A severe injury sometimes requires a hospital stay, which may or may not involve surgery. According to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the injuries that most often require a hospital stay include:
- Fractures. Hip fractures topped the list, followed by fractures in the legs, pelvis, ribs, and spine. Together, these accounted for nearly 40 percent of injury-related hospital stays. The average hospital stay for a major fracture was five to six days, but the rate of death in the hospital from these injuries was quite low – less than two percent.
- Traumatic brain injuries. Severe brain injuries also accounted for a large percentage of injury-related hospital stays. Swelling in the brain was often a major concern. The rate of death in-hospital for these patients is just above ten percent, one of the highest rates for injuries that require hospitalization.
- Medication overdoses or poisoning. Poisoning, especially by medications, is often a cause of hospital stays. These stays average about three days. If medical malpractice results in medication overdose or poisoning, a patient’s stay for another injury might be lengthened.
- Spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries typically make up less than one percent of those staying in the hospital each year. However, the length of stay for a spinal cord injury is much longer than average – about two weeks – and the cost of an average hospitalization for a spinal cord injury is much higher than for other injury types. These injuries are also the least likely to resolve completely.
Hospitalization is a major source of medical bills after an injury. Even a simple stay of a few days can cost several thousand dollars – a huge burden for anyone who is already struggling to stay afloat in a weakened economy. If you or someone you love has been injured, the experienced New Hampshire accident lawyers at Tenn And Tenn, P.A. can help. Call us today at (888) 332-5855 for a free and confidential consultation by telephone.