Hazing Lawsuits in Texas: A Complete Guide for Village of Palisades Families

If you are a parent in the Village of Palisades, Randall County, Texas, and your child has been hurt, humiliated, or worse during a fraternity, sorority, Corps of Cadets, athletic team, or campus club initiation, you are not alone. What you are facing—the confusion, the anger, the feeling that powerful institutions are closing ranks—is a nightmare shared by families across the Texas Panhandle and beyond. Right now, just hours from here in Houston, our firm is fighting one of the most serious hazing cases in the country, proving that accountability is possible.

This guide is written specifically for you: families in the Village of Palisades, Canyon, Amarillo, and across Randall County. We will explain what modern hazing really looks like, your rights under Texas law, and how the patterns of abuse at national fraternities connect directly to campuses where your children may study. Whether your student attends nearby West Texas A&M University in Canyon, or has ventured to Texas A&M University in College Station, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, or any other Texas school, the legal principles and paths to justice are the same.

If This Just Happened: Immediate Steps for Village of Palisades Families

MEDICAL EMERGENCY? CALL 911 FIRST. THEN CALL US AT 1-888-ATTY-911.

In the first 48 hours, evidence disappears. Here is what you must do:

1. Get Medical Attention Immediately: Even if your child insists they are “fine,” emergency room documentation is critical. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) may not show symptoms for days.
2. Preserve Digital Evidence:
   • Screenshot ALL group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, Discord) before messages are deleted.
   • Photograph injuries from multiple angles with good lighting.
   • Save texts, emails, and social media posts related to the incident.
3. Write Down Everything: While memory is fresh, document names, dates, times, locations, and what happened. Who gave the orders? Who was there?
4. Do NOT:
   • Confront the fraternity, sorority, or team.
   • Let your child delete anything from their phone.
   • Post about the incident on public social media.
   • Give a statement to a university or insurance adjuster without an attorney.

Call Attorney911 at 1-888-ATTY-911 for immediate, confidential guidance. We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™, and we help families in Randall County and across Texas navigate these crises from the very first moment.

What Hazing Really Looks Like in 2025: Beyond the Stereotypes

Hazing is not just “boys being boys” or “harmless tradition.” It is a calculated pattern of coercion, humiliation, and control designed to create loyalty through trauma. For families in the Village of Palisades, understanding these modern tactics is the first step in recognizing the danger.

The Three Tiers of Hazing:

1. Subtle Hazing: Creates power imbalances. This includes forced servitude (cleaning houses, running all-night errands), “mandatory” meetings that interfere with sleep and studies, social isolation from non-members, and being assigned degrading nicknames.
2. Harassment Hazing: Causes emotional or physical distress. This involves sleep deprivation, verbal abuse and yelling sessions (“grilling”), being forced to consume unpleasant substances (spoiled food, excessive milk, hot sauce), and forced calisthenics (“smokings”) beyond safe limits.
3. Violent Hazing: Has a high potential for serious injury or death. This is what makes headlines: forced alcohol consumption to the point of poisoning, physical beatings or paddling, dangerous “rituals” like blindfolded tackles, sexualized acts, and exposure to extreme elements.

The Modern Digital Playbook: Today’s hazing is documented and coordinated on smartphones. Pledges are tracked via location-sharing apps, subjected to 24/7 demands in group chats, and coerced into posting humiliating content on social media. This digital trail, if preserved, becomes powerful evidence.

Texas Hazing Law: The Legal Backbone for Randall County Families

Texas has some of the nation’s clearest anti-hazing statutes, found in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 37, Subchapter F. Here is what Village of Palisades parents need to know:

Key Provisions of Texas Hazing Law (Chapter 37):

• Definition (Sec. 37.151): Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act that endangers the mental or physical health of a student for the purpose of initiation into, affiliation with, or maintaining membership in an organization.
• Criminal Penalties (Sec. 37.152): Hazing is a Class B misdemeanor. It becomes a Class A misdemeanor if it causes bodily injury and a STATE JAIL FELONY if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Consent is NOT a Defense (Sec. 37.155): Even if your child “agreed” to participate, it does not matter under Texas law. Courts recognize that consent under peer pressure and threat of exclusion is not voluntary.
• Immunity for Reporting (Sec. 37.154): Individuals who in good faith report hazing or seek emergency medical attention are immune from civil or criminal liability related to that report.

Civil Liability vs. Criminal Charges: It is critical to understand the difference. Criminal cases are brought by the state (e.g., Randall County District Attorney) to punish with jail time or fines. Civil lawsuits are filed by victims and families to obtain compensation for medical bills, trauma, lost education, and to hold every responsible party accountable—from the individual member who poured the drink to the national fraternity headquarters that turned a blind eye.

The Flagship Case: Proof That Accountability is Happening Now in Texas

To understand what a serious hazing lawsuit looks like, you need look no further than Houston. Our firm currently represents Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student whose fall 2025 pledge period to the Pi Kappa Phi (Beta Nu chapter) nearly killed him.

What Happened to Leonel Bermudez:
According to the lawsuit and major media reports, Bermudez was subjected to systemic abuse. This included carrying a humiliating “pledge fanny pack” 24/7, enduring hours-long “study blocks,” overnight driving duties, and extreme physical hazing. At an off-campus residence and at Yellowstone Boulevard Park, he was forced through brutal workouts, sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding,” and made to consume milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, only to be forced to sprint again.

The culminating event on November 3, 2025, involved over 100 push-ups and 500 squats under threat of expulsion. In the days that followed, Bermudez’s body broke down. He passed brown urine, could not stand, and was rushed to the hospital. He was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney failure, requiring a four-day hospitalization with critically high creatine kinase levels pointing to severe, lasting muscle and kidney damage.

Who We Are Holding Accountable:
Our $10 million lawsuit targets the full universe of responsible parties: the University of Houston, the UH System Board of Regents, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters, the chapter’s housing corporation, and 13 individual fraternity leaders, including the president, pledgemaster, and risk manager. This case demonstrates our approach: using data and investigation to identify every entity with insurance and liability, ensuring no one hides behind another.

The Aftermath:
The national fraternity suspended the chapter on November 6, 2025. By November 14, the members voted to surrender their charter, shutting down the UH chapter. The university called the conduct “deeply disturbing.” This case is active, ongoing, and a testament to the fact that with the right legal team, institutions can and will be held to account.

Where Village of Palisades & Randall County Families Send Their Kids: Campus Hazing Realities

Families in our community have deep ties to Texas universities. Students from Randall County attend schools across the state, each with its own Greek life ecosystem and history of hazing incidents.

West Texas A&M University (Canyon, Randall County)

As your local university in Canyon, WTAMU is part of the fabric of our community. Its Greek life, while smaller than major state schools, is not immune to risk. National fraternities and sororities with chapters here, including Kappa Sigma, Chi Omega, and Alpha Tau Omega, have faced hazing allegations at their larger chapters. For WTAMU parents, vigilance is key. Hazing here may involve off-campus houses in Canyon or Amarillo, and reporting should involve both WTAMU’s Dean of Students and local Randall County authorities.

Texas A&M University (College Station)

Many Village of Palisades students pursue an Aggie degree. Texas A&M’s vast Greek life and storied Corps of Cadets carry significant hazing risks with real, documented injuries.

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Chemical Burns Case: In 2021, two A&M pledges sued the fraternity, alleging they were subjected to strenuous activity and then doused with a mixture containing industrial-strength cleaner, raw eggs, and spit, causing severe chemical burns that required skin graft surgeries. The fraternity was suspended by the university.
• Corps of Cadets “Roasted Pig” Lawsuit: In a 2023 lawsuit, a cadet alleged he was hazed by being bound between beds in a prone position with an apple in his mouth, among other degrading acts. He sought over $1 million in damages.

For Aggie families, understanding that liability extends beyond fraternities to the Corps and athletic teams is crucial. A&M’s size does not shield it from responsibility.

University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin maintains one of the most transparent hazing databases in the country, which itself reveals a pattern of recurring issues.

• Public Hazing Violations: UT’s online log shows repeated sanctions. For example, Pi Kappa Alpha was placed on probation in 2023 for directing new members to consume milk and perform strenuous calisthenics. Other groups, like spirit organizations, have been sanctioned for forced workouts and alcohol-related hazing.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon Assault Lawsuit: In early 2024, an Australian exchange student sued the UT SAE chapter, alleging an assault at a party that left him with a dislocated leg, broken nose, and fractured tibia. The chapter was already under suspension for prior violations.

Texas Tech University (Lubbock)

As the major university hub for the South Plains, Texas Tech’s Greek life is extensive. Fraternities like Kappa Sigma and Phi Delta Theta have active chapters. National hazing patterns associated with these organizations—particularly concerning forced drinking—are a foreseeable risk at Tech. Incidents here may involve local Lubbock police and the Lubbock County court system.

Other Texas Universities

Village of Palisades students also attend University of Houston, Baylor, SMU, and others. Each has faced lawsuits and scandals. Baylor has suspended athletic teams for hazing. SMU’s Kappa Alpha Order chapter was suspended for paddling and forced drinking. The common thread is that national organizations bring predictable risks to every campus they inhabit.

Public Records Directory: The Greek Organizations Operating in Your Child’s World

At Attorney911, we don’t just take a case; we build an intelligence file. We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine compiled from IRS records, university data, and public filings. This allows us to immediately identify every potentially liable entity behind a fraternity or sorority. Below is a snapshot of the type of organizational landscape we navigate for families. These are real, public entities.

Texas-Registered Greek Organizations (IRS B83 Filings – Sample):

• Frank Heflin Foundation, EIN 20-3507402, Canyon, TX 79015 (Linked to Phi Delta Theta alumni support)
• Chi Omega – Upsilon Zeta Building Association, EIN 75-2290669, Amarillo, TX 79118 (Chi Omega chapter housing entity)
• Kappa Alpha Order – Gamma Sigma Chapter, Canyon, TX (West Texas A&M University chapter)
• Alpha Tau Omega – Zeta Kappa Chapter, Canyon, TX (West Texas A&M University chapter)
• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, EIN 36-4091267, Waco, TX 76710
• Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, EIN 74-6064445, Nederland, TX 77627
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc., EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX 75035 (Entity connected to the UH case)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc., EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147

Amarillo Metro Area Greek Ecosystem (Per Cause IQ Data):
The Amarillo metro, which includes Randall County, is home to at least 18 Greek-related organizations. This includes undergraduate chapters at WTAMU, alumni chapters serving the Panhandle community, and honor societies. When hazing occurs, these interconnected entities—undergrad chapters, alumni housing corporations, national foundations—can all share liability.

National Hazing Histories: Why a Fraternity’s Past Matters in Texas

When a chapter at UT or Texas A&M hazes, it is rarely an isolated “rogue” incident. It is often a repetition of a known, deadly national script. This pattern evidence is crucial in court.

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Responsible for the death of Stone Foltz at Bowling Green State (2021), forced to drink a bottle of alcohol; family secured a $10 million settlement. Also responsible for David Bogenberger‘s death at Northern Illinois University (2012); a $14 million settlement was awarded.
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): One of the deadliest fraternities nationally. Facing lawsuits for a traumatic brain injury at the University of Alabama, the chemical burns at Texas A&M, and the violent assault at UT Austin.
• Phi Delta Theta: Responsible for the death of Max Gruver at LSU (2017) from a “Bible study” drinking game, leading to Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.”
• Pi Kappa Phi: Responsible for the death of Andrew Coffey at Florida State University (2017) from alcohol poisoning during a “Big Brother” event.

When we take a case, we subpoena the national organization’s records to show how this same chapter—or others within the same fraternity—had prior warnings, complaints, or incidents that were ignored. This proves foreseeability and shatters the defense that “no one could have known.”

How We Build a Hazing Case: Evidence, Strategy & Damages

Filing a lawsuit is not the first step; building an unassailable factual record is. For Village of Palisades families, here is what this process entails.

1. The Evidence Matrix:

• Digital Forensics: Recovering deleted GroupMe, WhatsApp, and text messages. Analyzing social media archives and geo-location data.
• Institutional Discovery: Subpoenaing the national fraternity’s risk management files, prior incident reports, and internal communications about the chapter. Obtaining the university’s complete disciplinary history for the organization.
• Medical & Economic Analysis: Working with physicians to document long-term effects like kidney damage from rhabdomyolysis or PTSD. Collaborating with economists to calculate lifetime earning loss for catastrophic injuries.

2. The Defendant Universe:
We cast a wide net to ensure full compensation and accountability:

• Individual members who participated.
• Chapter officers (President, Pledgemaster, Risk Manager) who enabled it.
• The local chapter as a legal entity.
• The national fraternity/sorority headquarters.
• The housing corporation or alumni board that owns the property.
• The university (for negligent supervision).
• Third-party property owners of off-campus hazing venues.

3. Understanding Damages:
Hazing cases seek to make families whole and punish egregious conduct.

• Economic Damages: All medical bills (past and future), lost tuition, diminished future earning capacity.
• Non-Economic Damages: Compensation for physical pain, emotional trauma, humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In the worst cases, funeral costs, loss of companionship, and family’s emotional suffering.
• Punitive Damages: In cases of extreme recklessness, damages intended to punish the defendants and deter future conduct.

Common Defenses & How We Overcome Them

We know the playbook because our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña, used to work for the insurance defense firms that write it. Here is what they will say and how we counter it:

• Defense: “The victim consented.” Our Response: Texas law (Sec. 37.155) states consent is no defense. We use group chat evidence to show coercion and power imbalance.
• Defense: “It was a rogue chapter; national didn’t know.” Our Response: We use pattern evidence from other chapters and internal memos to show the national organization knew these rituals were happening and failed to stop them.
• Defense: “It happened off-campus, so it’s not our responsibility.” Our Response: Courts consistently hold that universities and nationals have a duty to prevent foreseeable harm, especially when they recognize and affiliate with the organization. The Pi Delta Psi case, where hazing occurred at a remote retreat, led to criminal convictions for the national fraternity.
• Defense: “Our insurance doesn’t cover intentional acts like hazing.” Our Response: We argue that the negligent supervision by the national or university is a covered omission. We also identify all possible policies, from homeowner’s insurance of individual members to umbrella policies.

Why Choose Attorney911 for Your Hazing Case in Texas

When your family is facing a hazing crisis, you need more than a general personal injury lawyer. You need a firm with specific, proven advantages in taking on wealthy, powerful institutions.

1. Insurance Insider Knowledge: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as an insurance defense attorney for a national firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, fight coverage, and lowball settlements. We know their tactics because we used to be on their side.

2. Complex Institutional Litigation Experience: Managing Partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few Texas attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation, taking on a billion-dollar corporation. We are not intimidated by the deep pockets of national fraternities or large universities. We have federal court experience and a network of experts ready to deploy.

3. Data-Driven Investigation: We don’t start from scratch. We use our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—tracking over 1,400 Greek organizations across 25 Texas metros—to immediately identify house corporations, alumni entities, and national networks. We know how to find the insurance policies and the responsible parties.

4. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph Manginello is a member of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA). We understand the interplay between criminal hazing charges and civil lawsuits, allowing us to strategically advise families and witnesses navigating both systems.

5. A Mission for Accountability: We take these cases not just for compensation, but for change. As Lupe Peña said in the UH Pi Kappa Phi case, “If this prevents harm to another person…Let’s bring this to light. Enough is enough.” We fight to shut down dangerous organizations and reform systems that allow hazing to persist.

Your Next Step: A Confidential, No-Obligation Consultation

If you are a Village of Palisades, Canyon, or Randall County parent reading this because your worst fears have been realized, we are here to listen and to help.

Call us today at 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911) for a free, confidential case evaluation.

In your consultation, we will:

• Listen to your story with empathy and without judgment.
• Review any evidence you have preserved.
• Explain your family’s legal rights and all available options.
• Outline our investigative strategy and how we would approach your case.
• Clearly explain our contingency fee structure: You pay nothing unless we win.

We serve families across Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont. Your location in the Village of Palisades does not distance you from experienced legal help. We are here to guide you through this crisis and fight for the justice and safety your child deserves.

Contact Attorney911 – The Legal Emergency Lawyers™

• Phone: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
• Direct: (713) 528-9070
• Website: https://attorney911.com
• Email Ralph Manginello: ralph@atty911.com
• Email Lupe Peña: lupe@atty911.com
• Se habla Español. Mr. Peña provides fluent Spanish-language legal services.

Legal Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and law. For advice about your specific situation, please contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC for a consultation.

Plain Text Links to Key Resources:

• Attorney911 Main Website & Contact: https://attorney911.com
• Click2Houston Coverage of UH Pi Kappa Phi Case: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/11/21/only-on-2-lawsuit-alleges-severe-hazing-at-university-of-houstons-pi-kappa-phi-chapter-fraternity/
• ABC13 Coverage of UH Pi Kappa Phi Case: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/
• Attorney911 Video on Evidence Preservation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Attorney911 Video on Statute of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c