Why Do Broken Hips Lead to Death?

A broken hip isn’t just a fracture – it represents a catastrophic injury and critical health risk, especially as we age.

Discover the severity and potential risks of broken hips and learn how Wagner Reese, LLP can help protect your rights.

At What Age Is a Broken Hip Life-Threatening?

A broken hip can be a very serious injury. As you get older, the risk of suffering a hip fracture increases substantially. Studies have shown that a third of adults aged over 50 years die within 12 months of suffering a hip fracture. Older adults’ chance of dying within the first three months of a hip fracture is five to eight times higher than younger individuals.

Why is a Hip Fracture So Dangerous?

Hip fractures are life-threatening for elderly patients because they trigger a cascade of serious medical complications. Studies show that 20-30% of elderly patients die within one year of breaking a hip, making it one of the most dangerous injuries for seniors. The danger comes not from the bone fracture itself, but from the complications that follow:

Broken Hip Recovery Time

Since full recovery from a hip fracture often takes six months to one year, there is a significant reduction in a person’s quality of life and an increasing dependency on others. Young adults can often see recovery times on the shorter side. For the elderly, this can end up taking much longer than usual.

Some patients are obliged to move out of their homes and into residential care facilities. The longer recovery time for an elderly person combined with decreased morale contributes to the poor outcomes of a hip fracture after age 65.

What Are the Risk Factors for Hip Fractures?

While hip fractures can occur in any individual, they are most common in individuals who meet the following criteria. Higher risk factors of a hip fracture are also associated with an increased risk of death.

Age

Broken hips are more likely to occur to those over the age of 65. This vulnerability stems from several age-related changes. Bone density naturally declines, making bones weaker (osteoporosis). Muscle mass also diminishes, impacting balance and coordination. Falls become more likely, and weaker muscles offer less protection during a fall, concentrating the impact on the hip, increasing the risk of femoral neck fractures and femoral head fractures. 

Additionally, pre-existing health conditions like arthritis or heart disease, more common in older adults, can further limit mobility and increase fall risk. Reduced mobility after a fall can lead to complications like blood clots. Strength training and calcium-rich diets can help maintain bone density, reducing the likelihood of severe fractures.

Broken Hip After 80

For those over 80, the risk of complications and mortality following a hip fracture escalates significantly.

Increased risk of falling

Several factors may cause falls. Poor vision, trip hazards, frailty, and medication side effects can all contribute to elderly people falling and sustaining injuries. Dementia is also often cited as increasing the risk of falls.

Bone fragility

Osteoporosis, which is recognized as exhibiting degradation of bone tissue and low bone mass, is another factor in hip fractures, particularly in older women. One in three women and one in five men sustain fractures because of bone fragility. Because this chronic disease increases the chances of fractures and broken bones, it has been led to death in many cases.

Prior fractures

Previous fractures are also cited as an increased risk factor for future fractures. Research shows that roughly 30% of people with hip fractures have suffered a previous fracture—the heightened chance of experiencing a second fracture after your first one persists for up to 10 years.

An Increased Risk of Death

Most people who suffer a hip fracture undergo surgery, and sometimes a prosthetic device must be implanted. This procedure will usually require weeks or even months of physical therapy. Hip fracture surgery in the United States can cost tens of thousands of dollars in the U.S.

What Causes Death After a Hip Fracture?

Death after a hip fracture is most often caused by post-surgical complications rather than the fracture itself. The leading causes include bacterial or aspiration pneumonia, heart attack, blood clots (pulmonary embolism, DVT), stroke, acute kidney failure, and infections from prolonged immobility. One in three adults over 50 dies within 12 months of a hip fracture.

Ways to Improve Outcomes

Controlling post-surgery pain and symptoms, increasing independence, and providing prompt care is vital to improving patient outcomes.

Focus on mobility:

Patients should receive treatment aimed at restoring mobility. This may take the form of exercises to improve the range of motion, aquatic therapy, and strength and resistance exercises. Therapy should also include gait and balance exercises.

Even if a patient doesn’t undergo surgery following a hip fracture, therapy is necessary to get them moving and avoid the deadly complications of being immobile. 

Diligent care:

Case management is also critical to achieving good outcomes. Poor surgical wound care is a significant factor in death among hip fracture patients. This can be the result of poor aseptic standards and mismanagement of soft tissues known to cause sepsis.

Timely treatment:

Patients with broken hips should be treated as orthopedic emergencies. Delayed surgery can lead to severe complications and higher mortality rates.

The Importance Of Seeking Legal Help

A broken hip caused by negligence can have devastating consequences, leading to extended hospitalization, lost wages, and even death. In such cases, seeking legal help can be critical in securing the compensation you or your loved one deserves.

An attorney can make a significant difference by establishing liability, calculating damages, and fighting for maximum compensation.

Overall, having seasoned injury claim lawyers by your side is critical in securing the compensation you or your loved one deserves.

Possible Compensation from Injury Claims

If a broken hip resulted from negligence, filing a personal injury claim can help recover damages associated with the injury and its aftermath. Compensation can include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium.

Finally, in case of death, surviving family members (spouse, children, parents) may be eligible for compensation through a wrongful death claim for the loss of financial support and emotional distress caused by their loved one’s death.

Consult an Attorney if a Family Member Breaks a Hip

If a family member has died due to a hip fracture, seek legal advice as soon as possible. Their death may have been avoidable. Perhaps they received the wrong treatment, or the proper treatment was not given promptly. If they did not receive the expected level of care, you might have a compensation claim.

You may also be able to file damages if their broken hip was caused due to the negligence of another party after car accidents, nursing home neglect, poor medical management, or complications from underlying medical conditions. Contact the Indiana personal injury lawyers at Wagner Reese to arrange a free consultation to discuss your case and seek support during this challenging time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hip Fractures

Why are hip fractures so dangerous for elderly people?

Hip fractures are among the most serious injuries an older adult can sustain because they trigger a cascade of complications that are difficult for an aging body to survive. Immobility following a hip fracture leads to blood clots (deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism), pneumonia from reduced lung capacity, pressure sores, and severe muscle loss. The surgery required to repair a broken hip carries its own anesthesia and cardiovascular risks for elderly patients. Together, these complications explain why a significant percentage of older adults who suffer a hip fracture do not survive the year following the injury.

Can a fall in a nursing home that causes a hip fracture be considered negligence?

Yes. If a nursing home resident suffers a fall that results in a hip fracture, the facility may be liable for negligence if it failed to implement a proper fall prevention plan, maintain adequate staffing, assess the resident’s fall risk appropriately, or respond promptly to known hazards. Federal regulations require nursing homes to maintain an environment that prevents accidents to the extent possible. Indiana families who believe a family member’s hip fracture was caused by nursing home negligence should document the circumstances of the fall and consult Wagner Reese for a free evaluation.

What evidence should families gather after a nursing home fall causes a hip fracture?

Families should request the nursing home’s incident report and the resident’s complete medical records as soon as possible after a fall. Photograph any visible injuries, document the condition of the environment where the fall occurred (wet floors, missing handrails, inadequate lighting), and note the names of any staff or witnesses present. Request the resident’s care plan and fall risk assessment — these documents show whether the facility identified and appropriately responded to fall risks. Evidence can disappear or be altered if not preserved quickly, making early legal consultation important.

What complications after a hip fracture should families watch for in a hospital or nursing home?

After a hip fracture, families should watch for signs of pneumonia (fever, cough, difficulty breathing), blood clots in the legs (swelling, redness, pain in the calf) or lungs (sudden shortness of breath, chest pain), pressure sores on the heels and tailbone from immobility, infection at the surgical site, and delirium or sudden confusion, which is common in elderly patients post-surgery and often indicates a serious underlying issue. Inadequate monitoring or failure to treat these complications promptly in a care facility may itself constitute negligence.

Who can be held liable if an elderly person dies after a hip fracture caused by a fall?

Depending on the circumstances, multiple parties may share liability for a fatal fall. If the fall occurred in a nursing home or assisted living facility, the facility and its ownership may be liable for negligent care, inadequate staffing, or failure to follow care protocols. If the fall was caused by a defective product such as a walker or bed rail, the manufacturer may be liable. If post-fracture complications resulted from medical errors during surgery or recovery care, the treating physicians or hospital may face malpractice liability. Wagner Reese’s Indiana personal injury attorneys can evaluate which parties bear responsibility in your family’s specific situation.