Legal intervnt w injury by handgun, bystand injured, init

This code signifies an injury sustained by an individual who was an uninvolved third party during a legal intervention incident where a handgun was used. The injury is a direct result of the legal intervention, not a separate assault. This specific code indicates the initial treatment for the injury.

Apply this code when documenting the initial care for a patient who was injured by a handgun during a law enforcement action, and the patient was not the target of the intervention. Examples include a passerby hit by a stray bullet during a police shootout or an individual accidentally shot by an officer's weapon during an arrest.

• Ensure the documentation clearly states the injury occurred during a legal intervention and the patient was a bystander.
• Verify that the encounter being coded is the initial treatment for this specific injury.
• Remember to also code the specific nature of the injury (e.g., gunshot wound to the abdomen) in addition to this external cause code.