Struck by baseball, initial encounter

This code indicates an injury sustained when a patient is hit by a baseball. It specifically refers to the initial presentation for care related to this incident, regardless of the severity or type of injury sustained from the impact.

Apply this code when a patient presents to an emergency department, urgent care, or physician's office for the first time following an injury caused by being struck by a baseball. This includes injuries occurring during a game, practice, or recreational activity. It should be used in conjunction with a code for the specific injury (e.g., fracture, contusion).

• Always sequence this external cause code after the primary injury code.
• Ensure the 7th character "A" (initial encounter) is used only for the first time the patient is seen for this specific injury.
• Do not use this code for injuries sustained from being struck by a bat or other baseball equipment; specific codes exist for those scenarios.