VA Asthma & Respiratory Rating Criteria Explained

When VA grants service connection for asthma or another respiratory condition, it assigns a disability rating based on severity measured through pulmonary function testing, medication use, frequency of attacks, and overall impact on daily life. These ratings determine a veteran’s monthly compensation and additional benefits. Because asthma and respiratory disorders often fluctuate or worsen over time, it is essential that a veteran’s claim or appeal clearly documents the full extent of their symptoms.

  • VA rates asthma and most respiratory conditions under 38 C.F.R. § 4.97 (Diagnostic Code 6602) using pulmonary function tests (PFTs), medication use, frequency of exacerbations, and hospitalizations. Ratings commonly fall at 10, 30, 60, or 100 percent, depending on severity.

  • A veteran’s C&P exam, pulmonary testing, treatment notes, and lay statements are all critical forms of evidence when seeking higher ratings for asthma or related disorders.

  • Veterans with severe respiratory conditions may qualify for additional benefits, including Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) or Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).

Bottom Line Up Front:

How Does VA Assign Ratings for Asthma and Respiratory Disorders?

VA evaluates respiratory disabilities using a combination of objective medical testing and documented symptoms. The most common evidence sources include:

C&P Exams and Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs)

For asthma, chronic bronchitis, COPD, and restrictive lung disorders, the C&P examiner often conducts or references:

  • FEV-1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in one second)

  • FEV-1/FVC ratio

  • DLCO (Diffusion Capacity)

  • Use and frequency of systemic corticosteroids

  • Frequency of asthma attacks requiring physician visits

  • Missed work, ER visits, or hospitalizations

PFT results are central to respiratory ratings, but they are not the only factor. VA must consider additional symptoms such as:

  • Dyspnea (difficulty breathing)

  • Wheezing

  • Chronic cough

  • Use of inhalers or nebulizers

  • Frequency of exacerbations requiring medical intervention

VA examiners complete a Respiratory Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) to standardize the evaluation.

Lay Evidence

Lay statements can be extremely useful in respiratory claims. Veterans and witnesses can describe:

  • How often asthma attacks occur

  • Whether symptoms limit exertion, exercise, or work

  • Frequency of nighttime symptoms

  • The impact of environmental triggers (cold air, allergens, smoke)

  • The veteran’s need to stop activities due to shortness of breath

Asthma symptoms fluctuate, and PFT results taken on a “good day” do not necessarily reflect a veteran’s usual functioning. Lay testimony helps bridge that gap.

Private Medical Records

Pulmonologists or allergy specialists frequently have longitudinal records that VA examiners do not. These may include:

  • Long-term inhaled or systemic corticosteroid use

  • Hospitalizations for asthma attacks

  • Serial PFTs demonstrating worsening

  • Bronchitis or pneumonia flare-ups

  • Sleep disturbance due to nighttime wheezing

Providing complete private records can make or break an asthma or respiratory claim. Veterans may also obtain private nexus opinions to link asthma or secondary respiratory issues (e.g., chronic sinusitis, allergies, sleep apnea) to service.

How VA Rates Asthma & Related Respiratory Conditions (38 C.F.R. § 4.97)

VA uses diagnostic code 6602 for asthma, but related conditions such as chronic bronchitis, COPD, interstitial lung disease, and restrictive lung disorders have similar rating principles.

100 Percent Rating for Asthma

A 100 percent rating reflects pronounced respiratory impairment, often including:

  • FEV-1 less than 40% predicted

  • FEV-1/FVC less than 40%

  • More than one asthma attack per week with respiratory failure

  • Near-constant inhalation or oral bronchodilator therapy

  • Frequent systemic corticosteroid courses

  • Episodes requiring hospitalization

A veteran at 100 percent typically cannot sustain physical exertion and may struggle with daily tasks due to severe breathing limitations.

60 Percent Rating for Asthma

A 60 percent rating is warranted when the veteran has:

  • FEV-1 of 40–55% predicted

  • FEV-1/FVC of 40–55%

  • At least three systemic corticosteroid courses per year

  • Frequent medical intervention for exacerbation

This level generally reflects moderate-to-severe impairment with significant restrictions on work activity.

30 Percent Rating for Asthma

A 30 percent disability rating is assigned for:

  • FEV-1 of 56–70% predicted

  • FEV-1/FVC of 56–70%

  • Daily inhalational or bronchodilator therapy

  • Inhaled anti-inflammatory medication (e.g., corticosteroid inhalers)

** Most veterans with persistent asthma fall within this category

10 Percent Rating for Asthma

A 10 percent rating typically reflects intermittent or mild asthma, including:

  • FEV-1 of 71–80% predicted

  • FEV-1/FVC of 71–80%

  • Intermittent inhalational bronchodilator therapy

Symptoms may flare with exercise or environmental triggers but do not consistently interfere with occupational or social functioning.

0 Percent (“Non-Compensable”) Respiratory Ratings

A 0 percent rating is assigned when asthma is formally diagnosed but:

  • PFTs are normal

  • Symptoms do not require continuous medication

  • The condition does not impair work or daily activity

Even with a 0 percent rating, service connection is valuable because:

  • The veteran can file for an increase if symptoms worsen

  • VA healthcare access and priority status may improve

Additional Factors Affecting Respiratory Ratings

Multiple Respiratory Diagnoses

Many respiratory conditions share symptoms (wheezing, shortness of breath, cough), so VA often assigns one combined rating to avoid pyramiding. For example, asthma with chronic bronchitis may be rated under the single predominant diagnosis.

Respiratory Conditions and TDIU

Asthma and related lung conditions can severely impair a veteran’s ability to work, especially in jobs requiring:

  • Physical labor

  • Exposure to fumes, dust, cold air, or chemicals

  • High levels of exertion

Veterans rated at 60 percent for a single condition (or 70 percent combined) may be eligible for Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), providing compensation at the 100 percent rate.

Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)

Respiratory disorders rarely qualify for SMC directly unless they:

  • Result in housebound status

  • Cause significant secondary complications

However, severe asthma combined with other service-connected disabilities may create eligibility.

How to Appeal or Increase a VA Respiratory Rating

Veterans may want to appeal or request an increase if:

  • VA denied service connection

  • VA underrated their asthma

  • PFT results worsened over time

  • They developed a secondary condition (e.g., sinusitis, allergies, GERD, sleep apnea)

  • They believe VA overlooked medication use or steroid courses

Appeals can be filed through:

  • Higher-Level Review

  • Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence

  • Board Appeal

Because respiratory ratings rely heavily on technical medical data, many veterans benefit from professional representation during appeals.

Denied or Underrated for VA Asthma or Respiratory Disability? Call Greene & Marusak LLC

Respiratory claims are complex and often require detailed medical evidence, expert opinions, and strategic argument. If VA denied or underrated your asthma or respiratory condition, Greene & Marusak LLC can help.

Contact us for a free case evaluation today to speak with an experienced VA-accredited claims agent or attorney.