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v1.0.0
ICD-10 Guide
ICD-10 CodesV49.3

V49.3

Billable

Car occupant (driver) (passenger) injured in unspecified nontraffic accident

BILLABLE STATUSYes
IMPLEMENTATION DATEOctober 1, 2015
LAST UPDATED09/11/2025

Code Description

ICD-10 V49.3 is a billable code used to indicate a diagnosis of car occupant (driver) (passenger) injured in unspecified nontraffic accident.

Key Diagnostic Point:

The ICD-10 code V49.3 is used to classify injuries sustained by car occupants, including both drivers and passengers, in accidents that do not occur on public roadways or highways. This code is particularly relevant in cases where the circumstances of the accident are not clearly defined as traffic-related, such as accidents occurring in parking lots, private property, or during vehicle-related activities that do not involve vehicular movement on public roads. Accurate documentation of the incident is crucial, as it helps in understanding the context of the injury, which can influence treatment decisions and public health strategies. This code is essential for capturing data on nontraffic-related injuries, which can inform safety measures and preventive strategies in various settings. It is important for coders to ensure that the documentation reflects the nature of the accident to avoid misclassification and ensure appropriate resource allocation for injury prevention.

Code Complexity Analysis

Complexity Rating: Medium

Medium Complexity

Complexity Factors

  • Ambiguity in defining 'nontraffic' accidents
  • Variability in documentation quality from providers
  • Need for precise incident details to avoid misclassification
  • Potential overlap with other external cause codes

Audit Risk Factors

  • Inadequate documentation of the accident circumstances
  • Misclassification of traffic vs. nontraffic incidents
  • Failure to capture all relevant external cause codes
  • Inconsistent coding practices among different coders

Specialty Focus

Medical Specialties

Emergency Medicine

Documentation Requirements

Emergency departments must document the mechanism of injury, location of the accident, and any relevant patient history to support the use of V49.3.

Common Clinical Scenarios

Patients presenting with injuries from accidents in parking lots, driveways, or during vehicle maintenance.

Billing Considerations

Emergency physicians should ensure that the documentation clearly states the nature of the accident to avoid confusion with traffic-related injuries.

Trauma Surgery

Documentation Requirements

Trauma surgeons need detailed accounts of the injury mechanism, including the type of vehicle involved and the circumstances leading to the injury.

Common Clinical Scenarios

Trauma cases involving patients injured while entering or exiting a vehicle or during vehicle-related activities.

Billing Considerations

Accurate coding is critical for trauma registries and public health data; surgeons should provide comprehensive details in their reports.

Coding Guidelines

Inclusion Criteria

Use V49.3 When
  • According to the ICD
  • CM coding guidelines, external cause codes should be used in conjunction with the primary diagnosis code
  • It is essential to report the external cause code to provide context for the injury and to ensure accurate data collection for injury prevention efforts

Exclusion Criteria

Do NOT use V49.3 When
No specific exclusions found.

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

99283CPT Code

Emergency department visit, moderate severity

Clinical Scenario

Used when a patient presents to the emergency department with injuries from a nontraffic accident.

Documentation Requirements

Documentation must include the nature of the injury, mechanism of injury, and any treatments provided.

Specialty Considerations

Emergency medicine specialists should ensure that the visit is coded accurately based on the complexity of the case.

ICD-10 Impact

Diagnostic & Documentation Impact

Enhanced Specificity

ICD-10 Improvements

The transition to ICD-10 has allowed for more specific coding of injuries, including nontraffic accidents. This specificity aids in better data collection and analysis for public health initiatives aimed at reducing nontraffic-related injuries.

ICD-9 vs ICD-10

The transition to ICD-10 has allowed for more specific coding of injuries, including nontraffic accidents. This specificity aids in better data collection and analysis for public health initiatives aimed at reducing nontraffic-related injuries.

Reimbursement & Billing Impact

reimbursement.

Resources

Clinical References

  • •
    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting

Coding & Billing References

  • •
    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of accidents are classified under V49.3?

V49.3 covers injuries sustained by car occupants in accidents that do not occur on public roadways, such as incidents in parking lots, driveways, or during vehicle maintenance activities.