Lawsuit Filed After Mother Loses Both Legs When Yacht Collides with Raft

A boating accident lawsuit has been filed by an Illinois mother who was seriously injured in a boating accident in Chicago’s “Playpen” on Lake Michigan. The plaintiff was seriously injured after a yacht crashed into a raft occupied by the plaintiff and her friends in August 2022. The accident occurred when the captain of a rented yacht had an issue with a malfunctioning anchor and began drifting, according to the accident report. To compensate for the drifting, the captain threw the yacht into reverse and it crashed into a floating raft. While some people on the raft simply fell into the water, the plaintiff and another woman got caught in the yacht’s propeller. The other woman lost her finger and sustained a cut to her arm. The plaintiff lost both of her feet as a result of the accident.

The plaintiff said her husband saved her life by pulling her out of the water. As a result of her injuries, she underwent a double amputation of her legs just below the knees. The owner of the yacht and the yacht’s captain are both named in the lawsuit. An attorney representing the plaintiff says that her injuries were entirely avoidable.

Elements of negligence 

In this case, both the owner of the boat and the captain of the boat are named in the personal injury lawsuit that has been filed by the plaintiff. The plaintiff will claim that the boat’s owner failed to maintain the boat in seaworthy condition resulting in the problem with the anchor and causing the boat to drift. The drifting was the first element in the chain of events that caused the plaintiff to lose her legs. The captain overcompensated for the drift by putting the yacht into reverse and failing to see that there was a raft behind him with people aboard.

The captain is also negligent for failing to keep an active lookout and failing to operate the ship safely with due consideration paid to other individuals who are on the water. Ultimately, the company that owns the boat is responsible for both the maintenance of the boat and the conduct of the captain. The company entrusted the captain to operate the boat safely. The captain failed to do so and two people were seriously injured as a result of that failure.

Damages 

The plaintiff sustained life-altering injuries as a result of the boating accident. She will likely never again be able to walk without the help of assistive devices. She may be able to get a prosthetic implant for her legs, but she will never again enjoy the same quality of life she had before the incident. She is also mutilated as a result of the accident. The company that owns the boat is likely responsible for her injuries and will pay a significant sum to compensate the plaintiff.

Talk to a Miami Boat Accident Injury Attorney Today 

Michael F. Guilford, P.A. represents the interests of plaintiffs who have been injured in boat accidents in Miami. Call our Miami admiralty & maritime lawyers today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help.

Source:

abc7chicago.com/chicago-playpen-lake-michigan-lana-batochir-boating-accident-lawsuit/12599845/