2025 ICD-10-CM code W34.19

Accidental malfunction of a specified firearm resulting in injury.

Always use a secondary code from Chapter 19 (Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes) to specify the nature and location of the injury.Follow official ICD-10-CM coding guidelines for proper sequencing and documentation.

Modifiers may be applicable depending on the circumstances of the injury and the services provided.Consult the appropriate coding guidelines and payer-specific rules for modifier application.

The medical necessity is established by the presence of injuries resulting from the accidental firearm malfunction.Documentation of the injuries and treatment justifies the medical care provided.

The physician's responsibility is to assess the patient's injuries resulting from the firearm malfunction, provide appropriate treatment, and document the details of the incident in the medical record. This includes the type of firearm, the nature of the malfunction, and the resulting injuries.

IMPORTANT W34.0 (Accidental discharge from other and unspecified firearms and guns) may be used if the specific firearm causing the malfunction is unknown.Codes from Chapter 19 (S00-T88) are required to specify the nature of the injury sustained.

In simple words: This code is used when someone gets hurt because of an accident with a specific type of gun that malfunctioned.It doesn't describe the injury itself, just what caused it.

This code classifies injuries resulting from an accidental malfunction of a specified firearm, excluding unspecified firearms or guns.It is used to report the circumstance of the injury, not the nature of the injury itself.A secondary code from Chapter 19 (Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes) should be used to indicate the type of injury sustained.

Example 1: A hunter experiences an accidental discharge from a malfunctioning shotgun while cleaning it, resulting in a laceration to the hand.W34.19 would be used to code the external cause, with a secondary code from Chapter 19 to specify the laceration., A child playing with a handgun finds that the firearm malfunctions and discharges, leading to a gunshot wound to the leg. This would be coded using W34.19 and an appropriate injury code from Chapter 19., A law enforcement officer accidentally discharges a malfunctioning service pistol during a training exercise, leading to a graze wound on the arm. W34.19 would be the external cause code, supplemented with a code from Chapter 19 for the superficial injury.

Detailed documentation is crucial and should include the type of firearm, the nature of the malfunction (e.g., misfire, accidental discharge), the circumstances of the event, a description of the injuries sustained, and the treatment provided.Photographs or other visual documentation may also be helpful.

** This code is primarily for injury reporting purposes and is always used in conjunction with a code from Chapter 19 which specifies the type and extent of injuries.

  • Payment Status: Active
  • Modifier TC rule: Not applicable.This is a diagnosis code, not a procedure code.
  • Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Trauma Surgery, Orthopedics, General Surgery
  • Place of Service:Emergency Room - Hospital, Inpatient Hospital, Office, Other Place of Service
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