What Kinds of Injuries Require a Hospital Stay?

By Grant Law Office on January 26, 2012

Accidents of all kinds can result in injury, but not all injuries require a person to stay in a hospital for treatment. Certain injuries are far more likely to result in a hospital stay than others, according to data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Common injuries that require a hospital stay include: fractures, brain injuries, poisonings, and injuries caused by slip and fall accidents.

Fractures are the most common injury that causes hospitalization, accounting for over 52 percent of hospital stays, according to AHRQ. Hip and leg fractures most often require a hospital stay, but fractures of the pelvis, ribs, spine, or arms also make the list.

The second most common injury for adults was poisoning, often from being prescribed the wrong medication or accidentally taking too much or the wrong combination of medications. The AHRQ study did not separate out poisonings from hospital malpractice, but these can also occur, and often lengthen a hospital stay if they do.

The most severe and expensive types of injuries requiring hospital stays were traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries were by far the most expensive, and they had the highest death rate for hospitalized patients at 13.5 percent. About 10 percent of TBI sufferers did not survive their hospital stays, often due to swelling of the brain that shut down vital body functions.

At The Law Offices of Wayne Grant, P.C., our experienced Georgia personal injury lawyers are dedicated to helping those who have been injured by another’s negligence. To learn more about how we can help you protect your legal rights and seek compensation, call us today at (404) 995-3955 (Atlanta) or (478) 742-5454 (Macon) for a free consultation.