A(n) ______ occurs whenever a large blood vessel is damaged and bleeds.

A hematoma occurs when a large blood vessel is damaged and blood leaks out into the surrounding tissues, creating a localized collection of blood that is typically contained. This can happen due to trauma, where the force or injury to the area causes blood vessels to rupture. The accumulation of blood leads to the characteristic swelling and discoloration associated with a hematoma.

In contrast, a contusion, commonly referred to as a bruise, involves bleeding under the skin due to smaller blood vessels breaking but does not typically indicate the same degree of damage as a hematoma. A crushing injury refers to the damage done to body tissues when they are subjected to a heavy, compressive force, which does not specifically relate to blood vessel damage alone. An avulsion is an injury where a body structure is forcibly detached or torn away, which can also result in bleeding but isn’t specifically characterized by the accumulation of blood in the tissues as a hematoma is. Therefore, the best answer is that a hematoma is specifically defined by the context of bleeding from a large blood vessel.