September 09 2009
Salvi Schostok & Pritchard Files Lawsuit in Boating Collision: Woman Trapped Under Vessel
LAKE COUNTY, IL – A personal injury lawsuit was filed this afternoon in Lake County by the law firm of Salvi Schostok & Pritchard P.C., on behalf of a 55-year-old woman who was trapped and injured under a capsized boat on August 15, 2009.
Brenda Schmid, a Palatine (IL) resident, was a passenger on a boat driven by Mark Holmquest of Fox Lake traveling on Nippersink Lake near Fox Lake, Illinois, when it was involved in a collision with another boat driven by David Caplan of Glenview just after
6:30 p.m. on August 15, 2009. It is believed that at the time of the collision, both boats were navigating at intersecting angles on Nippersink Lake and did not take reasonable measures to avoid impact. It was later determined that both Holmquest and Caplan were intoxicated above the legal limit while operating their watercrafts.
Holmquest’s boat capsized, throwing Schmid, Holmquest and two unidentified passengers into the water. Holmquest and two others surfaced, but Schmid did not come up, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. Multiple witnesses saw the accident and raced over to the capsized boat, searching for her. After several minutes, Schmid was found pinned underwater near the stern of the boat, trapped in the mud, and was pulled to safety by bystanders. Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies resuscitated Schmid and rushed her to shore, where she was flown to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL.
“This collision was a tragedy and despite heroic efforts Ms. Schmid suffered some very serious injuries,” said lead Plaintiff’s attorney Patrick A. Salvi of Salvi Schostok & Pritchard P.C. “My office is firmly committed to obtaining complete and just compensation for Ms. Schmid and her family.”
The Complaint was filed in the Circuit Court of Lake County on Wednesday, September 9, 2009. BRENDA SCHMID, Plaintiff, vs. MARK HOLMQUEST, RICHARD ALEXANDER, BAUSKE BOAT BASIN IN TRUST, an Illinois Company d/b/a BAUSKE BOAT BASIN, and DAVID CAPLAN, Defendants.
For further information on this lawsuit, please contact Christina Solomon at 312-372-1227 or csolomon@salvilaw.com
