W20.8Other cause of strike by thrown, projected or falling object

W20.8 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other cause of strike by thrown, projected or falling object. It belongs to category W20 (struck by thrown, projected or falling object), block W20-W49 (exposure to inanimate mechanical forces) and chapter 20 (external causes of morbidity). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 3 subcodes must be used instead.

Within W20, choose W20.8 (Other cause of strike by thrown, projected or falling object) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: struck by falling object in cave-in (W20.0) and struck by object due to collapse of building (W20.1).

Codes in this range require a 7th character: A for initial encounter, D for subsequent encounter and S for sequela. Use placeholder "X" characters to fill any empty positions before the 7th character.

Don't report W20.8 together with the conditions in its Excludes1 note: struck by thrown sports equipment (W21.-).

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

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.