OASIS · Section J
J1900C — Number of Falls — Major Injury
Response options, how to score it, and the error that most often sends the record back. Cited to Ch. 3, Item J1900C.
Response options
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0 | None |
| 1 | One |
| 2 | Two or more |
| - | No information |
How to score it
Count falls since the most recent SOC/ROC resulting in a major injury — including but not limited to traumatic bone fractures, joint dislocations/subluxations, internal organ injuries, amputations, spinal cord injuries, head injuries, and crush injuries. Code each fall once, at its highest injury level; two or more caps at code 2.
The common error
Counting a pathological fracture (caused by disease, not the fall) as a major injury here. CMS excludes pathological fractures from this category — only traumatic injury from the fall itself qualifies.
CMS Q&As on this item
- Q6 In the OASIS-E1 data set, J1900 - Number of Falls since SOC/ROC always contained definitions for J1900A - No…
- Q7 Our agency has been reviewing the updated information and guidance related to the respecified Falls with…
- Q8 If a home health patient has a fall, but the physician specifies a pathological fracture diagnosis for the…
Source: OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual — Ch. 3, Item J1900C. Verified 2026-04-26.
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