Assault by corrosive or caustic substance, except poisoning

This code signifies an injury resulting from an intentional act of assault where a corrosive or caustic chemical substance was used. This includes burns, tissue damage, or other harm caused by direct contact with such substances, excluding cases of accidental exposure or self-inflicted harm.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a patient sustained injuries due to another person deliberately applying or throwing a corrosive or caustic substance. This typically involves chemical burns to the skin, eyes, or mucous membranes in the context of an assault. Documentation should specify the intent of assault and the nature of the substance.

• Always sequence this external cause code after the primary diagnosis code for the specific injury (e.g., chemical burn).
• Distinguish carefully between assault, accidental exposure (E929.x), and self-inflicted injury (E950.x-E959.x).
• Ensure the medical record explicitly states the "assault" nature of the event and the "corrosive/caustic" type of substance.