Toxic effect of lacrimogenic gas, assault, initial encounter

This code signifies a patient's adverse physiological reaction to tear gas or similar riot control agents, specifically when the exposure is due to an intentional act of harm by another party. The "initial encounter" designation indicates that this code is used for the period when the patient is receiving active treatment for the acute effects of the poisoning.

Apply this code for patients presenting with symptoms such as eye irritation, respiratory distress, skin burns, or other systemic effects following exposure to lacrimogenic agents in an assault scenario. This includes situations like chemical attacks, domestic violence involving tear gas, or other deliberate deployments of these substances against an individual.

• Always sequence this code first when it represents the primary reason for the encounter.
• Requires an external cause code (e.g., X99.-, Y04.-) to describe the assault mechanism.
• Do not use for accidental exposure or therapeutic use; those scenarios have different codes.