Mark Casto | November 25, 2025 | Personal Injury Lawyer Near Columbus, Georgia
The heart requires a significant amount of blood to pump correctly and ensure that every tissue in the body gets the oxygen and nutrients it needs. The human body can survive after losing a considerable amount of blood, but if enough is lost, the heart can no longer function properly. This quickly results in the various organs shutting down, followed by death.
If one of your loved ones died from bleeding out as a result of another party’s wrongful or negligent conduct, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim. Learn more about exsanguination and how the legal process proceeds in Georgia.
Understanding Exsanguination
Exsanguination refers to blood loss that’s severe enough to cause death.
It eventually results in hemorrhagic shock, the severity of which can be described using four categories:
- Class I: Losing up to 15% of total blood volume
- Class II: Losing up to 30% of total blood volume
- Class III: Losing between 30% and 40% of total blood volume
- Class IV: Losing more than 40% of total blood volume
Exsanguination can occur as a result of internal or external bleeding. Internal bleeding is particularly dangerous because someone may not realize that they’ve suffered a life-threatening injury until it’s already a medical emergency.
What Are Common Symptoms of Exsanguination?
Once blood volume starts dropping, the body will begin displaying signs of distress, which may include:
- Sweating and clammy skin
- Shortness of breath
- Complaints of pain or discomfort
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Palor
- Loss of consciousness
Once someone loses about 30% of their blood volume, rapid breathing can commence. Blood pressure drops quickly, which can cause the individual to grow dizzy and agitated. Contacting emergency services as soon as possible is essential for preventing further loss and ensuring that life-saving measures are implemented.
What Can Cause Exsanguination?
Virtually any traumatic event can lead to exsanguination.
For example, car accidents, especially rollover crashes and other severe collisions, can cause internal bleeding, amputation injuries, and a variety of different wounds that could result in exsanguination. Falls and workplace accidents can also cause heavy bleeding via deep lacerations, organ damage, and puncture wounds.
Medical malpractice is another possible cause. If someone is given the wrong medications and coagulation is impeded, or if a surgeon commits an error during an operation, a patient could suffer severe blood loss. Additionally, failing to monitor patients after various procedures, including surgery and giving birth, can open the door to life-threatening hemorrhages.
Filing a Wrongful Death Claim in Georgia
If one of your loved ones has died because of another party’s negligence or misconduct, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim. This is far from a straightforward process.
In Georgia, the surviving spouse has the first right to file a wrongful death claim. If there is no spouse, then the deceased’s children can file, followed by the deceased’s parents. If none of these parties exist, the executor of the deceased’s estate can initiate the claim.
As with personal injury claims, successfully pursuing a wrongful death claim typically requires showing that the defendant owed the deceased a duty of care, which they breached, leading directly to the fatal complication.
Contact Our Columbus Wrongful Death Lawyer at Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm for a Free Consultation
A skilled Columbus wrongful death attorney can help you seek the compensation you and your fellow survivors deserve after the death of a loved one.
You’ll be dealing with grief and the many expenses that come with laying someone to rest, so having someone else to focus on the legal aspects of your case can take some of the pressure off you and give you a chance to heal. And with fair and adequate compensation, moving on will be that much less stressful. Call Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm for a free consultation.
If you were injured in an accident in Columbus, GA, and need legal help, contact our Columbus wrongful death lawyers at Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm to schedule a free case review today.
Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm
233 12th St #808, Columbus, GA 31901
(706) 940-4030