Complications of Severe Blood Loss After Brooklyn Car Accidents

Various injuries can cause victims to lose blood after car accidents in Brooklyn. Sometimes, this blood loss is minimal, and it may cause negligible health complications for victims. In other situations, the blood loss is excessive. What kinds of complications can you expect if you lost a serious amount of blood after your car crash? How can you treat these complications? Can a New York auto accident lawyer help you access the necessary compensation for your medical expenses?

How Do Car Accidents Cause Blood Loss?

Car accidents can lead to blood loss in various ways. In this context, bleeding falls into two categories: External and internal. External bleeding occurs after a laceration to the exterior (skin) of the victim. If this laceration severs an artery or a major blood vessel, bleeding may be severe. Severed arteries can be fatal, and although first responders are trained to address these issues, the victim may lose serious amounts of blood before their arrival.

Internal bleeding occurs inside the patient with no external lacerations. For example, a patient might suffer organ damage due to a crushing impact during a car accident. Internal brain bleeding (intracranial hemorrhaging) is also relatively common for car accident victims. These internal injuries can also cause significant blood loss.

Acidosis After Severe Blood Loss

One complication that may occur after severe blood loss is acidosis. This issue occurs when the tissues of the human body do not receive enough oxygen because the blood cells cannot deliver it. This leads to acid buildup within the body, lowering the pH of the remaining blood. Acidosis can be fatal.

Hypocalcemia

Another potential complication is hypocalcemia, which is the depletion of calcium in the blood. Calcium plays an important role in the body, and its depletion can lead to issues with the heart, nerves, kidneys, and muscles. In serious cases, this issue can lead to kidney failure.

Although blood loss can lead to hypocalcemia, this issue may also arise after a patient receives their blood transfusion. Blood products in these transfusions can deplete available calcium, worsening existing hypocalcemia and making issues like kidney failure more likely.

Long-Term Complications of Blood Transfusions

Even months or years after receiving a blood transfusion, you may face various long-term complications. These include pregnancy risks, suppressed immune systems, infection, and a rare illness called transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD).

Key Takeaways 

• Excessive blood loss can occur after severe lacerations
• Severe blood loss can lead to various complications
• You can lose 40-50% of your blood without dying

Contact a Brooklyn Auto Accident Lawyer for Further Guidance 

A Brooklyn auto accident lawyer may be able to help if you have experienced certain complications after losing excessive amounts of blood. Complications like acidosis and hypocalcemia may occur after blood loss. Consider contacting Cohan Law, PLLC for further guidance. With legal assistance, you can access the compensation you need to cover medical bills, wage loss, and other damages.

Sources:

 my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22795-hypovolemic-shock

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2887168/