STAMFORD, Conn. -- The family of a Connecticut woman mauled by a chimpanzee last month has filed preliminary legal papers seeking $50 million in damages against the primate's owner.

Legal papers were filed late Monday in Superior Court in Stamford against Sandra Herold by relatives of Charla Nash. The papers seek an accounting of Herold's assets and an order that would prevent her from liquidating assets.

Attorney: We Can Easily Justify $50M In Damages

The Cleveland Clinic has said 55-year-old Nash lost her hands, nose, lips and eyelids and may be blind and suffering brain damage after the attack on Feb. 16 in Stamford.

"Our client has suffered and will continue to suffer agony and pain beyond comprehension," said the Nash family attorney, Charles Willinger. "Based upon the horrendous injuries, the pain and suffering, the loss of life as she knew it, we can easily justify $50 million."

Willinger said that a large part of the case will rely on research about wild animals.

"Most chimp owners actually give their animal away at six to eight years because they become too difficult to socialize," Willinger said.

Attorneys said there are at least three incidents in which Herold's chimp, named Travis, had caused problems prior to the attack on Nash. They said the chimp, in 1996, bit a woman on her hand and tried to drag her into a car. In 1998, they said, Travis bit a man on his thumb.

Then, in 2003, Travis ran around downtown Stamford. They said it took police hours to get the animal back in the car.

Nash's brother told Eyewitness News that his sister did not have medical insurance. A fund has been set up to accept donations for Nash's medical expenses. For more information about making a donation, visit NashTrust.com.

Stamford Hospital, where Nash was initially taken after the attack, said it has waived all of her medical bills.

The attorney for Nash's family said that the suit could later include the state and other parties.

The decision about criminal charges has not been made, attorneys said. Police are waiting on test results from the animal autopsy.

The 200-pound chimp was shot and killed by police, who are weighing whether to file criminal charges against Herold.

A message was left with Herold seeking comment.