Accidental fall from or out of building or other structure

This code signifies an injury resulting from an unintentional descent from a building or other constructed edifice. This includes falls from roofs, windows, balconies, scaffolding, or other elevated structures. It specifically captures the external cause of the injury, not the injury itself.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states a patient sustained an injury due to an accidental fall from or out of a building or other man-made structure. This external cause code should be used in conjunction with a code describing the nature of the injury (e.g., fracture, concussion).

• Always sequence this external cause code after the primary diagnosis describing the actual injury sustained.
• Distinguish from falls within a building (e.g., down stairs), which would use different external cause codes.
• Ensure documentation specifies the fall was accidental and from an elevated structure, not a fall at ground level.