Production company sues over injury to casino acrobat

Monday, Nov. 20, 2000 | 11:23 a.m.

Cirque Du Soleil is challenging a decision by a state agency regarding workers' compensation benefits awarded to a former acrobat injured in an act in 1998.

Cirque Du Soleil, which has two Las Vegas circus arts shows: "O" at the Bellagio and "Mystere" at the Treasure Island, wants to reverse a decision by Nancy Richins, an appeals officer with the Department of Administration, Hearings Division, to award a "16 percent whole person impairment" compensation to Vesselka Ilieva.

Ilieva, who allegedly injured her spine, head and right wrist on Aug. 30, 1998, when she fell 12 feet doing an acrobatic move in a performance of "Mystere," left Cirque on Dec. 31, 1999. But Cirque Du Soleil disputed Ilieva's claim in a Clark County District Court lawsuit, saying Richins' decision violated "constitutional or statutory provisions," and was made upon "unlawful procedure" and "in excess of the agency's statutory authority."

"Cirque doesn't deny any responsibility to any workers' compensation benefits for any of our artists," said Lance Taylor, Cirque Du Soleil's spokesman. He declined to reveal the size of the compensation.

"In this particular case, we question the appeals officer's conclusion because Vesselka had a pre-existing injury when she arrived at Cirque that wasn't taken into consideration in her evaluation by the physicians. That's why we're disputing the amount of permanent partial disability awarded to her," he said.

Both Ilieva and the state agency could not be reached for comment.