W16.41 is the authoritative medical code for Fall into unspecified water causing drowning and submersion. This classification is used in medical billing and clinical recording to specify the clinical criteria for fall into unspecified water causing drowning and submersion (ICD-10-CM W16.41), ensuring healthcare documentation aligns with 2026 federal coding standards.
Billing Status: NO. This is a clinician non-billable / parent hierarchy grouping in the ICD-10-CM system.
Official Registry Overview & Definition
Fall into unspecified water causing drowning and submersion is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code W16.41. A more specific billable subcode must be selected for claims submission. Excludes1 (not coded here): accidental non-watercraft drowning and submersion not involving fall W65-W74; effects of air pressure from diving W94.-; fall into water from watercraft V90-V94; hitting an object or against bottom when falling from watercraft V94.0; assault involving a fall Y01-Y02; fall from animal V80.-; fall (in) from machinery (in operation) W28-W31; fall (in) from transport vehicle V01-V99; intentional self-harm involving a fall X80-X81. Excludes2 (not included here): striking or hitting diving board W21.4; at risk for fall (history of fall) Z91.81; fall (in) from burning building X00.-; fall into fire (X00-X04, X08). 7th character: The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category W16.
Official Tabular Instructional Notes
Sequencing, inclusion, and exclusion notes published for W16.41 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list.
Excludes1 — Not Coded Here
Conditions that can never be reported with this code; the two are mutually exclusive.
- accidental non-watercraft drowning and submersion not involving fall W65-W74
- effects of air pressure from diving W94.-
- fall into water from watercraft V90-V94
- hitting an object or against bottom when falling from watercraft V94.0
- assault involving a fall Y01-Y02
- fall from animal V80.-
- fall (in) from machinery (in operation) W28-W31
- fall (in) from transport vehicle V01-V99
- intentional self-harm involving a fall X80-X81
Excludes2 — Not Included Here
Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.
- striking or hitting diving board W21.4
- at risk for fall (history of fall) Z91.81
- fall (in) from burning building X00.-
- fall into fire (X00-X04, X08)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Clinical Guidance
Can W16.41 be billed directly?
No. W16.41 (Fall into unspecified water causing drowning and submersion) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.
Does W16.41 require a 7th character?
Yes. The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category W16.
What can't be coded together with W16.41?
Per Excludes1 instructions, W16.41 must not be reported with: accidental non-watercraft drowning and submersion not involving fall (W65-W74); effects of air pressure from diving (W94.-); fall into water from watercraft (V90-V94); hitting an object or against bottom when falling from watercraft (V94.0).
Can W16.41 be reported alongside related conditions?
Per Excludes2 instructions, W16.41 and the following may both be reported when both are present: striking or hitting diving board (W21.4); at risk for fall (history of fall) Z91.81; fall (in) (from) burning building (X00.-); fall into fire (X00-X04, X08).
Codes in This Family (40)
Official ICD-10-CM classifications in the same code family as W16.41, with their registry titles.
- W16 — Fall, jump or diving into water
- W16.0 — Fall into swimming pool
- W16.01 — Fall into swimming pool striking water surface
- W16.011 — Fall into swimming pool striking water surface causing drowning and submersion
- W16.011A — Fall into swimming pool striking water surface causing drowning and submersion, initial encounter
- W16.011D — Fall into swimming pool striking water surface causing drowning and submersion, subsequent encounter
- W16.011S — Fall into swimming pool striking water surface causing drowning and submersion, sequela
- W16.012 — Fall into swimming pool striking water surface causing other injury
- W16.012A — Fall into swimming pool striking water surface causing other injury, initial encounter
- W16.012D — Fall into swimming pool striking water surface causing other injury, subsequent encounter
- W16.012S — Fall into swimming pool striking water surface causing other injury, sequela
- W16.02 — Fall into swimming pool striking bottom
- W16.021 — Fall into swimming pool striking bottom causing drowning and submersion
- W16.021A — Fall into swimming pool striking bottom causing drowning and submersion, initial encounter
- W16.021D — Fall into swimming pool striking bottom causing drowning and submersion, subsequent encounter
- W16.021S — Fall into swimming pool striking bottom causing drowning and submersion, sequela
- W16.022 — Fall into swimming pool striking bottom causing other injury
- W16.022A — Fall into swimming pool striking bottom causing other injury, initial encounter
- W16.022D — Fall into swimming pool striking bottom causing other injury, subsequent encounter
- W16.022S — Fall into swimming pool striking bottom causing other injury, sequela
- W16.03 — Fall into swimming pool striking wall
- W16.031 — Fall into swimming pool striking wall causing drowning and submersion
- W16.031A — Fall into swimming pool striking wall causing drowning and submersion, initial encounter
- W16.031D — Fall into swimming pool striking wall causing drowning and submersion, subsequent encounter
- W16.031S — Fall into swimming pool striking wall causing drowning and submersion, sequela
- W16.032 — Fall into swimming pool striking wall causing other injury
- W16.032A — Fall into swimming pool striking wall causing other injury, initial encounter
- W16.032D — Fall into swimming pool striking wall causing other injury, subsequent encounter
- W16.032S — Fall into swimming pool striking wall causing other injury, sequela
- W16.1 — Fall into natural body of water
- W16.11 — Fall into natural body of water striking water surface
- W16.111 — Fall into natural body of water striking water surface causing drowning and submersion
- W16.111A — Fall into natural body of water striking water surface causing drowning and submersion, initial encounter
- W16.111D — Fall into natural body of water striking water surface causing drowning and submersion, subsequent encounter
- W16.111S — Fall into natural body of water striking water surface causing drowning and submersion, sequela
- W16.112 — Fall into natural body of water striking water surface causing other injury
- W16.112A — Fall into natural body of water striking water surface causing other injury, initial encounter
- W16.112D — Fall into natural body of water striking water surface causing other injury, subsequent encounter
- W16.112S — Fall into natural body of water striking water surface causing other injury, sequela
- W16.12 — Fall into natural body of water striking bottom
Indexed As (2)
Circumstance phrases from the official ICD-10-CM External Cause of Injuries Index that map to this code.
- Drowning (accidental), following, fall, into, water NOS
- Fall, falling (accidental), into, water, causing drowning
Related Codes & Numerical Sequence (Crawl Map)
Search engines and indexers are advised to traverse adjacent medical codes in this sub-chapter range to find correlated diagnoses or therapeutic procedures:
ICD Code W18.41
Slipping, tripping and stumbling without falling due to stepping on object