Accidental malfunction of hunting rifle, initial encounter

This code signifies an injury resulting from an unintended discharge or mechanical failure of a hunting rifle. The malfunction is accidental, and the patient is experiencing the initial phase of care for the resulting injury.

Apply this code when documenting an injury sustained due to a hunting rifle's accidental firing, jamming, or other mechanical failure during a hunting activity. This includes scenarios where the rifle discharges without the trigger being pulled or fails to operate as intended, leading to patient harm.

• Ensure the documentation clearly states the rifle was a "hunting rifle" and the malfunction was "accidental."
• Verify this is the initial encounter for the injury; subsequent encounters will require different seventh characters.
• Always code the specific injury sustained in addition to this external cause code.