2025 ICD-10-CM code W22

Striking against or struck by other objects.

External cause codes are used to provide additional information about injuries and other health conditions. They are never sequenced as the primary diagnosis.When multiple injuries are caused by different external causes, follow the established hierarchy for sequencing (child/adult abuse, terrorism, cataclysmic events, then transport accidents).

The 7th character of the code should reflect the encounter type (initial, subsequent, or sequela).

The medical necessity for the use of this code is established by the presence of a documented injury caused by striking against or being struck by an object, without any subsequent fall. The documentation should support the diagnosis and justify any treatment provided.

The clinician is responsible for documenting the circumstances of the injury in detail, specifying the object involved and ruling out any subsequent falls or other complicating factors.

IMPORTANT Excludes1: striking against or struck by object with subsequent fall (W18.09), assault (X92-Y09), contact or collision with animals or persons (W50-W64), exposure to inanimate mechanical forces involving military or war operations (Y36.-, Y37.-), intentional self-harm (X71-X83)

In simple words: This code represents an injury caused by striking against or being struck by an object, but it doesn't include cases where the person fell after the initial impact.

Striking against or struck by other objects. This code excludes striking against or struck by object with subsequent fall (W18.09).

Example 1: A patient walks into a low-hanging beam and sustains a head injury. The patient did not fall after striking the beam., A worker is injured when a falling tool strikes their foot. The worker remains standing after being struck., A child runs into a piece of playground equipment, resulting in a bruised arm. The child does not fall as a direct result of the impact.

The documentation should clearly describe the event, the object involved, and the resulting injury. Details such as the location of the impact, the force of the impact, and the immediate consequences should also be documented. Importantly, the documentation should explicitly state if the patient fell or experienced any other secondary events after striking the object. If there was a fall, code W18.09 should be used instead.

** While there is no national mandate for reporting external cause codes, voluntary reporting is encouraged for injury research and prevention. Always check with specific payers for their individual reporting requirements.

  • Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Primary Care, Occupational Medicine, any specialty treating injuries.
  • Place of Service:This could apply in various settings, including "Office", "Home", "Place of Employment - Worksite", "Emergency Room - Hospital", "Urgent Care Facility", "Outpatient Hospital", or other relevant locations.
** Only Enterprise users with EHR integration can access case-specific answers. Click here to request access.