Case Definitions

   

The cause, or mechanism, of injury is the way in which the person sustained the injury; how the person was injured; or the process by which the injury occurred. For this system, the cause of injury is the underlying cause, rather than the direct cause. The underlying cause is what starts the chain of events that leads to an injury. The direct is what produces the actual physical harm. The underlying and direct causes can be the same or different. For example, if a person cuts his or her finger with a knife, the cut is both the underlying and direct cause. However, if a child falls and hits his head on a coffee table, the fall is the underlying cause (the action that starts the injury event), and the contact with the table is the direct cause (the action that causes the actual physical harm).

For International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes used in this dashboard see: Non-Fatal Injury Definitions and ICD Code Resource Guide


Bites and Stings - All

Injury from a venomous or non-venomous bite or sting through the skin. This category includes but is not limited to bites or stings from a cat, dog, snake, lizard, rat, squirrel, mouse, parrot, horse, pig, racoon, chicken, alligator, insect, arthropod, shark, or jellyfish.

Bites and Stings -Venomous

Injury from a venomous bite or sting through the skin. This category includes but is not limited to bites or stings from a snake, spider, fish, or other venomous animal.

Bites and Stings - Non-Venomous

Injury from a non-venomous bite or sting through the skin. This category includes but is not limited to bites or stings from a mouse, squirrel, cat, horse, shark, racoon, pig, alligator, turkey, goose, chicken, dog, or other non-venomous animal, arthropod, or fish.

Child/Adult Abuse

Confirmed and/or suspected adult and child abuse, neglect, or other maltreatment.

Cut/Pierce

Injury resulting from an incision, slash, perforation, or puncture by a pointed or sharp instrument, weapon, or object including glass, hand tool, lawn mower, needle, or other sharp object.

Drowning/Submersion

Suffocation (asphyxia) resulting from submersion in water or another liquid. Includes drowning or submersion injuries involving a watercraft, swimming pool, bathtub, or natural body of water.

Fall

Injury received when a person descends abruptly due to the force of gravity and strikes a surface at the same or lower level. This includes but is not limited to falls from roller skates, wheelchairs, strollers, scooters, steps or ladders, trees or cliffs, or any other high place. Injuries occurring from striking the surface, wall, or bottom of a swimming pool, bathtub, or natural body of water are included.

Fire/Flame

Injury due to exposure to flames, heat, or smoke.

Firearm

A penetrating force injury resulting from a bullet or other projectile shot from a handgun, rifle, shotgun, or other specified firearm. This category does not include injury caused by a gas, air, or spring-operated gun, which falls in the “Other” category.

Foreign Body

Injury resulting from entrance of a foreign body into or through the eye or other natural body opening that does not block an airway or cause suffocation (asphyxia). Examples include pebble, dirt, or children's toy's in eye, ear, esophagus, or nostril.

Hot Object/Substance

Injury by contact with corrosive substances, hot drinks or food, steam, or other hot objects including household appliances, machinery, radiators, tools, or metals.

Machinery

Injury that involves operating machinery, such as lifting and transmission devices, agricultural machinery, or other and unspecified machinery.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes - All

Any motor vehicle incident occurring on a public highway, street, or road. This could include drivers or passengers of cars, pickup trucks, vans, heavy transport vehicles, buses, SUVs, motorcycles, pedal cycles, animals, animal-drawn vehicles, railway trains, or streetcars, or to pedestrians in a traffic-related accident.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes - Motor Vehicle Occupant

Injury to a driver or passenger of a motor vehicle caused by a collision, rollover, crash or some other event involving another vehicle, an object, or a pedestrian. This category includes occupants of cars, pickup trucks, vans, heavy transport vehicles, buses, and SUVs in a traffic-related accident.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes - Motorcyclist

Injury to a driver or passenger of a motorcycle resulting from a collision, loss of control, crash, or some other event involving a vehicle, object, or pedestrian in a traffic-related accident.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes - Pedalcyclist

Injury to driver or passenger of unicycle, bicycle, tricycles, or mountain bike resulting from a collision, loss of control, crash, or some other event involving a vehicle, object, or pedestrian in a traffic-related accident.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes - Pedestrian

Injury to a person involved in a collision, where the person was not at the time of the collision riding in or on a motor vehicle, railway train, motorcycle, bicycle, streetcar, animal-drawn vehicle, or other vehicle. This category includes persons struck by cars, pickup trucks, vans, heavy transport vehicles, buses, SUVs, motorcycles, trains, or bicycles in a traffic-related accident.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes - Other and Unspecified

Injury to animal-rider or occupant of animal-drawn vehicle, railway train, or street car resulting from a collision, loss of control, crash, or some other event involving a vehicle, object, or pedestrian in a traffic-related accident. This category also includes intentionally jumping or lying in front of motor vehicles.

Motor Vehicle Non-Traffic Crashes

Any vehicle incident that occurs entirely in any place other than a public highway, street, or road. Includes injuries to drivers or passengers of motor vehicles in collision with pedestrians, animals, pedal cycles, other motor vehicles, other nonmotor vehicles, fixed or stationary objects, or non-collision transport accidents.

Natural/Environmental

Injury resulting from exposure to adverse natural and environmental conditions, including but not limited to heat, cold, lightning, natural disasters, lack of food or water, injury from plants, or non-bite/sting injury from animals.

Overexertion

Injury from exhaustion due to excessive exertion and other strenuous or repetitive movements.

Pedalcyclist

Injury to a pedal cycle rider or passenger from a collision, loss of control, crash, or some other event involving a moving vehicle, pedestrian, animal, or other pedalcyclist in a non-traffic accident. This category includes riders of unicycles, bicycles, tricycles, and mountain bikes.

Pedestrian

Injury to a person involved in a collision, where the person was not at the time of the collision riding in or on a motor vehicle, railway train, motorcycle, bicycle, streetcar, animal-drawn vehicle, or other vehicle. This category includes persons struck by cars, pickup trucks, vans, heavy transport vehicles, buses, SUVs, motorcycles, trains, or bicycles in a non-traffic accident.

Poisoning - All

Toxic effect of or adverse reaction to a drug, medication, biological substances, or other chemicals including but not limited to soaps, food contaminants, paints, chemical weapons, latex, carbon monoxide or other gases, pesticides, alcohol, or tobacco.

Poisoning - Drug

Toxic effect of or adverse reaction to a drug, medication, biological substances including overdosing or underdosing of a drug.

Poisoning - Non-Drug

Toxic effect of or adverse reaction to any substance except drugs and medications including soaps, food contaminants, paints, chemical weapons, latex, carbon monoxide or other gases, pesticides, alcohol, or tobacco.

Struck by/Against

Injury resulting from being struck by, hit, or crushed, or by striking against a human, wall, or inanimate object.

Suffocation

Injury from asphyxiation due to restriction of air or airway or foreign body, including food, in respiratory tract.

Transport

Injury involving modes of transportation, such animals, animal-drawn vehicles, railway trains, streetcars, special agricultural vehicles, special industrial vehicles, special all-terrain or other off-road vehicles, and other non-motor vehicles in non-traffic accidents.

Other

Injuries that are not included in other specified categories.