Hazing Lawyers Serving Van Wert County, Ohio – Attorney 911

Protecting Students, Holding Institutions Accountable – No Matter Where You Are in Ohio

🚨 Hazing Happens in Van Wert County – And We’re Fighting Back

If you or your child has been hazed at a fraternity, sorority, sports team, marching band, or any student organization in Van Wert County, Ohio, you’re not alone. We are Attorney 911 – a national hazing litigation team based in Texas but serving victims across the country, including Van Wert County.

Right now, we’re fighting a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for hazing that hospitalized a student with kidney failure from forced exercise, waterboarding, and beatings. The same fraternities operate near Van Wert County. The same negligence exists at Ohio institutions. And we will bring the same aggressive legal fight to Van Wert County families.

If your child was hazed in Van Wert County, we will fight for you.

🔥 The Hazing Crisis in Van Wert County – What Families Need to Know

Hazing Doesn’t Stop at State Lines – It Happens in Ohio Too

The same national fraternities involved in deadly hazing cases nationwide – Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, and others – have active chapters at universities near Van Wert County.

These aren’t isolated incidents. This is a nationwide epidemic – and Ohio is not immune.

55% of students in Greek organizations experience hazing (National Study on Student Hazing)
Since 2000, at least one hazing death has occurred every year in the U.S. (Hank Nuwer, Hazing Researcher)
95% of hazing victims do not report it (Alfred University Study)

Van Wert County families deserve to know the truth: Hazing is happening at Ohio universities, and the institutions responsible are failing to stop it.

🏢 Who We Sue for Van Wert County Hazing Victims

When hazing happens, everyone involved is liable – not just the individuals who carried it out, but the institutions that enabled it.

1. The Local Chapter (Fraternity/Sorority at Your Ohio School)

Directly organized and conducted hazing
Chapter officers (president, pledge master, risk manager) are personally liable
Members who participated can be sued individually

2. The National Organization (Pi Kappa Phi, SAE, Pike, etc.)

Knew or should have known about hazing risks
Failed to supervise local chapters
Enabled harmful culture through inadequate policies
Have deep pockets – millions in assets and insurance

3. The University (Ohio State, Miami University, etc.)

Owns or controls fraternity/sorority houses (premises liability)
Failed to monitor Greek life despite prior incidents
Ignored warning signs – many universities have prior hazing cases
Has substantial resources – endowments, insurance, state funding

4. Individual Perpetrators

Chapter leaders, pledge masters, active members – all can be sued personally
Former members who hosted hazing at their homes
Alumni who facilitated or ignored hazing

5. Insurance Companies

National fraternities have liability insurance policies (often $1M+)
Universities have institutional insurance
Homeowners’ insurance may cover off-campus hazing

We sue them all – and we make sure they pay.

💰 What Van Wert County Hazing Victims Can Recover

Hazing causes physical injuries, psychological trauma, and financial losses. We fight for full compensation, including:

🏥 Medical Expenses

Hospital bills (emergency room, ICU, specialists)
Rehabilitation and physical therapy
Mental health treatment (PTSD, anxiety, depression)
Future medical costs (dialysis, transplants if organs are damaged)

💔 Pain and Suffering

Physical pain from beatings, forced exercise, or alcohol poisoning
Emotional trauma from humiliation, abuse, and fear
PTSD, anxiety, and depression from hazing experiences

💸 Lost Wages & Educational Impact

Time missed from work due to injuries or recovery
Lost scholarships or academic opportunities
Delayed graduation or forced transfer to another school

⚖️ Punitive Damages (When Conduct Is Egregious)

Waterboarding, beatings, forced consumption, sexual assault
Prior knowledge of hazing but failure to stop it
Cover-ups or destruction of evidence

Our current hazing case seeks $10 million – and we’re prepared to fight for every dollar Van Wert County families deserve.

📋 What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Van Wert County

✅ Step 1: Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Some injuries (like rhabdomyolysis from forced exercise) may not show symptoms right away
Document everything – hospital records are critical evidence
If your child was forced to drink, seek emergency care – alcohol poisoning can be fatal

✅ Step 2: Preserve All Evidence

Take photos/videos of injuries, hazing locations, and any items used (paddles, alcohol bottles, etc.)
Save all communications (texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs)
Write down names of witnesses, participants, and chapter leaders
Keep clothing or objects used in hazing (do not wash or destroy them)

✅ Step 3: Do NOT Talk to the Fraternity, Sorority, or University Alone

They will try to minimize the incident, shift blame, or pressure you into silence
Anything you say can be used against you in court
Refer all communications to your attorney

✅ Step 4: Contact a Hazing Lawyer Immediately

Ohio has a 2-year statute of limitations – if you wait, you lose your right to sue
Evidence disappears quickly (messages deleted, witnesses forget, universities destroy records)
The sooner we get involved, the stronger your case will be

📞 Van Wert County Families: Call Us Now – Free Consultation

We serve hazing victims across Ohio, including Van Wert County.

📞 1-888-ATTY-911 (24/7)
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

We work on contingency – you pay nothing unless we win your case.

🏛️ Ohio Hazing Laws – What Van Wert County Families Need to Know

Ohio has strong anti-hazing laws, but many victims don’t realize their rights.

Ohio Revised Code § 2903.31 – Hazing is a Crime

Hazing is a 4th-degree misdemeanor (up to 30 days in jail)
If hazing causes serious physical harm, it’s a 3rd-degree felony (up to 3 years in prison)
If hazing causes death, it’s a 2nd-degree felony (up to 8 years in prison)

Ohio’s “Collin’s Law” – Named After a Hazing Victim

Passed in 2021 after Collin Wiant died from hazing at Ohio University
Makes hazing a felony if it causes serious harm
Requires universities to report hazing incidents
Provides immunity for those who report hazing

“Consent Is Not a Defense” in Ohio

Even if your child “agreed” to participate, they cannot consent to hazing
Ohio law explicitly states that consent is not a defense (ORC § 2903.31)

This means fraternities cannot argue, “They knew what they were getting into.” It doesn’t matter – hazing is illegal regardless of consent.

🎓 Ohio Universities with Greek Life – Where Hazing Happens

Van Wert County families send their children to universities across Ohio, where Greek life is prevalent. These are the schools where hazing is most likely to occur:

University	Nearby Cities	Greek Organizations Present
Ohio State University	Columbus, OH	Pi Kappa Phi, SAE, Pike, Sigma Chi, others
Miami University	Oxford, OH	Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, others
University of Cincinnati	Cincinnati, OH	Multiple fraternities/sororities
Ohio University	Athens, OH	Sigma Pi (Collin Wiant’s fraternity)
Bowling Green State University	Bowling Green, OH	Pi Kappa Alpha (Stone Foltz case)
University of Toledo	Toledo, OH	Multiple fraternities/sororities
Kent State University	Kent, OH	Multiple fraternities/sororities
University of Akron	Akron, OH	Multiple fraternities/sororities
Case Western Reserve University	Cleveland, OH	Multiple fraternities/sororities
Wright State University	Dayton, OH	Multiple fraternities/sororities

If your child attends any of these schools – or any Ohio university with Greek life – they are at risk.

🚫 Common Hazing Practices in Ohio (What to Watch For)

Hazing takes many forms, but these are the most dangerous (and illegal) practices happening in Ohio:

💀 Physical Abuse

Beatings with paddles, belts, or fists
Forced exercise until collapse (push-ups, squats, “suicides”)
Branding or burning (hot objects applied to skin)
Sleep deprivation (forced all-night activities)
Exposure to extreme cold or heat (standing outside in winter, sauna abuse)

🍺 Forced Consumption

“Binge drinking” – forced to drink until vomiting or passing out
Forced eating of spoiled food, hot sauce, or non-food items
Chugging entire bottles of alcohol (beer, liquor, hard seltzer)
“Drinking games” where wrong answers = more alcohol

🎭 Psychological & Sexual Humiliation

Forced nudity or partial nudity
Sexual acts or simulated sexual acts
Carrying sexual objects (condoms, sex toys)
Verbal abuse, threats, or degradation
Isolation from friends/family

💦 Waterboarding & Simulated Drowning

Spraying with hoses while minimally clothed
Holding head underwater
Simulated drowning (as seen in our current $10M case)

🚗 Dangerous Servitude

Forced to drive fraternity members while exhausted
Acting as personal servants (cleaning, cooking, errands)
Being locked in small spaces (closets, basements)

If your child experienced any of these, they were hazed – and we can help.

🏆 We’ve Won Millions for Hazing Victims – Van Wert County Families Deserve the Same

💰 $10.1 Million – Stone Foltz (Bowling Green State University, Pi Kappa Alpha)

Forced to drink entire bottle of alcohol
Died from alcohol poisoning
Family settled for $10.1 million (largest public university hazing payout in Ohio history)

💰 $6.1 Million – Maxwell Gruver (Louisiana State University, Phi Delta Theta)

Forced drinking during “Bible Study” pledge event
BAC 0.495 – more than 6x legal limit
Jury awarded $6.1 million to family

💰 $110+ Million – Timothy Piazza (Penn State, Beta Theta Pi)

Forced to drink 18 drinks in 82 minutes
Fell down stairs multiple times – fraternity waited 12 hours to call 911
Settlement estimated at $110+ million

💰 $10 Million – Our Current Case (University of Houston, Pi Kappa Phi)

Waterboarding, 500 squats, wooden paddles
Hospitalized with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure
Lawsuit filed November 2025 – case ongoing

These aren’t just numbers. These are real families who fought back – and won. Van Wert County families deserve the same justice.

🎯 Why Van Wert County Families Choose Attorney 911

1. We’re Fighting This Battle Right Now

We’re currently litigating a $10 million hazing case against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston
We know the tactics fraternities and universities use to avoid liability
We know how to counter their defenses (including the “consent” argument)

2. We Have Insider Knowledge – We Used to Defend Insurance Companies

Ralph Manginello – Former insurance defense attorney
Lupe Pena – Former national insurance defense firm attorney (Litchfield Cavo LLP)
We know how insurance companies think – and we use that knowledge against them

3. We Serve Van Wert County – No Matter the Distance

Based in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont, Texas – but we represent hazing victims nationwide
Federal court authority – we can file lawsuits in federal court for Van Wert County cases
Video consultations – meet with us remotely
We travel to Ohio – for depositions, trials, and client meetings

4. We Speak Spanish – Se Habla Español

Hazing affects students from all backgrounds
We offer full legal services in Spanish for Spanish-speaking families

5. No Upfront Costs – You Pay Nothing Unless We Win

Contingency fee – we only get paid if we win your case
No hourly fees, no retainers – we take the risk, not you
Van Wert County families pay $0 upfront

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Hazing in Van Wert County

Q: My child was hazed, but they’re afraid of retaliation. What should we do?

A: You are protected. Ohio’s “Collin’s Law” provides immunity for those who report hazing. Fraternities cannot legally retaliate against you for speaking out. We will protect your identity and ensure you are not harassed.

Q: The fraternity says it was “just tradition” and not hazing. Is that true?

A: No. Ohio law defines hazing as any activity that endangers mental or physical health for the purpose of initiation. It doesn’t matter if it’s “tradition” – if it’s dangerous, it’s hazing, and it’s illegal.

Q: The university says they didn’t know about the hazing. Can we still sue?

A: Yes. Universities have a duty to protect students. If they failed to monitor Greek life, ignored warning signs, or had prior hazing incidents, they can be held liable for negligent supervision.

Q: My child signed a waiver. Does that mean they can’t sue?

A: No. Ohio law explicitly states that consent is not a defense to hazing. Even if your child signed a waiver, they can still sue.

Q: How long do we have to file a lawsuit in Ohio?

A: 2 years from the date of the hazing incident (Ohio’s statute of limitations). Do not wait – evidence disappears quickly, and your rights expire.

Q: The fraternity says they’ll “handle it internally.” Should we trust them?

A: Absolutely not. Fraternities and universities protect themselves, not victims. They will minimize the incident, destroy evidence, and pressure you to stay quiet. Contact a lawyer first – before you say anything to them.

Q: My child attends a small college near Van Wert County. Can hazing still happen there?

A: Yes. Hazing happens at big universities and small colleges – anywhere Greek life exists. Size doesn’t matter – culture does.

📞 Van Wert County Families: Your Legal Rights Start Here

Hazing is not “boys being boys.” It’s not “tradition.” It’s abuse – and it’s illegal.

If your child was hazed in Van Wert County or anywhere in Ohio, we will fight for you.