Stephen Schultz | August 5, 2024 | Personal Injury
It may sound shocking, but around 60,000 Americans die from exsanguination every year, according to a review from The New England Journal of Medicine. Also referred to as hemorrhaging, exsanguination means bleeding to death. It is often the result of a catastrophic injury. An injured person’s bleeding may be visible or internal.
In all cases, exsanguination happens when the body loses so much blood it can no longer sustain itself. Blood loss in itself is not painful, but suffering injuries serious enough to cause hemorrhaging may be.
Exsanguination can happen within five minutes, depending on the person’s injuries. However, people can survive even very serious hemorrhaging if they receive the necessary medical help in time.
How Quickly Does Exsanguination Happen?
An adult male who weighs around 200 pounds has almost 6 liters or 12 pints of blood in his body. Adult females typically have around 9 pints or 4.3 liters of blood. Most people can survive losing around 30% of their blood volume if they receive medical interventions like fluid replenishment and/or a blood transfusion.
However, the rate of blood loss also matters. When blood loss is slow, the body has more time to compensate. For example, with a slow, undetected internal bleed, an individual could live normally for weeks without noticing any symptoms. With a slow bleed like this, a healthy person could lose up to 30% of their blood volume without nearing death.
When blood loss occurs rapidly, it is more dangerous. Losing only 15% of your blood volume within a few hours could lead to death by exsanguination.
Causes of Exsanguination
Without medical care, exsanguination could be caused by almost any type of serious bleeding wound.
Examples of exsanguination that could result in a personal injury claim include:
- Misdiagnosis of internal trauma
- Laceration of a major artery during an accident or in surgery
- Trauma that causes severe internal injuries
- Trauma that causes severe external injuries
- Medications that prevent blood from clotting
If an individual exsanguinates because of another person’s negligence — as in medical malpractice or an auto accident — a wrongful death lawsuit gives heirs an opportunity for financial compensation.
Medical Conditions That Can Cause Exsanguination
Several medical conditions can cause an individual to hemorrhage severely enough to exsanguinate.
Examples include:
- Lung cancer
- Low platelets
- Hemophilia
- Leukemia
- Vitamin K deficiency
- Liver disease
- Excessive menstruation
Exsanguination resulting from a medical condition may also qualify for a personal injury lawsuit if the condition worsens as a result of medical malpractice.
Common Accidents That Can Cause Exsanguination
Exsanguination is most likely to happen after an accident that causes severe crushing injuries, such as a car accident or an on-the-job injury. Any accident that causes severe internal trauma or the severing of a major artery can result in bleeding to death.
People with medical conditions that prevent the normal coagulation of blood and those on anticoagulant medications may exsanguinate with more minor injuries.
In all cases, if the accident was caused by negligence, a personal injury claim may help hold the negligent party responsible.
Taking Legal Action After a Loved One’s Exsanguination
Exsanguination is rare, but it is possible to bleed to death if you are seriously injured and medical help is not quickly available. Because some bleeding injuries are internal, it is always advised that victims get a medical checkup after a trauma. If you experience any dizziness, nausea, or sweating after an injury, seek emergency medical care.
Taking legal action can’t make up for the loss of a loved one, but if someone you care for exsanguinated because of another person’s negligence, a personal injury case can provide financial support during a difficult time.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm in St. Louis, MO
If you’ve been injured, please contact the attorneys at Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation, we proudly serve all throughout Missouri, including St. Louis County and Boone County and we have offices in St. Louis, Ladue, Columbia, Creve Coeur.
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Louis Office
1430 Washington Ave Ste 225
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 444-4444
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Ladue Office
9807 S 40 Dr
St. Louis, MO 63124
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Columbia Office
28 N 8th St # 502
Columbia, MO 65201
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Creve Coeur Office
999 Executive Pkwy Dr #205
Creve Coeur, MO 63141
