Mark Roman | May 30, 2024 | Personal Injury
Whether your loved one has been involved in a car accident, suffered a serious slip and fall, or an accident at a workplace, or is preparing for surgery, it’s likely (and natural) for you to have immediate concerns about their medical outcomes, such as their chances of survival and recovery. However, one possibility that might not even be on your radar is exsanguination.
Exsanguination occurs when someone suffers blood loss so significant that it results in death. It is a condition often associated with trauma or other circumstances that are too severe for the body’s blood-clotting system to manage.
You may be more familiar with the layperson’s term for this phenomenon: bleeding out. Nevertheless, exsanguination may occur as a result of either internal or external injuries, and a person could bleed to death in as little as five minutes.
Should you lose a loved one to an injury that leads to exsanguination, you need to determine whether it was simply an accident or someone else’s fault. On that note, below are some common causes of exsanguination and steps you can take if you suspect that the negligence or malice of another is to blame.
Common Causes of Exsanguination
Exsanguination may occur in a variety of situations that result in uncontrolled bleeding. Intense trauma to the blood vessels, whether through a severe laceration or impact damage, could result in significant external or internal bleeding. Medical conditions and certain medications may play a role as well, perhaps indirectly.
Trauma
The human spirit may be indomitable, but the human body is remarkably fragile. Even a small cut in the wrong place could lead to excessive external bleeding, especially if a major artery is nicked or punctured.
Impacts and crushing damage can also lead to exsanguination by way of internal hemorrhaging. Being in a car accident, an incident in which you are struck by something on a construction site, or even just slipping and falling on an icy sidewalk, for example, could leave no visible cuts but result in internal bleeding. If it is significant enough, it may result in death.
Medical Conditions
Alongside instances of trauma, there are a range of medical conditions that might contribute to bleeding incidents that ultimately result in exsanguination. Often, these are conditions that have symptoms related to inadequate blood clotting. They include bleeding disorders like hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, or thrombocytopenia (a condition defined by a low blood platelet count).
Certain cancers that affect blood cells, like leukemia, may also play a role in excessive blood loss related to even minor cuts. Lung cancer symptoms may even include bleeding in the airways.
Other medical conditions sometimes associated with a higher risk for exsanguination include liver disease, diverticulosis, and vitamin K deficiency.
Medications
Beyond trauma and underlying conditions, some types of medications or medical treatments can increase one’s risk of exsanguination. Blood thinners, which are commonly used to treat heart disease, can impact the body’s natural blood clotting system.
The same is true of anticoagulants, which might be prescribed to prevent blood clots in patients who have an increased risk of such conditions as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a pulmonary embolism, for example. Even aspirin is a medication that can increase the risk of bleeding.
Radiation therapy, which is commonly used to treat cancer patients, may impact blood cells, including platelets, as well.
Lastly, even though bleeding during surgical procedures is normal (and medical professionals are trained to immediately address any excessive blood loss), accidents can still occur. Any negligence or omission that leads to injury or death could be grounds for medical malpractice.
Legal Steps To Take After Losing a Loved One
If you’ve lost a loved one to exsanguination, you may have a case for compensation. If another person or entity is to blame due to negligence, malice, or other illegal activity that caused an accident or otherwise resulted in wrongful death, you should contact a qualified attorney to discuss your case and learn more about options for legal recourse.
Contact the New Port Richey Personal Injury Law Firm of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
For more information, please contact the legal team of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer in New Port Richey. We have four convenient locations in Florida: Clearwater, New Port Richey, and Tampa.
We serve throughout Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, and its surrounding areas:
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
2515 Seven Springs Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL, 34655
(727) 815-8442
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
1811 N. Belcher Road, Suite I-1
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 787-2500
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Congress Ave Office
2360 Congress Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 591-5610
Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
6601 Memorial Hwy Suite 202
Tampa, FL 33615
(813) 686-7588