clear, actionable path forward if the unthinkable happens. You are not powerless, and your family is not alone.

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR HAZING EMERGENCIES

If your child is in danger RIGHT NOW:

• Call 911 for medical emergencies.
• Then call us at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We are Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.
• Preserve evidence: Screenshot group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp), photograph injuries, save any physical items. Do not delete anything.
• Get immediate medical attention, even if your child resists. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis can be fatal.
• Do not confront the fraternity, sorority, or university directly. Let us guide the conversation.
• Contact our experienced hazing attorneys within 24-48 hours. Evidence disappears fast.

Hazing in 2025: What It Really Looks Like in Texas

Hazing is no longer just about silly pranks or misguided traditions. It is a calculated pattern of coercion, abuse, and psychological manipulation designed to assert power and enforce loyalty. For Thorndale families, understanding its modern forms is the first step in recognizing danger.

A Modern Definition: Coercion, Not Consent

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of joining, affiliating with, or maintaining membership in any organization. The critical legal point for Texas parents is this: your child’s “consent” is not a defense. When a freshman is told, “Everyone does this to become a brother,” or “You can quit if you want, but you’ll never belong,” that is not free choice. It is coercion under immense social pressure.

The Three Tiers of Modern Hazing

Tier 1: Subtle Hazing – The Grooming Phase
This is the foundation, often dismissed as “tradition.” It establishes power imbalance and conditions new members for worse abuse.

• Digital Servitude: Being required to respond instantly to 24/7 group chats (GroupMe, Discord), share live location, or monitor social media for older members.
• Personal Servitude: Acting as on-call designated drivers at all hours, cleaning houses or apartments for members, running personal errands.
• Social Isolation: Being told to limit contact with family, non-affiliated friends, or romantic partners.
• “Optional” Mandates: Tasks framed as voluntary but linked to social exclusion or denial of a “Big Brother/Sister” pairing if refused.

Tier 2: Harassment Hazing – The Abuse Escalates
This causes clear emotional and physical discomfort, creating a hostile environment.

• Sleep Deprivation: Mandatory 3 AM wake-up calls, all-night “study sessions,” or multi-day events with minimal rest.
• Forced Consumption: Eating excessive amounts of bland food (milk, bread, raw hot dogs) or distasteful substances (hot sauce, raw eggs) until vomiting.
• Psychological Torment: “Line-ups” with hours of screaming insults, public humiliation, forced wearing of degrading costumes or signs.
• Extreme “Workouts”: So-called “smokings” involving hundreds of push-ups, wall-sits to collapse, or sprints as punishment—far beyond athletic conditioning.

Tier 3: Violent Hazing – Where Lives Are Ruined
These acts have a high potential for catastrophic injury, sexual assault, or death. The UH Pi Kappa Phi case allegedly involved several of these.

• Forced/Coerced Alcohol Consumption: The #1 cause of hazing deaths. “Family Tree” drinking games, “Big/Little” nights with handles of liquor, shotgun challenges where refusal means expulsion.
• Physical Beatings: Paddling, punching, kicking, or the use of objects to inflict pain. This persists despite national bans.
• “Ritualized” Violence: Blindfolded tackles (“glass ceiling” rituals), dangerous physical tests, exposure to extreme cold without proper clothing.
• Sexualized Hazing: Forced nudity, simulated sexual acts, sexual assault, or the use of sexually humiliating props.
• Kidnapping & Restraint: Being taken to unknown locations, bound, or tied up as part of an initiation.

The “Where”: It’s Not Just Frat Houses

While fraternities are high-risk, hazing permeates many groups:

• Sororities: Often involve psychological abuse, sleep deprivation, forced drinking, and extreme financial obligations.
• Athletic Teams: From football to swimming, “rookie rituals” can cross into dangerous physical hazing and humiliation.
• The Corps of Cadets & ROTC: Military-style traditions can be twisted into abusive power dynamics.
• Spirit & Tradition Groups: Organizations like Texas Cowboys or cheer squads have faced serious hazing allegations.
• Marching Bands and Performing Arts Groups.

For a Thorndale parent, the key takeaway is simple: if an activity is secret, causes fear or pain, and is tied to joining a group, it is hazing. Trust your instincts.

The Texas Legal Framework: Your Child’s Rights and Institutional Liability

Texas has specific laws to combat hazing, but they are only as strong as the will to enforce them. Understanding this framework shows you that the law is on your family’s side.

Texas Education Code Chapter 37: The Anti-Hazing Statute

The cornerstone is Texas Education Code Chapter 37, Subchapter F. It defines hazing broadly and sets clear penalties.

• §37.151 – Definition: Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers mental or physical health for the purpose of initiation, affiliation, or membership. It applies on or off campus.
• §37.152 – Criminal Penalties:
  • Class B Misdemeanor: Basic hazing (up to 180 days jail, $2,000 fine).
  • Class A Misdemeanor: Hazing that causes bodily injury.
  • State Jail Felony: Hazing that causes serious bodily injury or death.
• §37.155 – Consent is NOT a Defense: This is crucial. It doesn’t matter if your child “went along with it.” The law recognizes the power imbalance.
• §37.154 – Immunity for Good-Faith Reporting: Students who call for help in an emergency are protected from prosecution for minor related offenses (like underage drinking).

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Accountability

Criminal Cases:

• Brought by: The State of Texas (District Attorney).
• Goal: Punishment (jail, fines, probation).
• Charges: Hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to a minor, manslaughter in fatal cases.
• Limitation: A criminal conviction does not compensate your family for medical bills, trauma, or lost future.

Civil Lawsuits:

• Brought by: Your family, with attorneys like us.
• Goal: Compensation for damages and institutional accountability.
• Claims: Negligence, gross negligence, wrongful death, negligent supervision, intentional infliction of emotional distress.
• Power: Civil discovery can force universities and national fraternities to reveal what they knew and when they knew it. It is often the only path to true accountability and financial recovery for lifelong injuries.

These cases can run simultaneously. Your child can be both a witness in a criminal case and a plaintiff in a civil case.

The Federal Overlay: Title IX, Clery, and the Stop Campus Hazing Act

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, or is gender-based, it triggers federal Title IX obligations for the university, requiring a specific investigation process.
• Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including aggravated assault and liquor law violations, which often accompany hazing incidents.
• Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): This new federal law will require colleges to publish more transparent hazing data and strengthen prevention programs, increasing public pressure on schools.

National Hazing Case Patterns: The Script That Repeats

The tragedies at Texas schools are not isolated. They follow a national script written by decades of institutional failure. These cases create the legal precedents we use to fight for families in Thorndale.

The Alcohol Poisoning Script

This is the most common and deadly pattern. The details from Penn State, LSU, and Bowling Green are tragically similar to what we see in Texas.

• Timothy Piazza – Penn State, Beta Theta Pi (2017): A bid-acceptance night of forced drinking led to fatal falls. Brothers delayed calling 911 for hours. Security camera footage showed the horrifying cover-up. The resulting criminal prosecutions and civil settlements were massive, leading to Pennsylvania’s Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.
• Max Gruver – LSU, Phi Delta Theta (2017): A “Bible study” drinking game where incorrect answers mandated drinking. Gruver died with a BAC of 0.495%. The Max Gruver Act made hazing a felony in Louisiana.
• Stone Foltz – Bowling Green State, Pi Kappa Alpha (2021): A “Big/Little” night where Foltz was forced to drink a bottle of whiskey. He died of alcohol poisoning. The case resulted in a $10 million settlement ($7M from PIKE national, $3M from BGSU) and criminal convictions. The chapter president was later ordered to pay $6.5 million personally.

The Physical & Ritualized Violence Script

• Chun “Michael” Deng – Baruch College, Pi Delta Psi (2013): A blindfolded pledge was repeatedly tackled during a “glass ceiling” ritual at a remote retreat, suffering fatal brain injury. Help was delayed. This landmark case led to the criminal conviction of the national fraternity itself and its banishment from Pennsylvania for 10 years.

The Athletic Hazing Script

• Northwestern University Football (2023-2025): This scandal revealed that hazing is not confined to Greek life. Players alleged systemic, sexualized hazing within the football program, leading to multiple lawsuits, the firing of the head coach, and confidential settlements. It proves even the most prestigious athletic programs can harbor abuse.

What This Means for Thorndale Families

These national cases are not just news stories; they are legal blueprints. They establish that national fraternities and universities know these rituals are deadly. They create a legal concept called “foreseeability.” When a Pi Kappa Alpha chapter at a Texas school uses the same “Big/Little” drinking ritual that killed Stone Foltz, the national headquarters cannot claim it was an unforeseeable accident. This pattern evidence is powerful in court.

Texas University Focus: A Guide for Thorndale Parents

Thorndale’s central location means our students fan out across the state’s flagship campuses. Here is what you need to know about the specific landscapes, risks, and histories at the schools your children are most likely to attend.

1. Texas A&M University (College Station)

For many in Milam County, Aggieland is a source of pride and tradition. Yet, its very traditions—in the Corps of Cadets and Greek life—have been the setting for severe hazing.

Campus Snapshot: A culture deeply rooted in tradition, with a massive Greek system and the renowned Corps of Cadets. The line between “hard training” and hazing can be deliberately blurred.

Documented Incidents & Responses:

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case (2021): Pledges alleged they were covered with a mixture including industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit, causing severe chemical burns that required skin graft surgeries. The chapter was suspended, and lawsuits were filed.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit (2023): A cadet alleged brutal hazing, including being stripped, bound between beds in a “roasted pig” position with an apple in his mouth, and subjected to simulated sexual acts. He sought over $1 million in damages.
• Kappa Sigma Rhabdomyolysis Case (2023): A lawsuit alleged extreme physical hazing led to a pledge developing rhabdomyolysis—the same life-threatening muscle breakdown suffered by Leonel Bermudez at UH.

For Thorndale Parents: The Aggie “family” culture can make reporting feel like betrayal. If your child is in the Corps or a fraternity and shows signs of extreme exhaustion, unexplained injuries, or psychological withdrawal, ask direct questions. Texas A&M has discipline processes, but the real accountability often requires an independent civil investigation.

2. University of Texas at Austin

As a top-tier public university, UT Austin markets itself as a leader. Its relative transparency on hazing actually reveals a persistent problem.

Campus Snapshot: A large, vibrant Greek life scene alongside powerful spirit organizations and athletic teams. UT maintains one of the more public hazing violation logs in the state.

Documented Incidents & Responses:

• Public Hazing Violations Log: UT’s website lists sanctioned organizations. Recent entries include:
  • Pi Kappa Alpha (2023): New members directed to consume large amounts of milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Sanction: Probation and mandatory education.
  • Texas Wranglers (Spirit Group): Multiple sanctions for alcohol-related hazing and forced workouts.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Assault Case (2024): An Australian exchange student alleged a brutal assault at an SAE party, suffering a dislocated leg, broken nose, and fractured tibia. He sued for over $1 million, noting the chapter was already on suspension for prior violations.

For Thorndale Parents: UT’s public log is a tool. You can check if an organization your child is joining has a prior history. However, probation is often a slap on the wrist. A civil lawsuit is frequently necessary to uncover the full scope of an organization’s knowledge and negligence.

3. University of Houston

The flagship of the UH System is where our firm is currently engaged in a major legal battle. It is a case study in how hazing happens in an urban, commuter-school environment.

Campus Snapshot: A diverse, growing university with an active Greek system spread across on-campus housing and off-campus houses near the Third Ward.

The Flagship Case: Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi
This is not a hypothetical. This is our active, $10 million lawsuit. The details, as reported by Click2Houston and Hoodline, are critical for every Texas parent to understand:

• The Hazing: Pledges were forced to carry a “pledge fanny pack” 24/7 with humiliating items. Hazing occurred at the chapter house, a Culmore Drive residence, and Yellowstone Boulevard Park.
• The Abuse: “Waterboarding” with a hose, forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, followed by sprints. Another pledge was hog-tied face-down for over an hour. On November 3, 2025, Bermudez was forced through 100+ push-ups and 500 squats.
• The Injury: Bermudez developed rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure. He passed brown urine and was hospitalized for four days with critically high creatine kinase levels, facing a risk of permanent kidney damage.
• The Aftermath: Pi Kappa Phi national suspended the chapter on Nov. 6, 2025. Members voted to surrender their charter on Nov. 14, 2025. UH called the conduct “deeply disturbing.”

For Thorndale Parents: This case shows hazing is not “just drinking.” It is systematic, physical, and medically dangerous. It shows that chapters can be shut down, but only after a life is put in peril. It also demonstrates the complex web of defendants: the 13 individual members, the local chapter housing corporation, the Pi Kappa Phi national headquarters, the University of Houston, and the UH System Board of Regents. Our lawsuit targets them all.

4. Baylor University (Waco) & Southern Methodist University (Dallas)

• Baylor: The private, Christian university has faced its own scandals, including a baseball team hazing suspension in 2020. Its history with institutional failure to address sexual assault underscores the importance of independent legal action when hazing occurs.
• SMU: This private university with a affluent Greek life scene has had chapters like Kappa Alpha Order suspended for paddling and forced drinking. Private schools often have less public transparency, making legal discovery tools even more vital.

The Organizations Behind the Letters: National Histories Matter

When your child is harmed by a local chapter, the national organization is almost always liable. Their long, documented histories of identical hazing incidents across the country form the backbone of a strong civil case. Our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine tracks these entities.

Why National Histories Are Legal Dynamite

National fraternities and sororities have thick risk-management manuals precisely because they know the dangers. When a Texas chapter repeats a script that has killed pledges in Ohio, Louisiana, or Florida, it proves foreseeability and negligence. Their defense—“We didn’t know”—crumbles.

Key National Organizations with Documented Patterns

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Stone Foltz’s death (Bowling Green, $10M settlement). A pattern of “Big/Little” alcohol hazing.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): One of the deadliest fraternities historically. Incidents at Texas A&M (chemical burns), UT Austin (assault), and University of Alabama (traumatic brain injury lawsuit) show a national pattern of physical violence.
• Pi Kappa Phi: Andrew Coffey’s death (Florida State) and now the severe injury to Leonel Bermudez at UH.
• Phi Delta Theta: Max Gruver’s death (LSU) leading to felony hazing laws.
• Kappa Alpha Order: Paddling and physical hazing suspensions at multiple schools, including SMU.

The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine: Our Investigative Advantage

For Thorndale families, we don’t start from scratch. We maintain a proprietary database built from public records to map the Greek ecosystem in Texas. This includes:

IRS B83 Public Filings – The Backbone: Over 125 Texas-registered Greek organizations (housing corporations, alumni chapters) with EINs and addresses. For example:

• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc, EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX 75035
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc, EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Chapter, EIN 74-6064445, Nederland, TX 77627

Cause IQ Metro Tracking: We track organizations across Texas metros. In the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro alone, Cause IQ identifies 188 Greek-related entities.

University Rosters: We verify which chapters are officially recognized at UH, Texas A&M, UT, SMU, and Baylor.

This engine allows us to immediately identify every possible liable entity—local house corps, alumni associations, national headquarters—ensuring no insurance policy is overlooked and no responsible party escapes accountability.

Building a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy, and Damages

If hazing has injured your child, the path to justice requires a meticulous, strategic approach. This is where our experience from complex cases like the BP Texas City explosion litigation becomes critical. We know how to investigate powerful institutions.

The Evidence That Wins Cases

1. Digital Evidence (Most Critical):

• Group Chats: GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord. We screenshot and use digital forensics to recover deleted messages.
• Social Media: Instagram stories, Snapchat, TikTok videos, Facebook posts that document events or injuries.
• Emails & Texts: Planning communications, instructions from officers, conversations about covering up.

2. Medical Documentation:

• ER records, hospitalization notes, lab results (like CK levels for rhabdomyolysis).
• Follow-up care with specialists.
• Psychological Evaluations: Diagnosis of PTSD, anxiety, or depression is crucial for documenting emotional damages.

3. Physical & Institutional Evidence:

• Photos of injuries, locations, and objects (paddles, alcohol bottles).
• University conduct records obtained via discovery or public records requests.
• National fraternity risk-management files and prior incident reports.

We have a detailed video on using your cellphone to document evidence, a crucial first step for families.

Understanding Damages: What Can Be Recovered

A civil lawsuit seeks to make your family whole and hold defendants accountable. Damages fall into key categories:

Economic Damages (Quantifiable Losses):

• All Medical Expenses: Past and future ER care, hospitalization, surgery, therapy, medications.
• Lost Earnings & Capacity: If injuries affect your child’s ability to complete their degree or future career.
• Educational Costs: Lost tuition, fees, scholarships.

Non-Economic Damages (Subjective Harm):

• Physical Pain & Suffering: From the injuries themselves.
• Emotional Distress & Psychological Harm: For PTSD, depression, anxiety, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Wrongful Death Damages (In Tragic Cases):

• Funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the profound loss of love, companionship, and guidance for the family.

Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness or cover-ups, courts can award punitive damages to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.

Overcoming Institutional Defenses

We anticipate and dismantle the standard defenses:

• “The Pledge Consented”: Texas law §37.155 states consent is no defense. We show the coercion.
• “It Was a Rogue Chapter”: We subpoena national records to show prior incidents and knowledge.
• “It Happened Off-Campus”: Liability is based on control and foreseeability, not just property lines.
• “We Have Anti-Hazing Policies”: We prove they were window dressing, not enforced.
• “Insurance Doesn’t Cover This”: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, spent years as an insurance defense lawyer. He knows their tactics and how to fight coverage exclusions.

Practical Guides & FAQs for Thorndale Families

For Parents: Warning Signs and Action Steps

Warning Signs:

• Unexplained injuries (bruises, burns, limping).
• Extreme, chronic exhaustion beyond normal college stress.
• Sudden secrecy about organizational activities.
• Personality changes: anxiety, depression, irritability, withdrawal.
• Constant, anxious phone use monitoring group chats.
• Financial drains for unexplained “fines” or “supplies.”

What to Do in the First 48 Hours:

1. Prioritize Safety & Health: Get medical attention immediately.
2. Preserve Evidence: Help your child screenshot ALL group chats and messages. Photograph injuries. Save any physical items. Do not delete anything.
3. Document: Write down everything your child tells you—names, dates, locations, acts.
4. Consult an Attorney BEFORE Reporting: Before you contact the university or police, speak with us. We can help you navigate the process to protect your child’s rights and case. Call 1-888-ATTY-911.
5. Avoid Critical Mistakes: Do not confront the fraternity. Do not sign anything from the university. Do not post on social media. Watch our video on client mistakes that can ruin your case.

For Students: Is This Hazing?

Ask yourself:

• Am I being pressured to do something dangerous, degrading, or illegal?
• Would I do this if there were no social consequences for saying no?
• Am I told to keep this secret from my family, university, or outsiders?
• Are older members making me do things they don’t have to do?
  If you answer “yes,” it is hazing. Your safety comes first. You have the right to leave and the right to report.

Critical Mistakes That Can Destroy a Case

1. Deleting Evidence: Preserve all digital communications. They are the most powerful proof.
2. Confronting the Fraternity/Sorority: This triggers evidence destruction and witness coaching.
3. Signing University “Resolution” Forms: These often waive your right to sue for inadequate compensation.
4. Waiting Too Long: Evidence disappears, witnesses graduate, memories fade. Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury claims, but the clock starts ticking immediately. Learn more in our video on Texas statutes of limitation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can we sue the university?
A: Yes, depending on the facts. Public universities (UH, Texas A&M, UT) have some legal protections, but exceptions exist for gross negligence or Title IX violations. Private universities (SMU, Baylor) can also be sued. Our investigation determines if the university knew of risks and failed to act.

Q: What will this cost our family?
A: We work on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay no upfront fees or hourly costs. Our fee is a percentage of the recovery we obtain for you. If we don’t win, you don’t pay attorney’s fees. We explain this in our video on how contingency fees work.

Q: Will my child’s name be public?
A: Most cases settle confidentially before trial. We prioritize your family’s privacy and can seek protective orders for sensitive information.

Q: The university says they are “handling it internally.” Should we wait?
A: No. University internal processes are designed to protect the institution, not your child. They often result in minimal sanctions (probation) while evidence is lost. Legal action is necessary for true accountability and compensation.

Why Attorney911 for Your Thorndale Family’s Hazing Case

When your world is shattered by a hazing incident, you need more than a lawyer; you need advocates who understand the depth of the fight. As The Manginello Law Firm, operating as Attorney911, we bring a unique combination of insider knowledge, proven experience, and a relentless commitment to families like yours across Texas.

Our Unique Qualifications for Hazing Litigation

1. Insider Insurance Knowledge – Mr. Lupe Peña’s Experience:

• Mr. Peña is a former insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He spent years on the other side, learning exactly how insurance companies for fraternities and universities value claims, deploy delay tactics, and fight coverage. We know their playbook because we helped write it. This insider edge is invaluable in maximizing your recovery.

2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience – Ralph Manginello’s Background:

• Our managing partner, Ralph Manginello, was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City refinery explosion litigation. We have faced billion-dollar defendants with limitless legal budgets and won. National fraternities and major universities use the same tactics—deep pockets, delay, and denial. We are not intimidated.
• Ralph is also a member of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA), giving us a deep understanding of the criminal process that often runs parallel to civil hazing cases.

3. Active, High-Stakes Texas Hazing Litigation:

• We are not theorizing. We are leading the Leonel Bermudez v. UH & Pi Kappa Phi lawsuit right now. This $10 million case is a testament to our serious approach to hazing litigation. We are in the trenches, fighting the same types of defendants Thorndale families would face.

4. Data-Driven Investigation – The Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine:

• As detailed earlier, we don’t start from zero. Our proprietary database of Texas Greek organizations gives us an immediate investigative lead. We know how to find the housing corporations, alumni associations, and national entities that hold insurance policies and responsibility.

5. Spanish-Language Services:

• Mr. Peña speaks fluent Spanish. We are committed to serving all Texas families, ensuring language is never a barrier to justice.

Our Promise to Thorndale Families

We approach every case with a dual mission: to secure the maximum compensation for your family’s profound losses, and to force the institutional changes that will prevent this from happening to another student. We listen without judgment, investigate with tenacity, and fight with the full weight of our 25+ years of complex litigation experience.

If hazing has impacted your child at Texas A&M, UT Austin, the University of Houston, or any Texas campus, you do not have to navigate this nightmare alone.

Call to Action: Contact Attorney911 Today

For families in Thorndale, Milano, Rockdale, and across Milam County: The geographic distance to your child’s university does not diminish your right to answers and accountability. We serve families throughout Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont.

Take the first step toward justice and healing. Contact us for a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation.

In your consultation, we will:

• Listen compassionately to your story.
• Review any evidence you have gathered.
• Explain your family’s legal rights and options under Texas law.
• Discuss the realistic timeline and process.
• Answer all your questions about cost (remember, contingency fee—no fee unless we win).
• There is no pressure to proceed. Knowledge is power.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911 – Legal Emergency Lawyers™

• 24/7 Emergency Line: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct Office: (713) 528-9070
• Cell: (713) 443-4781
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Email Ralph Manginello: ralph@atty911.com
• Email Lupe Peña (Se habla Español): lupe@atty911.com

Let us help you turn this crisis into a catalyst for accountability and change. Call us today.

Legal Disclaimer

This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC.

Hazing laws, university policies, and legal precedents can change. The information in this guide is current as of late 2025 but may not reflect the most recent developments. Every hazing case is unique, and outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, applicable law, and many other factors.

If you or your child has been affected by hazing, we strongly encourage you to consult with a qualified Texas attorney who can review your specific situation, explain your legal rights, and advise you on the best course of action for your family.

The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC / Attorney911
Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas
Call: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct: (713) 528-9070 | Cell: (713) 443-4781
Website: https://attorney911.com
Email: ralph@atty911.com