Other contact with nonvenomous snake, initial encounter

This code signifies an injury or adverse event resulting from direct physical interaction with a nonvenomous snake, excluding bites. This could involve being struck by, entangled with, or otherwise physically affected by a non-venomous snake without the skin being broken by a bite.

Use this code when a patient presents with an injury or complaint directly attributable to contact with a nonvenomous snake, and the encounter is the initial treatment for this specific incident. Examples include a patient who falls while trying to avoid a nonvenomous snake, or sustains a contusion from being struck by one.

• Ensure the documentation clearly states the snake was nonvenomous and the injury was not a bite.
• Always append a seventh character for the encounter; 'A' for initial encounter is specified here.
• Code any resulting injuries (e.g., contusion, fracture) separately and sequence them before this external cause code.