A Southern California man is suing a luxury resort in Las Vegas, saying he was stung by a scorpion on his testicles while sleeping at the hotel.

Michael Farchi of Agoura Hills says the experience left him in excruciating pain and he still has lingering medical issues months later.

Farchi and his family were staying at the Venetian's Palazzo tower on Dec. 26 when he was jolted awake, he told Eyewitness News.

"I woke up with sharp pain in my private area," he recalled. "Didn't know what it was. I reached my hand to see what was happening under the covers and got another sharp pain."

He says he was stung at least three or four times by the small, venomous creature, which he eventually found still clinging to his boxers.

The exact species of scorpion, and the toxicity of its venom, is not clear. Pictures released by Farchi and his attorney show the arachnid appearing perhaps an inch long.

He was treated at a local hospital and filed a report with the hotel staff. He still had to pay for the room, he says.

He's now suing the resort for an unspecified amount.

"Nobody staying in Vegas needs to exposed to deadly scorpions while they're sleeping, let alone on their private parts, their testicles," said his attorney, Brian Virag.

Eyewitness News has reached out to the hotel for comment.

The hotel told a Las Vegas TV station "The resort has protocols for all incidents and we can confirm they were followed in this incident."