Stripper Slid Down Pole, Ruptured Man's Bladder

A Pennsylvania man is suing the Penthouse Club near Philadelphia for injuries he says he suffered when a stripper slid down the stripper pole too hard onto his lap.

Patrick Gallagher was celebrating his impending marriage with a bachelor's party at the Penthouse Club when his friends got him the club's "Bachelor's Package." As part of the package, the man was invited onstage and got some very personal attention from the dancers, reports the Philadelphia Daily News.

However, one stripper may have gotten a little too close for comfort. She reportedly asked Gallagher to lay down underneath the stripper pole and then slid down the pole onto his abdomen.

Granted, having a stripper slide down onto you at a bachelor party has its appeal. But the unnamed stripper allegedly "launched down" the pole with such gusto that the force of her impact caused Gallagher's bladder to rupture, reports the Daily News. In fact, the Pennsylvania man said he suffered so much pain that he and his friends had to cut the party short and go home.

The next morning, Gallagher claims that he was suffering so much pain that he had to be taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a ruptured bladder, internal bleeding, and nerve damage.

Gallagher is now suing the club for negligence and seeks at least $50,000 for medical costs, pain, humiliation, and mental anguish, writes the Daily News.

As with any other employer, the Penthouse Club could be liable for injuries caused by its employees. This was, after all, performed within the scope of employment. While the stripper may have used more force than necessary, her pole dance routine is likely still considered within the scope of her job.

The strip club may try to defend themselves by arguing that the injury was unforeseeable or that Gallagher was particularly vulnerable. The likelihood of success of these defenses may depend on just how fast the stripper slid down the pole, which would make for an interesting re-creation in court.

Related Resources:

• Lawsuit claims Philadelphia dancer's pole act injured groom-to-be (The Associated Press)
• Woman Sues Crunch Fitness For Pole Dancing Injuries (FindLaw's Injured)
• Proving Fault in Accidents (FindLaw)