2025 ICD-10-CM code W18.0
(Active) Effective Date: N/A External causes of morbidity - Slipping, tripping, stumbling and falls 20 Feed
Fall due to bumping against object. Striking against object with subsequent fall.
This ICD-10-CM code is a diagnosis code and generally, modifiers are not applicable to diagnosis codes. Modifiers are typically applied to procedure codes (CPT, HCPCS) to indicate specific circumstances related to the procedure performed.
Medical necessity is determined by the injuries sustained due to the fall.Treatment and diagnostic testing must be justifiable based on the clinical presentation and documented injuries.
The clinical responsibility for this code lies in documenting the circumstances of the fall, including the object struck, and any resulting injuries.A physician would assess and treat any injuries sustained during the fall.
- 20
- Accidents (V00-X58)Other external causes of accidental injury (W00-X58)Slipping, tripping, stumbling and falls (W00-W19)
In simple words: A fall caused by bumping into an object, resulting in the person falling down.
Fall due to bumping against object. Striking against object with subsequent fall. Excludes1: fall on same level due to slipping, tripping, or stumbling with subsequent striking against object (W01.1-)
Example 1: A patient tripped over a rug in their home, hitting their head on a coffee table before falling to the floor., A shopper in a grocery store bumped into a display shelf, lost their balance, and fell., A child running through a playground collided with a swing set, causing them to fall and scrape their knees.
Documentation should include the details of the incident, specifically mentioning the object the individual bumped into and the subsequent fall.Detailed description of the injuries resulting from the fall is crucial for accurate coding and medical necessity.
** This code helps to provide additional context to the reason for the fall and the subsequent injuries. It's crucial for injury surveillance and public health data collection.
- Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery
- Place of Service:Home, Office, Inpatient Hospital, On Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Emergency Room - Hospital, Other Place of Service