Set against the backdrop of high desert landscapes and a vibrant local culture, Albuquerque is a place people are proud to call home, but that doesn’t mean life here is without challenges. Living in Albuquerque means relying on public transportation, especially buses, to get to work, school, and medical appointments.
But when a crash happens, and you already have a medical condition, the situation quickly becomes more complicated. You feel the pain more intensely. Recovery takes longer, and filing a claim becomes more stressful than it should be.
This is where working with an experienced Albuquerque bus accident attorney matters. Your claim isn’t about pretending you were perfectly healthy before. It’s about showing how the crash made things worse and why that deserves fair compensation.
Types of Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
When it comes to the types of pre-existing medical conditions that could interfere with your bus accident claim, the possibilities are often endless. The most common ones are the following:
- Chronic neck or back issues
- Previous fractures
- Herniated disc
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury
- Sprains and strains, etc.
You must note that if you already have one or more of the above-mentioned conditions, bus accidents can make them even worse.
Can Pre-Existing Conditions Complicate a Personal Injury Claim?
It is a well-established law that should you choose to file a personal injury claim following an accident, any compensation you get as damages will not cover pre-accident injuries or conditions.
However, the at-fault person may be held financially responsible for the consequences if their carelessness or other wrongdoing exacerbated your pre-existing ailment. The existence of a pre-existing injury or condition might make it more difficult to identify culpability and calculate damages. This is even while this rule may seem straightforward, given the complexity of the human body and the challenges associated with demonstrating causation in some situations.
How Pre-Existing Conditions Affect Your Claim?
Many people live with chronic conditions or old injuries that are stable until something happens to aggravate them. A crash on a city bus can do exactly that: turn manageable pain into something life-altering. When this happens, insurance companies may argue that your current suffering has nothing to do with the accident.
A claim involving a pre-existing condition is not impossible, but it does require clear evidence that the crash caused a meaningful change in your health. That change might show up as new pain, more frequent flare-ups, or the need for new medical treatment. These details help prove that the accident didn’t leave you the way it found you.
The Law Protects People with Health History
There is a legal principle in personal injury law that says if someone causes harm, they are responsible for all the damage—even if the person they hurt had health issues before the incident.
The law does not expect perfect health. It recognizes that people bring their full medical history with them into every situation. If a bus crash makes your condition worse, the person or company responsible for the crash can still be held fully accountable.
What Evidence Helps Your Case?
The strongest claims have documentation that shows your condition before and after the accident. That means medical records, doctor’s notes, prescriptions, and imaging scans. If you were working, parenting, or living with a stable condition—and now your condition has worsened—your records will show that shift.
An attorney can work with medical experts to explain how the crash caused your condition to deteriorate. Expert reports and clear timelines are key to fighting insurance companies that try to blame your pain on your past instead of the accident itself.
Steps To Take If You Have a Pre-Existing Condition
After a crash, take these actions to strengthen your claim:
- Get medical care immediately and report all symptoms.
- Request copies of all records, both past and new.
- Follow your treatment plan closely.
- Speak with a qualified bus accident attorney as early as possible.
Final Words
A bus accident attorney brings experience, strategy, and emotional distance to your case. They handle the communication, build the case, and challenge any attempt to downplay your condition. That support can make a real difference—not only in how your case is handled but in how you focus on healing.
