Toxic effect of unspecified substance, assault, init encntr

This code signifies a harmful reaction to an unknown substance, where the exposure was intentionally inflicted by another person. It indicates the patient is receiving active treatment for the acute effects of this poisoning.

Apply this code when a patient presents with symptoms of poisoning due to an unspecified substance, and the medical record clearly documents that the exposure was the result of an assault. This is appropriate for the initial visit or encounter where the patient is actively being treated for the toxic effects.

• Always sequence this code first when it represents the primary reason for the encounter.
• Requires an external cause code (Y90-Y99) to fully describe the circumstances of the assault.
• Do not use for accidental or self-harm poisonings; specific codes exist for those scenarios.