We have use our Laptops anytime and anywhere, for schools and offices or at home. We carried our laptop by hand or handbag but for some point we loss out of control. It fell down or slipped on our hand, or can be dropped from our table to the ground floor or where our laptops in because the accident will come unexpectedly. Most accident happened is its fell down to our hand then have tendency it will broke down to ground floor the hinges of laptop, specially if it is opened and the way its fell is vertical position. Because the hinges work is to support the laptop to uplift. So you can able to bend for opening and closing the laptop. 

Now on that experience you encountered, there is a solution to get repair. Whether one side only or both side, there is possible to fix the broken hinges. This is a hardware problem that need spare parts to repair and make it strong the support. There is a chances to not be replace the hinges if the broken is minor only but if really goes out the hinges then expect to get replace. Repairing hinges broken may take 1 - 2 days depend on the available parts and damage of laptop. 

Be watchful  to your laptop if you have seen its goes up the corner of hinges during opening and closing, even not encountered fell down and bump to surface. Its shows only that the hinges are weak now to handle the laptop. So get help and must early to fix the problem before it may get worsts and more parts of laptop will be damage, like the cable of screen or the charger pin or can be reason of disconnection.