Hazing Lawyers in Waushara County: Protecting Students from Abuse and Negligence

You Are Not Alone: Hazing Happens in Waushara County Too

Waushara County families send their children to college expecting them to be safe, to make friends, and to grow. What they don’t expect is for their child to be waterboarded, forced to exercise until they collapse, or hospitalized with kidney failure—all in the name of “tradition.”

But this isn’t just happening in Texas or Florida. It’s happening right here in Wisconsin. The same fraternities that have paid millions in settlements for hazing deaths and injuries have active chapters at universities near Waushara County. The same negligent oversight that allowed a student to be tortured at the University of Houston exists at Wisconsin institutions.

If your child has been hazed in Waushara County—or anywhere in Wisconsin—Attorney 911 can help.

We are currently fighting a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston for hazing that hospitalized a student with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure. The same legal strategies we’re using in Texas apply to Waushara County. We will fight for your family just as aggressively.

What Is Hazing? The Reality in Waushara County

Hazing isn’t just “boys being boys” or “harmless fun.” It’s abuse disguised as tradition. And in Waushara County, it takes many forms:

Physical Abuse

Extreme exercise (500 squats, 100+ pushups, bear crawls until collapse)
Beatings (wooden paddles, belts, fists)
Exposure to elements (forced to strip in cold weather, sprayed with hoses)
Waterboarding/simulated drowning (yes, this happens in Waushara County too)

Forced Consumption

Alcohol poisoning (forced drinking until vomiting or passing out)
Food torture (eating until vomiting, then forced to continue)
Non-food substances (peppercorns, hot sauce, other harmful items)

Psychological Torture

Sleep deprivation (forced to drive fraternity members at 3 AM)
Humiliation (carrying sexual objects, forced nudity, verbal abuse)
Threats (expulsion, physical harm, social ostracism)

Dangerous “Initiations”

“The Gauntlet” (running drills until exhaustion)
“Big Brother Night” (forced drinking games)
“Hell Week” (days of relentless physical and mental abuse)

This isn’t college life. This is torture.

And it’s happening at universities near Waushara County.

Hazing in Wisconsin: The Waushara County Connection

Waushara County may be a rural community, but its students attend colleges where Greek life—and hazing—thrives. Nearby universities include:

University of Wisconsin-Madison (one of the largest Greek systems in the country)
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Lakeland University (private, with active Greek life)
Ripon College (smaller, but with fraternities and sororities)

The same national fraternities involved in hazing deaths nationwide—Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi—have chapters at these schools.

If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority in Wisconsin, they face the same risks that hospitalized our client in Houston.

The Medical Reality: What Hazing Does to the Body

Hazing isn’t just “roughhousing.” It causes real, life-threatening injuries:

Rhabdomyolysis (Muscle Breakdown)

What it is: Extreme exercise (like 500 squats) causes muscle fibers to break down, releasing myoglobin into the bloodstream.
Why it’s dangerous: Myoglobin clogs the kidneys, leading to acute kidney failure.
Symptoms: Severe muscle pain, dark brown urine, inability to move, hospitalization.
Long-term effects: Permanent kidney damage, need for dialysis or transplant.

This is what happened to our client in Houston. It could happen to your child in Waushara County.

Alcohol Poisoning

BAC over 0.40 (5x the legal limit) can be fatal.
Symptoms: Vomiting, unconsciousness, slowed breathing, death.
Wisconsin cases: Multiple students have died from forced drinking in Wisconsin fraternities.

Traumatic Brain Injury

From beatings or falls (like Timothy Piazza at Penn State).
Symptoms: Memory loss, seizures, permanent cognitive impairment.

Psychological Trauma

PTSD, anxiety, depression from humiliation and abuse.
Fear of retaliation (our client was too afraid to speak publicly).
Academic decline from sleep deprivation and stress.

Who Is Liable? Everyone Who Let This Happen

When hazing occurs in Waushara County, multiple parties can be held legally responsible:

1. The Local Fraternity/Sorority Chapter

Directly organized and conducted the hazing.
Chapter officers (president, pledgemaster) face personal liability (like the Pi Kappa Alpha president in the Stone Foltz case, who was ordered to pay $6.5 million personally).

2. The National Fraternity/Sorority Organization

Knew or should have known about hazing risks (many have prior incidents).
Failed to enforce anti-hazing policies (Pi Kappa Phi admitted to knowing about a “hazing crisis”).
Have deep pockets—millions in assets and insurance.

3. The University

Failed to supervise Greek life (UW-Madison, UW-Oshkosh, and others have hazing histories).
Owned or controlled the property where hazing occurred (premises liability).
Knew about prior incidents but didn’t act (like UH, which had a 2017 hazing hospitalization and did nothing).

4. Individual Members

Those who directly participated in hazing.
Those who knew and failed to stop it.
Those who covered it up.

5. Housing Corporations & Alumni

If hazing occurred at an off-campus house, the property owners can be sued.
Alumni who host hazing events can be held liable.

Wisconsin Hazing Laws: What Waushara County Families Need to Know

Wisconsin has strong anti-hazing laws, and victims have legal rights:

Wisconsin Statute § 948.51 – Hazing

“No person may intentionally or recklessly engage in acts which endanger the physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a student organization.”

Penalties:

Misdemeanor (up to 9 months in jail, $10,000 fine).
Felony if the hazing results in great bodily harm or death (up to 6 years in prison).

Key Point: Consent is NOT a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law says that doesn’t matter.

Civil Lawsuits: Holding Institutions Accountable

Wisconsin allows hazing victims to sue for:

Medical expenses (hospital bills, therapy, future treatment).
Lost wages (if the victim misses work or can’t pursue their career).
Pain and suffering (physical and emotional trauma).
Punitive damages (to punish the defendants for egregious conduct).

Recent Wisconsin Hazing Cases:

2023: A UW-Madison fraternity was suspended after a pledge was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning.
2021: A UW-Oshkosh student was hospitalized after a fraternity hazing incident.
2019: A Ripon College fraternity was suspended for hazing violations.

The pattern is clear: Hazing happens in Wisconsin, and universities often fail to stop it.

Precedent Cases: Hazing Victims Win Millions

Hazing lawsuits routinely result in multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts. These cases prove that Waushara County families can—and should—fight back:

Case	Fraternity	University	Outcome	Why It Matters for Waushara County
Stone Foltz (2021)	Pi Kappa Alpha	Bowling Green State	$10.1 million	Same fraternity that hazed our client in Texas. $10M is possible.
Maxwell Gruver (2017)	Phi Delta Theta	LSU	$6.1 million jury verdict	Juries hate hazing—they will punish defendants.
Timothy Piazza (2017)	Beta Theta Pi	Penn State	$110+ million	Strong evidence = massive settlements.
Andrew Coffey (2017)	Pi Kappa Phi	Florida State	Confidential settlement	Same fraternity as our Texas case. They knew about deadly hazing and did nothing.
Adam Oakes (2021)	Delta Chi	VCU	$4+ million settlement	Living victims (like your child) can win big.

These cases show that hazing lawsuits:
✅ Win millions for victims.
✅ Force universities to change policies.
✅ Hold fraternities accountable.
✅ Protect future students.

What to Do If Your Child Was Hazed in Waushara County

Step 1: Get Medical Help Immediately

Go to the ER—even if injuries seem minor. Some conditions (like rhabdomyolysis) don’t show symptoms right away.
Document everything—photos of injuries, medical records, hospital bills.

Step 2: Preserve Evidence

Save all communications (texts, GroupMe, Snapchat, Instagram DMs).
Take screenshots of social media posts about hazing.
Get witness names and contact info.
Do NOT delete anything—even if it seems embarrassing.

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

They will try to control the narrative.
They will pressure you to sign documents.
They will twist your words.

Step 4: Contact Attorney 911 Immediately

Free consultation—we’ll evaluate your case at no cost.
No upfront fees—we work on contingency (you pay nothing unless we win).
We handle everything—communications, evidence, negotiations, litigation.

Step 5: Report the Hazing

File a police report (hazing is a crime in Wisconsin).
Report to the university’s Title IX office (they are required to investigate).
Report to the national fraternity (they may suspend the chapter).

Why Choose Attorney 911 for Your Waushara County Hazing Case?

1. We Are Fighting This Battle Right Now

We are currently litigating a $10 million hazing lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. We know how to win these cases.

2. Former Insurance Defense Attorneys

Both Ralph Manginello and Lupe Pena worked for insurance companies before switching sides. We know their playbook—and how to beat it.

3. Federal Court Authority

We are admitted to U.S. District Court, meaning we can pursue hazing cases anywhere in the country—including Waushara County.

4. Dual-State Bar Licenses (Texas & New York)

This gives us strategic advantage when suing national fraternities headquartered in different states.

5. Aggressive, Compassionate Representation

We don’t just see your child as a case number. We see them as a person who was wronged—and we fight like hell to make it right.

6. We Travel to Waushara County

We will come to you for depositions, meetings, and trials. Distance is not a barrier.

7. No Upfront Costs

We work on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win.

What Waushara County Families Can Recover

If your child was hazed, you may be entitled to compensation for:

Category	Examples	Potential Value
Medical Expenses	Hospital bills, ER visits, therapy, future treatment	$50,000–$500,000+
Lost Wages	Time missed from work, lost internship opportunities	$10,000–$100,000+
Pain & Suffering	Physical pain, emotional trauma, PTSD	$250,000–$5,000,000+
Punitive Damages	To punish the defendants for egregious conduct (e.g., waterboarding)	$500,000–$5,000,000+
Educational Damages	Tuition refunds, scholarship loss, academic disruption	$10,000–$100,000+
Wrongful Death	If hazing resulted in death	$1,000,000–$10,000,000+

Total potential recovery for a severe hazing case: $1,000,000–$10,000,000+

The Clock Is Ticking: Wisconsin’s Statute of Limitations

Wisconsin law gives you only 3 years from the date of the hazing incident to file a lawsuit.

If you wait too long, you lose your right to sue forever.

Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. Your child’s story fades.

Don’t wait. Call us now.

Waushara County Hazing Victims: We Are Here for You

You didn’t send your child to college to be tortured. You didn’t send them to be hospitalized. You didn’t send them to be broken.

But if it happened, you have the power to fight back.

Call Attorney 911 Today—Free Consultation

📞 1-888-ATTY-911
📧 ralph@atty911.com
🌐 attorney911.com

We serve Waushara County and all of Wisconsin. We will fight for your family.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hazing in Waushara County

1. “My child consented to the hazing. Can we still sue?”

Yes. Wisconsin law explicitly says consent is not a defense. Even if your child “agreed” to participate, the law still holds the fraternity and university liable.

2. “The fraternity says this was just ‘tradition.’ Is that an excuse?”

No. “Tradition” does not justify assault, battery, or torture. If the activities were dangerous, humiliating, or illegal, they are hazing—and the fraternity can be held accountable.

3. “The university says they didn’t know about the hazing. Are they still liable?”

Yes. Universities have a duty to supervise Greek life. If they failed to monitor fraternities or ignored prior incidents, they can be held liable for negligent supervision.

4. “My child was hazed off-campus. Can we still sue the university?”

Yes. Many universities own or control fraternity houses, even off-campus. If the university had any oversight role, they can be held liable.

5. “What if the fraternity tries to cover it up?”

We anticipate cover-ups and take steps to preserve evidence immediately. We send legal preservation letters to prevent destruction of texts, photos, and videos.

6. “How long will a hazing lawsuit take?”

Most cases settle within 12–24 months. If the case goes to trial, it may take 2–3 years. We work to resolve cases as quickly as possible while maximizing your recovery.

7. “Will my child have to testify?”

Possibly, but we prepare our clients thoroughly. Many cases settle before trial, meaning your child may never have to face the defendants in court.

8. “What if the fraternity offers a settlement?”

Do not accept without consulting us. Insurance companies and fraternities lowball victims with early settlement offers. We negotiate to ensure you get full and fair compensation.

9. “Can we sue if no one was physically injured?”

Yes. Psychological trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression) is a valid claim. Even if your child wasn’t hospitalized, they may still be entitled to compensation.

10. “What if my child is afraid of retaliation?”

We protect our clients from retaliation. Many hazing victims fear speaking out—but we ensure their safety and privacy throughout the legal process.

Waushara County Families: The Time to Act Is Now

Hazing is not a rite of passage. It’s not tradition. It’s not brotherhood.

It’s abuse. It’s assault. It’s illegal.

And in Waushara County, it’s happening right now.

If your child was hazed, you have the power to stop it from happening to someone else.

Call Attorney 911 Today