If you suffer injuries in a car accident and get taken to the hospital, one of the questions you will likely have is how long you’re going to need to stay in the medical center. Every day that you’re there increases your eventual hospital bill and the financial impact of the accident.

Naturally, the length of the stay depends on a lot of factors. If you just look at the average, on a national level, you’ll find that it is 4.5 days. Hospitals are working to get more efficient and shrink this average time if possible. But that may be a bit longer than you’d expect. What would spending an entire workweek in a hospital really be like?

The biggest factor to consider is the type of injury. For a simple bone fracture, you may be in and out quickly. They’ll set the bone, put on a cast, and allow you to go home and heal.

If you have a traumatic brain injury, on the other hand, you could be in the hospital for weeks. You may have trouble doing simple things like speaking or physically taking care of yourself. Even as you begin to heal, you may need to stay in the hospital to get physical therapy and regain skills. For every person who gets released in a few hours, you have others who spend days, weeks, or months in various hospital rooms.

If you do experience a long stay, the costs can be incredible, so make sure you know what options you have to seek out compensation from the driver who caused the crash. You have every right to ask their insurance to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.