2025 ICD-10-CM code W00.1
(Active) Effective Date: N/A External causes of morbidity - Slipping, tripping, stumbling and falls 20 Feed
Fall from stairs and steps due to ice and snow.
Applicable 7th character modifiers are required: A - initial encounter, D - subsequent encounter, or S - sequela.
The medical necessity of services related to the fall and subsequent injuries should be documented based on the nature and severity of the injuries.
It is the clinician's responsibility to accurately document the circumstances of the fall, including the presence of ice and snow, and the specific location (stairs or steps).The clinician should also document the nature of any injuries resulting from the fall using the appropriate codes from other chapters.
In simple words: This code indicates a fall from stairs or steps that happened because of ice or snow.
Fall from stairs and steps due to ice and snow. This code describes the circumstance causing an injury, not the nature of the injury itself.It should be used as a secondary code to a code from another chapter, most often Chapter 19 (Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes), indicating the nature of the injury.
Example 1: A patient slipped on ice-covered steps outside their home, resulting in a fractured wrist.W00.1 would be used as a secondary code, along with the appropriate code for the fracture (e.g., S52.501A Unspecified fracture of lower end of radius, right wrist, initial encounter for closed fracture)., A patient slipped on snowy steps at a shopping mall, resulting in a sprained ankle. W00.1 would be used as a secondary code, along with the appropriate code for the sprain (e.g., S63.501A Sprain of unspecified part of right ankle, initial encounter)., A patient stumbled on icy stairs at work, resulting in a contusion to their knee.W00.1 would be used as a secondary code, along with the appropriate code for the contusion (e.g., S80.101A Contusion of right knee, initial encounter).
Documentation should clearly state that the fall occurred from stairs or steps and that the presence of ice or snow contributed to the fall. The specific location of the fall and the nature of any resulting injuries should also be documented.
** This code excludes falls on ice and snow involving pedestrian conveyances (V00.-) and falls from stairs and steps not due to ice and snow (W10.-).
- Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, Trauma Surgery
- Place of Service:Home, Office, On Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Off Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Emergency Room - Hospital, Other Place of Service, Public Health Clinic, Inpatient Hospital, Nursing Facility