NEW YORK: Chinese gymnast Sang Lan, who was paralyzed in an accident at the 1998 Goodwill Games, scored a major victory yesterday (Monday) after reaching an agreement with three insurance companies and the US Gymnastics Federation. @?</8;%3W
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Under a confidential deal inked yesterday afternoon after three hours of talk, the three insurers, TIG Insurance Co, Riverstone Claims and TIG Specialty Solutions agreed to cover the future medical and rehabilitation fees incurred by Sang both in US and China. The total amount could reach $10 million. &m{~4]qWpM
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In the past, the three insurance firms only paid Sang for the fees incurred in the United States, but not those that happened in China since she was paralyzed after landing on her head during a vault warm-up on July 21, 1998 at the Goodwill Games in New York. GT3}'`f B
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In addition, the three insurers also agreed to give an amount of money for Sang. But neither Sang nor her lawyer Hai Ming would reveal the exact sum, citing clauses in the confidential deal. [3qJUJM
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“It was a big day of victory in protecting my rights. Now I have (financial) guarantee for my treatment back in China starting from today,” said an elated Sang, wearing big smile on her face. % QaWg2Y=
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“I have got what I want. The agreement we reached today with the insurers and US Gymnastics Federation has clearly stated that it was not my fault for the accident,” Sang said. She said that rumors circulating on the web blaming her lack of skill for the accident have put a lot of pressure on her. r%LG>c`^
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Sang described the talk yesterday as “very smoothly and conducted in a friendly mood.” Z7Nhb{
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Hai Ming, Sang’s lawyer, also described yesterday as “a day of breakthrough victory. We got all what we have desired.” 5UQ[vHMqI
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“The even greater significance has been that the US Gymnastics Federation and the three insurers stated in the agreement that Sang Lan should not be held responsible for the accident,” Hai said. YP{mzGdE&
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He attributed the progress made yesterday to Sang Lan’s personal charisma, adding that they all like Sang and cared about her. s yb$%
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Hai said the three insurers have apologized for the lack of care for Sang in the past 13 years. ]ij:>O@ {$
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Lawyers and representatives from the three insurers and the US Gymnastics Federation would not comment on the agreement reached yesterday when asked by China Daily. "T} HH
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Sang also described yesterday’s victory as “achieving half of the complete success in protecting her right,” implying other lawsuits that are still pending. VD{_6
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Sang’s lawyer Hai filed lawsuits at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York against three individuals and five institutions at the end of April, seeking a total of $1.8 billion in compensation. The defendants include media mogul Ted Turner, who created the Goodwill Games, The US Gymnastics Federation, former AOL Time Warner Inc, TIG Insurance Co and Xie Xiaohong and Liu guosheng, two legal guardians appointed after the accident. }-&#vP~I
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The compensation demanded is $100 million for each of the 18 claims filed ranging from breach of agreement, violation of various federal, state and city laws and insurance violations to defamation and negligence. YLV$#a3
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Additional charges were filed in mid May against Xue Weisen, son of the two guardians, for sexual harassment, Hugh Mo, the well-known Chinese-American lawyer representing the two guardian defendants and others. That brought the total compensation sought to $2.1 billion. }~#qDrK
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However, Hai withdrew the charge against Ted Turner on June 20, saying Turner as an individual has no legal responsibility for the case. On June 27, the civil complaint against Xue Weisen was also dropped. On June 28, lawsuit against Time Warner was dropped, reducing the total compensation sought to $1.7 billion. "eI">`!g
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Hai told reporters yesterday that so far 12 lawsuits are still filed against Hugh Mo, Liu Guosheng, Xie Xiaohong and 15 people who defamed Sang on the internet. The total compensation sought for the cases ranging from breach of contracts and invasion of privacy would reach $1.2 billion. PG'I7)Bv
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Meanwhile, Hugh Mo told China Daily yesterday that he would submit a motion of sanction against Hai Ming today (Tuesday). He already submitted motion to dismiss Hai’s cases. Mo, who once held senior position in the New York City Police Department and New York District Attorney’s Office, declined to elaborate on the cases. + Cq& ~<B
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But Hai described Mo’s motions as having “zero chance of success,” adding that Mo has not realized the magnitude of his mistakes. !V/p.O
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Sang and her agent Huang Jian both thanked Hai Ming for the victory yesterday and described the spar between Huang and lawyer Hai Ming reported by the news media as the fashion of doing things between two Beijingers. U* T :p>&
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Asked how she felt about filing suits against her guardians and Hugh Mo, once a good friend, Sang said she was too young in those days and did not think too much. “I trust whatever they said (in those days),” she said. 0%3T'N%
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“I was totally duped then and now I feel bitter. This lesson will help me become more mature,” she said.
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Sang, who arrived in New York about two weeks ago, said she plans to stay in the city for a total of two months. OW8TiM
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Besides an expected meeting with the prosecutors in the coming days, she will spend time receiving treatment in the city’s Mount Sinai from Kristjan Ragnarsson, the chief of rehabilitation in the hospital. Ragnarsson was the one who treated Sang after her injury in 1998. |8\e t
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After Sang’s injury in 1998, celebrities such as former US President Jimmy Carter, actors Christopher Reeve, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jackie Chan and singer Celine Dion all visited her and gave her encouragement. be.Kx< I
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Back in China, people reacted differently to the case. Some expressed their support and sympathy while others accused Sang of being greedy in seeking compensation and ungrateful in suing people who claimed to have taken good care of Sang after the accident. Z3iX^
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(By Chen Weihua) *y W9-(
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