Gwen Stefani is being sued by a fan reportedly injured during a concert "stampede" that the complaint says was caused by the “Hollaback Girl” herself by inviting some in the audience to come closer.
The incident took place last year at a concert in Charlotte, North Carolina, when Lisa Keri Sticklin suffered a broken tibia, said Rolling Stone magazine.
The federal complaint filed on Friday also lists Live Nation as a defendant.
According to the document, Sticklin attended the concert on July 23 with several friends in celebration of her birthday. The group had tickets to the reserved lawn seating area of the venue.
During the course of the show, says the suit, Stefani urged fans in the lawn seating area to come to the front.
"Just fill in anywhere you like! Who cares about your lawn chairs? You can get new ones!” she is claimed to have said.
According to the federal complaint:
"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."
Stickling was caught in the stampede and was injured.
After control was re-established, Stefani reportedly proceeded to announce to the audience that she had "got in so much trouble for telling you guys to come up here!”
Sticklin is accusing both Stefani and concert bookers Live Nation for negligence and is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, reported Court House News.
Representatives for Stefani and Live Nation haven't commented.
Stefani first broke into the music industry as lead singer for 90s rock band No Doubt before breaking off to enjoy a successful solo career.
Over the years a number of Stefani’s singles have featured on the charts.
One of her biggest sellers is No Doubt's hit, “Don't Speak,” notes Official Charts.
Besdies “Hollaback Girl,” other hit singles include “The Sweet Escape.,” “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” “Rich Girl” and “What /you Waiting For?”
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