"Good Condition" in "HospitalSpeak" vs. Actual Good Condition

News accounts typically inform us of the severity of accident injuries only in the blandest sort of way. A report might say that three men who abruptly fell 3 stories when an unsafe balcony collapsed at The Grove in Denton went to the hospital with "non-life threatening injuries." A source at a hospital might later provide an update saying that these men are in "good condition."

When you read "non-life threatening injuries" and "good condition," you might breath a sigh of relief. You might think that these men who fell 3 stories when an unsafe balcony collapsed at The Grove in Denton might have a few bruises, maybe a minor laceration or two, and maybe even a broken bone. But the wording does not make it sound like they suffered any serious injuries, does it?

Well, let me tell you about these three men who went to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and were reported some days later to be in good condition. These men are Grant Draper, Garrett Draper, and Tony Garcia. They fell three stories onto concrete and metal one night at The Grove apartments in Denton, TX when an unsafe balcony collapsed underneath them.

Someone close to the men posted a comment giving the details of their "non-life threatening" injuries. These injuries are immensely painful just to contemplate. It's difficult to imagine the suffering these men have experienced since their sudden 3-story fall after a balcony collapsed at The Grove in Denton.

• Grant Draper:
  Broken pelvis,
  Broken wrist,
  2 broken ankles,
  Broken bone close to the hip,
  Landed on the balls of his feet which burst through the skin and detached the protective fat pads, and
  May lose both feet at the ankles if the tissue does not heal and reconnect properly.
• Garrett Draper:
  Fell face first on a car below,
  Sent into a drug-induced coma and intubated because of the severity of his facial injuries,
  Broken jaw,
  Fractured teeth,
  Broken cheek,
  Facial lacerations,
  Will have jaw wired shut for months,
  Will need reconstructive surgery on his face,
  Will likely need dental reconstruction,
  Broken pelvis,
  Broken arm,
  Broken ankle,
  Collapsed lung, and
  Had rod inserted in hip to stabilize joint.
• Tony Garcia:
  Broken pelvis, and
  Ruptured bladder.

Hospitals see all the worst injuries and illnesses every single day. "Non-life threatening injuries" simply means that the person probably won't die. "Good condition" seems to mean that the person probably won't die and that no unexpected complications have sprung from treatments and surgeries. But these terms clearly don't imply "good" or "non threatening" in the sense in which we usually use them

So next time you come across these bland injury descriptions, you may think about the possible severity of the pain, suffering and depth of injury the accident victims may have suffered. These innocuous phrases: non-life threatening injuries and good condition, don't rule out permanent disfigurement or disability. They don't rule out crippling injuries. They don't rule out permanent organ damage. They only rule out the immediate prospect of death.

I often think that we perform a disservice to the accident victims, who may experience indescribable suffering, when we characterize their injuries and conditions in such a bland way. But I also understand the desire of others not to be confronted with the blatant horror of some accident wounds and injuries. And I understand the victims' desire to avoid prying or maudlin pity while they are in pain.

But we shouldn't forget that these victims do suffer. And that those who caused their suffering should not be allowed to hide behind bland phrases or to get off the hook for the suffering their negligence has caused. The advocates for these victims, who fell 3 stories when a balcony collapsed at The Grove in Denton, have a duty to hold those negligent parties accountable.