A(n) ______ is usually associated with extensive tissue damage.

The correct answer is hematoma. A hematoma is a localized collection of blood outside of blood vessels, resulting from the rupture of blood vessels due to trauma. This situation typically follows significant tissue damage, which is why it is commonly associated with extensive tissue injury.

When a hematoma occurs, it signifies that blood has leaked into the surrounding tissues, leading to swelling, discoloration, and potential loss of function in that area. Hematomas often indicate underlying soft-tissue injury and sometimes may occur alongside fractures or more severe tissue insults.

Understanding the characteristics of other injuries, such as contusions, crushing injuries, and avulsions, reveals how they may present differently and may not always imply extensive tissue damage to the same extent as hematomas do. While these injuries can also involve tissue damage, a hematoma specifically highlights a damaging event where bleeding accumulates in soft tissues, marking it as particularly indicative of severe injury.