A missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was catastrophically injured in a bicycle crash late last month in Louisiana. The young man was wearing slacks and a short-sleeved white shirt and tie while riding his bicycle, as Mormon missionaries often do, at the time the accident occurred.
The young man suffered injuries that included broken ribs, a fractured skull, brain bleeds and a punctured lung. Late last month, he received surgery for his injuries, but as of as of last reports, he was in a medically induced coma to give his body a chance to heal.
The young man’s parents told news reporters that the doctors would periodically reduce the amount of anesthesia he was receiving to check for responsiveness, If his condition became stable to take out the respirator and various intubation devices, then they would fly him closer to home, to a hospital in Salt Lake City.
Doctors are not certain about the extent of the missionary’s injuries. He could face permanent disabilities as he begins to recover. However, his parents say that they have been encouraged by his level of responsiveness so far. The young man has been serving as a missionary in the Baton Rouge area since September 2015. He planned to study music education in college after completing his missionary service.
Bicycle versus car accidents often result in catastrophic and fatal injuries for the bicyclist. When injuries are severe and result in permanent disabilities the costs can be exorbitantly high and sometimes unaffordable.
Similarly, when a death is involved, the emotional and financial costs for family members left behind can be devastating. For this reason, many victims of catastrophic accidents — and family members of victims of fatal accidents — choose to pursue civil lawsuits in court to seek financial remuneration from the at-fault parties responsible for the incidents.
