Insurance company sues "Cinderella Man"'s producers over Russell Crowe's injury

Four years ago Russell Crowe dislocated his shoulder while portraying boxer Jim Braddock in the film "Cinderella Man". Today the injury has resulted in a $3 million (EUR 2.04 million) lawsuit.

Photo: Insurance company sues "Cinderella Man"'s producers over Russell Crowe's injury

Clarendon National Insurance Company filed a lawsuit against Omnikrom, the production company formerly known as Colder Than Jersey Productions, in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday.

The lawsuit aims at keeping the production company from claiming $3 million ( EUR 2.04 million) to cover the cost of compensating co-star Renee Zellweger because shooting took 14 weeks instead of seven weeks due to Crowe's injury. The $3 million ( EUR 2.04 million) was in addition to the $5 million ( EUR 3.4 million) Zellweger earned for the film, according to the suit.

The insurance company claims it already paid almost $6 million ( EUR 4.08 million) in claims under the policy to cover the cost of Crowe's surgery and rehabilitation, and other production delays, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit argues the production company did not file the claim until July 2005, at least five months after the balance of the insurance claims were paid, and thus the insurance company should not be required to cover the cost of Zellweger's extra fee.

Calls Monday to attorneys on both sides of the dispute were not immediately returned.