2025 ICD-10-CM code W33.01

Accidental discharge of a shotgun.

This code should be used as a secondary code following a code describing the injury from Chapter 19. It should not be used for intentional self-harm, assault, or legal intervention incidents, which have specific codes in other sections.

The seventh character of the code indicates the encounter type (initial, subsequent, or sequela).The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category W33.A - initial encounterD - subsequent encounterS - sequela

Medical necessity is established by the nature and extent of the injury resulting from the accidental discharge, not the discharge itself.The medical services provided must be necessary to treat the resulting injury.

The clinical responsibility for this code lies in accurately documenting the circumstances of the injury to ensure proper coding.The physician should document the nature of the injury resulting from the accidental discharge, along with any other relevant details.

In simple words: This code is used when someone is accidentally injured by a shotgun going off.

Accidental discharge of a shotgun. 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, typically Chapter 19 (Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes), indicating the specific injury sustained.

Example 1: A patient is cleaning their shotgun when it accidentally discharges, resulting in a wound to their foot.The physician would use a code from Chapter 19 to describe the foot injury, and W33.01 as a secondary code to indicate the cause., During a hunting trip, a hunter accidentally discharges their shotgun, injuring a fellow hunter in the arm.W33.01 would be used as a secondary code, with the primary code being from Chapter 19 describing the arm injury., A child finds a loaded shotgun and accidentally discharges it, resulting in an injury to their hand.A code from Chapter 19 describing the hand injury will be used, and W33.01 would be a secondary code.

Documentation should clearly state that the discharge was accidental and specify the body part injured.

** Excludes1: accidental airgun discharge and malfunction (W34.010, W34.110), accidental BB gun discharge and malfunction (W34.010, W34.110), accidental handgun discharge and malfunction (W32.-), accidental pellet gun discharge and malfunction (W34.010, W34.110), assault by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge (X94), firearm discharge involving legal intervention (Y35.0-), firearm discharge involving military or war operations (Y36.4-), intentional self-harm by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge (X73)

  • Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Trauma Surgery, General Surgery, Pediatrics (if applicable), Family Medicine (if applicable)
  • Place of Service:Home, Office, Emergency Room - Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Inpatient Hospital
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