Immediate Death (First Peak): Occurs at the scene within seconds to minutes of the injury. These are typically due to apnea from severe brain injury, high spinal cord injury, or rupture of major heart/blood vessels. They are generally considered unpreventable.Early Death (Second Peak): Occurs within the first 1 to 4 hours, often referred to as the "Golden Hour". These deaths are typically caused by intracranial hemorrhage, hemothorax, or intraperitoneal hemorrhage. These are often considered preventable with rapid, high-quality trauma care and hemorrhage control.Late Death (Third Peak): Occurs days or weeks after the injury. Common causes include sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS).
