Suit: Dancer's thumb severed at club

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SAYREVILLE, N.J., Feb. 12 (UPI) -- A woman's lawsuit alleges her thumb was severed by an aerial apparatus while she was rehearsing for a competition at a New Jersey strip club.

Sarah Berry, 35, of Philadelphia filed a lawsuit Friday against Delilah's Den in Sayreville, alleging her thumb was severed while she was practicing with a "half moon aerial apparatus" in preparation for the ninth annual Delilah's Diamond G-String Competition in July 2011, the Philadelphia Daily News reported Tuesday.

James Golkow, Berry's attorney, said his client trained on similar apparatuses while studying performing arts in school. He said the club failed to ensure the apparatus was properly designed, built, inspected and tested before letting contest participants use it.

Golkow said Berry was not employed by the club and was participating in the contest on an invitation from a friend.

The suit is seeking $50,000 for "pain and suffering, disfigurement, humiliation and embarrassment."

Managers at the club did not respond to a request for comment, the Daily News said.