Medical treatment is always costly, though your bills can significantly increase if an accidental injury requires surgical care. While surgery is necessary to treat many injuries from traffic crashes, falls, and other accidents, it can disrupt your life in many ways. The following are some common accidental injuries that often require surgery.
Spinal cord injuries do not always lead to permanent paralysis, and trauma doctors will try to do everything they can to minimize complications and permanent effects. This often requires surgically removing bone fragments and other debris that is causing compression and damage to the spinal cord.
Many patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) experience swelling, hemorrhaging, or fluid retention on their brains. This can lead to dangerously high intracranial pressure, which can cause further brain damage or even death. Doctors may need to surgically remove part of the skull to relieve pressure and implant a pressure monitor to limit complications.
Many accidents result in torn ligaments or tendons, which can limit movement and cause serious pain. If a soft tissue tear cannot be addressed through physical therapy or other measures, it may need to be surgically repaired.
Some broken bones can heal with a cast or another type of immobilization for a couple of months. However, other types of fractures will require surgery. Compound fractures involve the bone piercing through the skin, which puts a patient at a seriously high risk of infection. Compound fractures require emergency surgery to put the bone back into place, as well as properly clean and close the wound. If a bone fractures into multiple parts, surgeons may need to insert pins, rods, or plates to hold the bone in place while it heals. Another surgery may be needed to remove the hardware at a later date.
Vehicle crashes and other types of accidents can often cause punctured lungs, ruptured spleens, and other internal organ damage. These injuries can prevent vital organ functioning, as well as put victims at risk of potentially fatal internal bleeding. Surgeries are usually needed to repair the organ damage as soon as possible.
The financial cost of a surgical procedure can vary widely depending on the specific operation. However, in addition to bills for the procedure itself, accident victims may incur the following losses if they required surgery:
If someone else caused your accidental injuries, they should be held fully liable for all of the losses you incurred.
At Feltman Ewing, P.S., we help clients with all types of injuries and losses, including those from surgical procedures. Call (509) 838-6800 or contact us online for a free consultation with a Spokane personal injury attorney today.