Teen girl suffers serious injuries after car hits large moose in northern Minnesota

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A 17-year-old girl was left with serious injuries after her car collided with a moose in Bassett Township, Minnesota, according to a fundraiser set up to help pay for her medical treatment.

According to the fundraiser, Amaya Nelson and her boyfriend were headed to go see her dad last Monday when the moose jumped in front of her Dodge Neon. Family members say she was driving the speed limit, but the collision with the 1,400-pound animal caused extensive damage to the vehicle, with the brunt of the impact hitting Nelson's side.

Making matters worse, because the animal was so large, only its legs hit the car's bumper, so the airbags didn't go off.

Nelson and her boyfriend survived the crash, but both suffered injuries. Photos posted to GoFundMe show Nelson with a broken and bloodied face. According to the post, she suffered multiple fractures to her skull and face, damage to her teeth, bruising on her brain stem, and damage to her cerebral membrane that is leaking cerebrospinal fluid. Friends say that could require brain surgery, depending on the extent of the membrane damage.

Her boyfriend was initially discharged from the hospital, so he could remain by Nelson's side, but was later treated for head, neck, and arm injuries.

Before her first round of surgery, the family says Nelson was in good spirits but has a long road ahead of her. Insurance will cover most of the costs for her family, but they say Nelson's recovery will require them to take time off work to aid in the process. The money will also be used to pay for other equipment and a new car for Nelson -- with more modern safety features.

You can click here to read more on the fundraiser.