Assault by paintball gun discharge, initial encounter

This code describes an injury resulting from an assault where a paintball gun was the weapon. The injury is directly caused by the discharge of the paintball gun, indicating the patient was struck by a paintball. This code is specifically for the initial encounter for treatment of such an injury.

Apply this code when documenting the initial medical evaluation and treatment of a patient who presents with an injury sustained from being shot by a paintball gun in an assault. This includes injuries like contusions, abrasions, or eye trauma directly caused by the paintball impact. It should be used for the first visit related to this specific injury.

• Always sequence this code as a primary diagnosis for the initial injury encounter.
• Code any specific injuries (e.g., contusion, open wound, eye injury) in addition to this external cause code.
• Ensure the documentation clearly states the injury was due to an assault and involved a paintball gun.