Forced landing of helicopter injuring occupant, subs encntr

This code signifies an injury sustained by an individual involved in a helicopter that made an unplanned or emergency landing, where the landing itself was the cause of the injury. This specific code is used for follow-up care, rehabilitation, or any subsequent encounters related to the initial injury.

Apply this code for patients presenting for ongoing treatment of injuries, such as fractures, sprains, or internal injuries, that occurred during a forced helicopter landing. It is appropriate for follow-up appointments, physical therapy sessions, or surgical revisions related to the initial incident.

• Ensure this is a subsequent encounter; for the initial treatment, a different seventh character (A) would be used.
• Always code the specific injury(ies) sustained by the occupant in addition to this external cause code.
• Verify that the injury was directly attributable to the forced landing event, not a pre-existing condition or other unrelated trauma.