When they say “break a leg” in show business, this usually isn’t what they mean.
Gwen Stefani is being sued by a woman who says that her leg was broken after the “Hollaback Girl” singer incited a “stampede rush” by the crowd during her concert in North Carolina last year.
According to the suit, filed in federal court in North Carolina on Friday, Lisa Keri Stricklin attended the July 2016 show with her friends, to celebrate her birthday.
But the birthday ended up being anything but happy for Stricklin, the suit contends, after Stefani called for attendees with lawn seats at the PNC Pavilion to make their way closer to the stage.
“During the course of and in the midst of Stefani’s musical performance, Stefani unilaterally announced via her microphone and the loud speakers throughout PNC Pavilion that all patrons in the lawn seating area should come to the reserved seating area and the front of the performance stage, including announcing ‘Just fill in anywhere you like! Who cares about your lawn chairs? You can get new ones!’” the suit reads. “This announcement created a stampede rush of patrons from the lawn seating area through the reserved seating area and toward the front of the performance stage, with people knocking over and breaching the security barricades and other security matter, jumping over seats in the reserved seating area, and pouring in through the aisles separating the various sections of the reserved seating area.”
According to the suit, Stricklin “was trampled by the rush of patrons and into a wall along the reserved seating area, causing her severe physical injuries, including but not limited to a broken tibia in one of her legs.”
“Stefani’s negligent acts as alleged herein constitutes gross negligence, as it amounted to wantonness, willfulness, or evidenced a reckless indifference to the consequences of her acts, entitling the Plaintiff to punitive damages,” the suit adds.
Live Nation Entertainment is also mentioned in the suit.
Alleging negligence, the suit is seeking damages “in excess of $75,000.”
TheWrap has reached out to Stefani and Live Nation for comment.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.