Abington woman sues Phillie Phanatic over 2010 incident

A Montgomery County woman has sued the Phillie Phanatic, alleging a slew of injuries as a result of the mascot's tossing her into a swimming pool at a Jersey Shore hotel in 2010.

The suit, filed last week in Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia, says that Suzanne M. Peirce of Abington was seated in a lounge chair at the Golden Inn Hotel & Resort in Avalon when the Phanatic, who was performing, "picked up her chair and threw plaintiff and her chair into the pool."

As a result of the incident, the suit says, "plaintiff suffered severe and permanent injuries to her head, neck, back, arms and legs, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and tissues of her head, neck, back, arms and legs, including, but not limited to, a herniated L5-S1 disc, aggravation and/or exacerbation of all known and unknown preexisting medical conditions, internal injuries of an unknown nature, severe aches, pains, mental anxiety and anguish, and a severe shock to her entire nervous system and other injuries, the full extent of which is not yet known."

Peirce's attorney, Aaron Denker, told the Atlantic City Press that Peirce hit the bottom of the pool's shallow end and now has to walk with a cane.

Phillies spokeswoman Bonnie Clark said the organization could not discuss details of the pending litigation, but added that "we do not believe the Phanatic engaged in any wrongful conduct."

The suit names two team employees, Tom Burgoyne and Matt Mehler, who may have been performing as the Phanatic that day. The suit also names the Phillies and the company that owns the hotel as defendants.