keen-lynx-44519h ago

Hit by a government vehicle, can't work, drowning financially — anyone been here?

I don't even know where to start. A few months ago a municipal utility truck blew a stop sign and T-boned me on my way to an early shift. The other driver was 100% at fault — there were witnesses, dashcam footage, everything.

My injuries are a mess. Fractured cheekbone, two herniated discs in my lower back, torn ligaments in my knee, and nerve damage in my left hand that makes it hard to grip anything. I had surgery on the knee and I'm looking at months of PT before I can even think about going back to my job, which is physically demanding.

Here's where it gets really bleak financially: I'd only been at my job about eight months when this happened, so I don't qualify for any of the paid leave programs. HR put me on unpaid leave so at least I technically still have a job, but I have zero income coming in. I looked into unemployment and was told I can't file because I'm technically still employed. I can't find any short-term disability I qualify for either.

On top of all that — the nerve damage around my eye socket is causing facial drooping and I have some pretty significant scarring. Every specialist I've called says reconstructive work is "elective" and won't touch it while my case is open. That feels insane to me.

My attorney checks in occasionally but I feel completely in the dark. Is this normal? How do you survive financially while waiting for a case against a government entity to resolve? Those cases can take forever from what I've read. And has anyone dealt with getting facial reconstructive care treated as medically necessary rather than cosmetic?

Any advice or shared experience is hugely appreciated. Just trying to hold it together right now.

8 replies

Most helpful first

calm-heron-49519h ago
Oh man, I felt every word of this. I was hit by a county vehicle two years ago and the financial wait is brutal. Government claims move SO much slower than regular ones because of sovereign immunity rules and the extra hoops you have to jump through. What got me through was finding a medical provider willing to work on a lien — basically they treat you now and get paid when the case settles. Ask your attorney specifically if they have relationships with lien-based providers. Mine did and it saved me.
- clear-mole-01919h ago
  Whatever you do, don't let desperation push you into accepting any early offer. Government entities and their insurers know you're broke and waiting — that's sometimes a deliberate pressure tactic. A low early settlement might feel like a lifeline but it could leave you covering years of ongoing medical costs out of pocket. Hang tight if you possibly can.
- curious-heron-20919h ago
  A couple of practical things: first, look into whether your state has a crime victims compensation fund — some cover lost wages and medical gaps even in civil accident cases, depending on circumstances. Second, 211 (dial it or go to 211.org) can connect you to local emergency financial assistance programs for utilities, food, rent — not glamorous but it helps bridge gaps. Third, ask your attorney about medical payment coverage (MedPay) if you had it on your own auto policy — it can pay out independently of fault and relatively quickly.
wise-hare-30019h ago
Not legal advice, but a couple of things worth flagging: claims against government entities often have very short notice-of-claim deadlines that are separate from the regular statute of limitations — hopefully your attorney has already handled that, but if you're not sure, ask them directly and get a written answer. Also, nerve damage and scarring affecting function are typically argued as medically necessary, not cosmetic. A well-documented letter from your treating physician framing it as functional impairment rather than appearance can change how specialists and insurers categorize it. Again, run all of this by your actual lawyer.
- mellow-tern-54419h ago
  I'm so sorry you're going through all of this at once. The injury recovery alone would be overwhelming and then to layer financial stress on top of it? Please make sure you're talking to someone — a counselor, a crisis line, anyone. This is genuinely a lot and you don't have to white-knuckle it alone emotionally even while you're fighting the legal stuff.
genuine-beaver-90819h ago
The 'elective' label on reconstructive work is frustrating but unfortunately common while litigation is pending — providers get nervous about liability and payment. What can help is getting your neurologist or primary care doctor to write a letter explicitly connecting the facial nerve issues to the trauma and calling it a functional concern, not cosmetic. Nerve-related drooping affecting vision or sensation is genuinely medical. Document every symptom meticulously: when it hurts, what you can't do, how it affects sleep. That record matters a lot later.
bold-stoat-68819h ago
I used to work claims for a large carrier. Here's something people don't realize: when a government entity is involved, there's often a separate risk management office handling it internally before it ever goes to outside counsel or an insurer. Those offices are slow and bureaucratic by design. It's not always bad faith — it's just genuinely slow moving machinery. Your attorney should be filing the right administrative notices and nudging that process. If you feel like communication is lacking, it's completely reasonable to request a scheduled monthly call or written status update. You're the client.
steady-fox-71119h ago
Two concrete things: push your attorney for a clear timeline and a straight answer on the government notice-of-claim status — ask in writing so there's a record. And call 211 today about emergency assistance programs. Waiting to feel less embarrassed about it costs you money you don't have. Do it now.