It's been a rough couple weeks for Justin Bieber. First, the teen sensation was involved in a high-speed highway chase with paparazzi photographers that landed him a speeding ticket. Now, an Oregon mom is suing him for nearly $10 million claiming that the shrieking fans at one of his shows caused her permanent hearing loss.
According to TMZ the lawsuit filed by Stacey Betts in U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon, against Bieber, his record label and the show's promoter states that Betts was injured by a "sound blast" at a Bieber concert at the Rose Quarter in Portland on July 14, 2010.
The alleged blast, which she claims caused "hearing loss, severe tinnitus [a ringing in the ears] and hyperacusis [sensitivity to sound] in both ears," came after Betts says Bieber climbed into a heart-shaped gondola and "created a wave-like effect of screaming by pointing into various sections of the arena."
Hanging in the gondola over the crowd, Betts claims that Bieber "enticed the crowd into a frenzy of screams by continuously waving his arms in a quick and upward motion, whereas I was struck with a sound blast." The suit describes the "Boyfriend" singer as a "sound conductor" who summoned up a sound blast that Betts claims caused permanent damage in both her ears, causing a whooshing sound that makes it hard to sleep.
The suit argues that "experienced promoters, sound engineers, managers and artists" are responsible for maintaining safe sound levels during concerts. As a result, Betts is seeking $9.23 million in damages for expenses, pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, severe tinnitus, hyperacusis and permanent disability and impairment to both of her ears.
Source
