Helicopter crash injuring occupant, initial encounter

This code signifies an injury sustained by an individual who was an occupant of a helicopter involved in a crash. It specifically identifies the mechanism of injury as a helicopter accident and indicates that this is the initial treatment encounter for the related injuries.

Apply this code for patients presenting to an emergency department or hospital for the first time following a helicopter crash where they were a passenger or pilot. This would include injuries ranging from minor contusions to severe trauma directly resulting from the impact or subsequent events of the crash.

• Always sequence this external cause code after the primary diagnosis code(s) for the specific injuries sustained.
• Ensure the "A" for initial encounter is appropriate; subsequent encounters would use "D" or "S".
• Verify the patient was an occupant; different codes apply for non-occupants or those injured by falling debris.