Lawsuit filed on behalf of Chicago 'Playpen' boating accident victim who lost legs

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Thursday, December 22, 2022
Lawsuit filed on behalf of Chicago 'Playpen' boating accident victim
A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Lana Batochir, who lost both legs below the knee in a boating accident in Lake Michigan "Playpen."

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a Chicago mother who lost both her feet in a boating accident in Chicago's 'Playpen' in Lake Michigan.



Lana Batochir was seriously injured after a boat crashed into a raft that she was on with her friends in August.



SEE ALSO | Mom recounts Chicago 'Playpen' boating accident that severed her feet: 'I knew I would die'



The accident happened late in the afternoon on Aug. 13 as the captain of a rented yacht struggled with a malfunctioning anchor and began drifting, according to a preliminary accident report.



READ MORE: Chicago boat accident in 'Playpen' leaves 2 in serious condition, fire officials say



To correct the drifting, the captain placed the boat in reverse and it smashed into a floating raft. Some people on the raft fell into the water, and Batochir and another woman got caught in the yacht's propeller. The other woman lost a finger and cut her arm.



Batochir said her husband saved her life by pulling her from the water. She underwent a double amputation of her legs below her knees.



In the lawsuit, her lawyer said her injuries were entirely preventable.



RELATED: Boating accident in Chicago's 'Playpen' raises safety concerns about Lake Michigan party spot



The owner of Aqualeisure, the boat's operator and captain are named in the suit. ABC7 has reached out for comment but have not yet heard back.

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