A paralyzed athlete filed a lawsuit for $1.8 billion after breaking her neck in a vaulting accident. The woman is paralyzed from below the middle of her chest.
This will be a difficult case for all those involved. Sang Lan, a gymnast and an athlete in top shape, broke her neck during the 1998 Goodwill Games, held in New York, as a result of a vaulting accident. She filed a federal lawsuit just recently, against the U.S. Gymnastics Federation and Time Warner, indicating they broke their promise to care for her after her injury. She said that since the promised care was not provided, her condition has worsened.
According to the details in the case filings, the defendants failed to pay her medical bills and ensure her other needs were met. Lan indicated in the suit that she has been unable to get medical treatments for her spinal cord injuries and her two broken and dislocated vertebrae.
She further stated that the care provided to her by two Chinese-Americans, appointed as her legal guardians, has caused her more suffering. The guardians were appointed after her accident, in direct opposition to her parent’s wishes. Evidently, the guardians control Lan’s contact and treatments with U.S. doctors.
It seems that Lan has been trying to make ends meet while living in China without proper medical insurance, without any compensation for her life-altering, permanent injury and without the ability to ask for justice. Her lawsuit will likely go to trial within the year. In the meantime, she will definitely need a way to pay her bills, medical and otherwise. She would be best advised to apply for litigation funding.
Litigation funding is an emergency lawsuit loan, given to the plaintiff in advance of their expected verdict. It will help them get back on their feet financially, and help them pay their medical expenses, as well as their regular living expenses. Pre-settlement funding has many advantages for the plaintiff, not the least of which is once they get a lawsuit cash advance, they can turn down insurance company settlement offers.
The other benefit a plaintiff has with legal funding is that if they do lose their case in court, they get to keep what money they have left in the bank. They are not obligated to give it back and they would have no further obligation to the litigation funding company either.
Pre-settlement funding is a good deal for cash strapped plaintiffs, and in this case, it would certainly help Ms. Lan take care of her bills and medical needs.
Daren Monroe writes for Litigation Funding Corp. To learn more about lawsuit &ufding and litigation funding, visit Litigationfundingcorp.com.
