W20.8XXA — Other cause of strike by thrown, projected or falling object, initial encounter
Is W20.8XXA billable?
Yes — W20.8XXA is billable for FY2027. W20.8XXA is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code at the highest level of specificity in its branch. W20.8XXA may be submitted for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
W20.8XXA at a glance
| Code | W20.8XXA |
|---|---|
| Description | Other cause of strike by thrown, projected or falling object, initial encounter |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
| 7th character "A" | initial encounter |
What does the 7th character "A" mean in W20.8XXA?
In W20.8XXA, the 7th character A means initial encounter. The 7th character is required for W20.8XXA to be a valid, complete code.
Same condition, different episode of care — switch the 7th character:
How is W20.8XXA listed in the External Cause Index?
The External Cause of Injuries Index lists these routes under W20.8, the nearest indexed parent of W20.8XXA. This is a separate index from the Alphabetic Index and is where external cause codes are looked up.
- Rock falling on or hitting (accidentally) (person)
- Tree falling on or hitting (accidentally) (person)
- Fall, falling › rock (accidental)
- Fall, falling › stone (accidental)
- Fall, falling › timber (accidental)
- Fall, falling › tree (accidental)
- Struckby › object › falling (accidentally)
- Struckby › object › moving NEC (accidentally)
Excludes1 — never code together
The conditions below can never be reported together with W20.8XXA on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- struck by thrown sports equipment (W21.-)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from W20-W49
The conditions below can never be reported together with W20.8XXA on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from W20
The conditions below can never be reported together with W20.8XXA on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from W20.8
The conditions below can never be reported together with W20.8XXA on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- struck by thrown sports equipment (W21.-)
Code first — inherited from W20
The underlying condition below must be sequenced before W20.8XXA. W20.8XXA describes a manifestation and cannot be the principal or first-listed diagnosis.
How long has W20.8XXA existed?
W20.8XXA has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.