What is a hematoma characterized by?

A hematoma is characterized by a pooling of blood or fluids beneath the skin, which occurs due to damage to blood vessels. This can happen as a result of trauma, injury, or certain medical conditions that affect blood clotting. The accumulation of blood can lead to a visible swelling, often causing discoloration of the skin, typically presenting as a bruise.

The other options describe different conditions or injuries. A scrape refers to surface-level damage to the skin, which does not involve deep bleeding or pooling of blood beneath the surface. A fracture indicates a break in a bone, which does not relate to hematomas directly, while a dislocated joint involves the misalignment of bone ends at a joint, also unrelated to the accumulation of blood in soft tissue.