S59.811A Other specified injuries right forearm, initial encounter

ICD-10-CM S59.811A: Other specified injuries right forearm, initial encounter

ICD-10-CM code S59.811A identifies an other specified injury of the right forearm during an initial encounter. The terminology record classifies this active concept under the semantic type of injury or poisoning. General injury coding rules explain that seventh character A denotes initial encounters for active treatment. 1 2

Plain-language overview

The diagnosis code S59.811A is an active terminology concept used to classify an other specified injury to the right forearm, and its full preferred name includes the initial encounter designation. 1

What this code represents

The code S59.811A is an active ICD-10-CM diagnosis with the preferred name of other specified injuries right forearm, initial encounter, and it belongs to the semantic type of injury or poisoning. 1

The parent concept for this specific diagnosis is S59.811, which identifies other specified injuries of the right forearm without the encounter specification provided by the final character. 1

Coding details

The seventh character A in injury diagnosis codes specifies that the encounter is related to initial medical care, which includes surgical treatment, emergency department encounters, and evaluation with continuing treatment. 2

Injury diagnosis codes use additional characters to identify laterality, such as left, right, bilateral, or unspecified, and the S59.811A code specifically designates the right forearm. 1 2

Documentation considerations

Clinical documentation for forearm injuries uses anatomic descriptions of fracture location, fracture pattern, degree of angulation, displacement, and associated soft tissue injuries to describe the condition. 3

Coverage and utilization context

A state health human services document lists S59.811A with an effective date beginning April 1, 2016, and ending June 30, 2018, for the diagnosis name of other specified injuries right forearm, initial encounter. 5

What the sources add

While the terminology record establishes the official code definition and hierarchy, the national health statistics report provides operational context by explaining how the seventh character dictates the encounter type for injury coding. 1 2

A clinical reference text describes forearm injury mechanisms including axial loading from falls, motor vehicle accidents, and athletic injuries, whereas the coding sources focus strictly on terminology and encounter classification. 2 3

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM S59.811A terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. National Health Statistics Reports, Number 89, 1/22/16 — cdc.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. Bookshelf — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. Article - Billing and Coding: Nerve Blockade for Treatment of Chronic Pain and Neuropathy (A52725) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
5. Diagnosis Code Diagnosis Name Emergent As Of Date ... — hhs.iowa.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.