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Valley Teen Injured In Accident Returns Home

It’s “home sweet home” for a Palm Desert teen who recently came out of a coma and has undergone months of rehabilitation following a car accident back on December 22nd.

Karrisa McGinness, 19, was a passenger of an SUV with two other people inside when the one of the vehicle’s tires blew out and rolled off Interstate 10 near Palm Springs.

Karrisa was ejected and had to be resuscitated at the scene. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and went into a coma, twice.

After spending more than two months in a coma at Desert Regional Medical Center, she was transferred to Loma Linda Medical Center, where she’s been in therapy.

“She’s a miracle to be here,” Karissa’s mother, Colleen Cosner, said.”She was resuscitated at the accident scene, then at the hospital. Then, having all the health issues, disabilities — having to overcome all that, she’s doing very well.”

But now, Cosner is tangling with her insurance company, UnitedHealthcare, over some of her daughter’s medical bills and a denial to cover a rehab stay at a neurological center in Bakersfield.

Colleen says when doctors at the center tried to negotiate costs for a 30-day stay, the company turned her down.

“How sad is that a young girl fought for her life…what an insult to the Desert Regional staff who saved her life…to only deny her the help she needs to get well,” said Cosner.

Cosner says she will try to raise money on her own to help pay for her daughter’s recovery from brain injuries.

A trust fund has also been set up under “karrisasfund” at U.S. Bank, account number 153462522340.

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