Final answer:
The coder should select the most severe AIS code when in doubt about injury severity, using the Abbreviated Injury Scale, to avoid underestimating the injury's impact.
Step-by-step explanation:
When there is any question about the severity of an injury based upon all available information, the coder should choose the most severe AIS code in that category. AIS stands for Abbreviated Injury Scale, which is a system used to classify and describe the severity of injuries. It is used by medical professionals, including coders, to categorize injuries for research and clinical purposes. In the context of injury coding, if there is uncertainty regarding how severe the injury is, it is imperative for coders to err on the side of caution and select the higher severity code within the given injury category. This ensures that the potential impact and resources required for treatment are not underestimated.