W20

Header — not billable

Struck by thrown, projected or falling object

The ICD-10 code for struck by thrown, projected or falling object is W20.

W20 is a non-billable header code. It groups related conditions but cannot be used on its own for reimbursement — select one of the 3 more specific codes below.

Clinical notes

Code first

This code represents a manifestation of an underlying disease. Coding convention requires the underlying (etiology) code to be sequenced first, with this code listed second.

any associated:
cataclysm (X34-X39)
lightning strike (T75.00)

Excludes1 (not coded here)

An Excludes1 note is a pure exclusion: the excluded condition and this code should never be reported together, because the two conditions cannot occur at the same time (e.g. a congenital form vs. an acquired form of the same disease).

falling object in machinery accident (W24, W28-W31)
falling object in transport accident (V01-V99)
object set in motion by explosion (W35-W40)
object set in motion by firearm (W32-W34)
struck by thrown sports equipment (W21.-)

7th character definitions

These definitions specify what each valid 7th-character value means for codes in this category.

[object Object]

7th character note

This category requires a 7th character to indicate additional clinical detail (e.g. encounter type: initial, subsequent, sequela). The code is incomplete without it.

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category W20

Documentation support

General coding-documentation guidance — not a substitute for payer-specific requirements or professional coding judgment.

•This is a non-billable header code. Documentation must support a more specific child code before this diagnosis can be reported on a claim.
•Confirm the excluded condition(s) listed above are not also present — Excludes1 conditions cannot be coded together with this one.
•This code represents a manifestation. Documentation should identify the underlying condition, which must be coded first.
•This category requires a 7th character. Documentation should clearly indicate the episode of care (initial encounter, subsequent encounter, or sequela).
•As a general rule, code to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation in the medical record.

W20