Respiratory Conditions Rating Guide

Breathing problems are one of the fastest-growing categories of VA disability claims after burn-pit and airborne-hazard exposure. Almost every lung and airway condition is rated under the same schedule: 38 CFR § 4.97. A case of COPD, asthma, emphysema, or interstitial lung disease is scored by the same handful of rules, and most of them turn on a breathing test called the pulmonary function test, or PFT. Learn that shared pattern once and you understand your whole claim. This guide explains the rules that decide most respiratory ratings, then points you to the detailed guide for your specific condition.

One-page guide: Respiratory Conditions Rating Guide in One Page Respiratory-system guide covering diagnosis-specific rating methods, service-connection paths, symptoms, required testing, treatment and episode evidence, claim gaps, and medical relationships to evaluate. Opens the full-size chart, free to save or print.

The Rules That Decide Most Respiratory Claims

Most lung and airway conditions are rated on a single test: the pulmonary function test (PFT), a breathing test that measures how much air you can move and how fast. A few conditions, sinusitis, rhinitis, and sleep apnea, are the exceptions and are counted a different way. Here is the shared pattern.

1. The breathing test (PFT) drives most lung ratings

Most obstructive and restrictive lung diseases, including COPD, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and interstitial lung disease, are rated on the numbers from a PFT. The three key readings are FEV-1 (the percent of predicted air you can force out in one second), the FEV-1/FVC ratio (how much of your total breath comes out in that first second), and DLCO (the percent of predicted for how well oxygen crosses from your lungs into your blood). The post-bronchodilator values (the readings taken after an inhaler) are generally the ones used; pre-bronchodilator values are used only when the post-bronchodilator result is poorer. When different measures point to different levels, the value that controls is the one the examiner states most accurately reflects the disability (38 CFR § 4.96(d)).

Which numbers count depends on your code, and asthma is the odd one out. Chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) and COPD (DC 6604) do read DLCO, and also maximum exercise capacity, cor pulmonale, right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary hypertension at their higher levels. Asthma (DC 6602) reads none of those. Its criteria are FEV-1, the FEV-1/FVC ratio, and a separate treatment path: bronchodilator or inhaled anti-inflammatory use, physician visits for exacerbations, and courses of systemic steroids. A DLCO figure will not raise an asthma rating, and expecting it to is a common way to be disappointed by an otherwise good exam. See the asthma claims guide.

2. Maximum exercise capacity is a specific criterion, not a general substitute

Some respiratory codes name maximum exercise capacity at certain rating levels. Under the respiratory schedule it is measured in ml/kg/min of oxygen consumption, not in the cardiac METs used for heart ratings, and it applies where a code lists it, for example at 20 ml/kg/min or less for the highest levels of several codes. It is not a fallback the rater reaches for whenever the PFT "does not fit"; 38 CFR § 4.96 lists the specific PFT exceptions and alternative criteria instead.

3. Sinusitis and rhinitis are the exception (episodes, not breathing tests)

Chronic sinusitis and rhinitis are not rated on PFTs. Instead the VA counts incapacitating and non-incapacitating episodes over a year, along with findings like nasal polyps and blockage of the nasal passages. Because the method is completely different, a lung PFT does nothing for a sinus or nasal claim. See the sinusitis and rhinitis guide.

4. Sleep apnea turns on a breathing-assistance device

Sleep apnea is also not rated on a PFT. What matters is whether the condition requires a breathing-assistance device such as a CPAP machine. A sleep study documents the apnea, and the prescription for the device is what supports the rating. A CPAP is the common example, but VA's manual also counts other qualifying devices, including oral appliances such as mandibular advancement devices (MAD). See the sleep apnea guide.

5. Many respiratory conditions are PACT Act presumptives

A large share of lung and airway conditions are PACT Act burn-pit and airborne-hazard presumptives. The presumption removes the need to prove the medical link between service and the condition, but eligibility still requires a covered condition, qualifying service in a covered location and period, and a current diagnosis; asthma on the PACT list is asthma diagnosed after service. A presumption is not an automatic rating or an automatic approval of every respiratory diagnosis. See the PACT Act guide and the burn-pit presumptive list.

Not every respiratory claim needs a breathing test, but most do. If your condition is a lung disease like COPD, asthma, or interstitial lung disease, the PFT is usually what the rating is built on, so a complete PFT report is the backbone of the claim. Sinus, nasal, and sleep-apnea claims are the exceptions and are proven a different way.

Choose the Respiratory Rating Lane Before Reading the Test

A breathing test is not the whole answer, and for several conditions it is not the answer at all. The lane decides which record the schedule reads.

Rating lane	What controls	Records that show it
Obstructive or restrictive lung disease	What controlsThe pulmonary function measures named by the code, valid test interpretation, and specified cardiopulmonary findings	Records that show itPre- and post-bronchodilator testing, DLCO when the code uses it (asthma's DC 6602 does not), examiner validity statement, oxygen or exercise testing when the code uses it
Asthma	What controlsFEV-1 or FEV-1/FVC plus the separate medication, exacerbation, physician-visit, and systemic-steroid paths	Records that show itPulmonary function testing, inhaler and anti-inflammatory history, systemic-steroid courses, exacerbation treatment and visit history
Sinusitis or rhinitis	What controlsEpisodes, antibiotics when the code requires them, obstruction, polyps, and surgery or residuals	Records that show itEar, nose, and throat examination, imaging or endoscopy when performed, antibiotic history, procedure records, obstruction and polyp findings
Sleep apnea	What controlsConfirmed diagnosis, sleep-study findings, prescribed breathing-assistance device, and specified complications	Records that show itSleep study, sleep-medicine assessment, device prescription and follow-up, cardiopulmonary findings when present
Oxygen, exercise, or cardiopulmonary path	What controlsOxygen requirement, maximum exercise capacity in ml/kg/min, pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale, or respiratory failure when named by the code	Records that show itOxygen order, exercise test, echocardiogram or catheterization when used, hospitalization and specialist records
Active cancer or post-treatment residual	What controlsTreatment status, dates, required examination, and later respiratory or other residuals	Records that show itPathology, oncology treatment record, treatment-end date, follow-up examination, residual-specific testing

Inside the test-driven lanes, exact rules decide which value a rating uses. This is where respiratory ratings are most often argued:

Situation	Current rule
PFT performed	Usually use post-bronchodilator results
Post-bronchodilator poorer than pre-bronchodilator	Use the pre-bronchodilator values
Different PFT measures produce different levels	Use the measure the examiner says most accurately reflects disability
DLCO absent	Alternative criteria may be used if the examiner explains why DLCO would not be useful or valid
PFT conflicts with clinical findings	PFT controls unless the examiner explains why it is not a valid measure in that case
Maximum exercise capacity used	It is oxygen consumption in ml/kg/min, not cardiac METs

One more rule shapes multi-condition claims: under 38 CFR § 4.96(a), ratings within the specified respiratory code groups generally are not combined. VA assigns one rating under the code reflecting the predominant respiratory disability and may elevate it when the overall severity warrants. Do not count on separate ratings for overlapping asthma, COPD, bronchitis, emphysema, or sleep-apnea manifestations without checking the exact codes and symptoms; see the COPD guide, asthma guide, sinusitis and rhinitis guide, and sleep apnea guide.

A Respiratory Diagnosis Can Follow Several Different Service-Connection Routes

Exposure claims dominate this body system, and each route carries its own requirements. A route that fits one diagnosis will not carry another.

Route	What it covers	Limit to state plainly
PACT Act or fine-particulate presumption	What it coversOnly the listed respiratory diseases or cancers plus the required service, location, time, and diagnosis facts	Limit to state plainlyIt is not a presumption for every breathing complaint. Asthma on the PACT list is asthma diagnosed after service
Direct toxic exposure	What it coversA current diagnosis, documented or conceded exposure, and competent evidence connecting the diagnosis to that exposure	Limit to state plainlyExposure alone is not a diagnosis or a nexus
Mustard gas or Lewisite	What it coversThe listed diseases after qualifying full-body exposure, including chronic laryngitis, bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (see 38 CFR § 3.316)	Limit to state plainlyThe exact exposure and disease requirements control, and willful misconduct or a supervening cause defeats the provision
Gulf War undiagnosed illness or chronic multisymptom illness	What it coversQualifying chronic disability patterns and respiratory signs or symptoms (see 38 CFR § 3.317)	Limit to state plainlyA diagnosed structural lung disease is not relabeled as presumptive without the applicable rule
Secondary or aggravated	What it coversA respiratory disability caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability or its treatment	Limit to state plainlyTwo diagnoses or a temporal sequence alone do not establish the medical link

Separate diagnoses do not automatically create separate respiratory ratings. Several respiratory code groups are not combined with each other. VA assigns one evaluation under the code that reflects the predominant respiratory disability and may elevate it when overall severity warrants, so overlapping manifestations are counted once (see 38 CFR § 4.96(a)).

Find the Guide for Your Condition

The rules above apply across the board. For the exact rating table, the C&P exam, and the Board data for your specific condition, open the dedicated guide:

Area	Guide	DC codes
Chronic sinusitis and rhinitis	Sinusitis & Rhinitis Guide	6510-6514, 6522
COPD, bronchitis, emphysema	COPD Guide	6600, 6603, 6604
Asthma	Asthma Guide	6602
Sleep apnea	Sleep Apnea Guide	6847

For any code not listed, for example the interstitial lung diseases and respiratory cancers, open its condition lookup page for the rating levels and Board data.

Every Respiratory Diagnostic Code, With Board Outcomes

Every diagnostic code in this body system, ordered by how often it reaches the Board of Veterans' Appeals. Percentages are the share of each code's Board issues granted, denied, or remanded (sent back for more development); dismissed and other outcomes are not shown, so rows do not sum to 100%. Each code links to its full page: rating criteria, evidence notes, and secondary-condition data.

DC	Condition	Board appeals	Granted	Denied	Remanded
6847	Sleep Apnea Syndromes (Obstructive, Central, Mixed) Claims guide →	92,190	23.9%	22.9%	47%
6602	Asthma, bronchial Claims guide →	27,836	15.8%	32.5%	46.6%
6604	Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Claims guide →	19,825	12.7%	32.9%	48.7%
6603	Emphysema, pulmonary Claims guide →	14,789	16.1%	40.2%	35.1%
6522	Allergic or vasomotor rhinitis Claims guide →	8,179	30.8%	12.2%	50.8%
6510	Sinusitis, pansinusitis, chronic Claims guide →	7,857	38.3%	22.7%	33.8%
6833	Asbestosis	6,687	14.8%	37.6%	42.3%
6819	Neoplasms, malignant, any specified part of respiratory system exclusive of skin growths	6,428	19.6%	29.6%	42.9%
6600	Bronchitis, chronic Claims guide →	5,697	9.4%	37.8%	47.7%
6502	Septum, nasal, deviation of	5,207	17.8%	35.8%	41.2%
6842	Kyphoscoliosis, pectus excavatum, pectus carinatum	4,611	18.4%	34.4%	41.9%
6846	Sarcoidosis	4,359	17.6%	33.7%	44.3%
6701	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, far advanced, active	3,752	7.8%	51.3%	34.2%
6513	Sinusitis, maxillary, chronic Claims guide →	2,893	9.7%	20.6%	64.3%
6825	Diffuse interstitial fibrosis (interstitial pneumonitis, fibrosing alveolitis)	2,368	23.3%	27%	43.1%
6817	Pulmonary Vascular Disease	1,413	15.5%	29.8%	47.8%
6843	Traumatic chest wall defect, pneumothorax, hernia, etc	1,104	10.5%	30.8%	56.4%
6601	Bronchiectasis	1,039	16.7%	34.9%	43.9%
6845	Chronic pleural effusion or fibrosis	995	15.3%	28.8%	50.9%
6820	Neoplasms, benign, any specified part of respiratory system	831	12%	29.5%	50.4%
6504	Nose, loss of part of, or scars	747	16.5%	29.3%	51.1%
6844	Post-surgical residual (lobectomy, pneumonectomy, etc.)	520	17.7%	22.7%	57.1%
6834	Histoplasmosis of lung	507	18.7%	38.5%	37.9%
6516	Laryngitis, chronic	381	14.7%	29.4%	52%
6835	Coccidioidomycosis	335	15.2%	33.4%	49%
6519	Aphonia, complete organic	273	20.1%	23.8%	51.3%
6520	Larynx, stenosis of, including residuals of laryngeal trauma (unilateral or bilateral)	208	11.1%	26.4%	55.8%
6832	Pneumoconiosis (silicosis, anthracosis, etc.)	199	9%	29.6%	56.3%
6730	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, active	183	2.2%	4.9%	91.3%
6823	Nocardiosis	98	12.2%	61.2%	19.4%

Show 31 more codes with too few Board appeals to report (expand)

DC	Condition	Board appeals
6511	Sinusitis, ethmoid, chronic Claims guide →	Too few Board appeals to report
6512	Sinusitis, frontal, chronic	Too few Board appeals to report
6514	Sinusitis, sphenoid, chronic Claims guide →	Too few Board appeals to report
6515	Laryngitis, tuberculous, active or inactive	Too few Board appeals to report
6518	Laryngectomy, total	Too few Board appeals to report
6521	Pharynx, injuries to	Too few Board appeals to report
6523	Bacterial rhinitis	Too few Board appeals to report
6524	Granulomatous rhinitis	Too few Board appeals to report
6702	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, moderately advanced, active	Too few Board appeals to report
6703	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, minimal, active	Too few Board appeals to report
6704	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, active, advancement unspecified	Too few Board appeals to report
6721	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, far advanced, inactive	Too few Board appeals to report
6722	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, moderately advanced, inactive	Too few Board appeals to report
6723	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, minimal, inactive	Too few Board appeals to report
6724	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, inactive, advancement unspecified	Too few Board appeals to report
6731	Tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic, inactive	Too few Board appeals to report
6732	Pleurisy, tuberculous, active or inactive	Too few Board appeals to report
6822	Actinomycosis	Too few Board appeals to report
6824	Chronic lung abscess	Too few Board appeals to report
6826	Desquamative interstitial pneumonitis	Too few Board appeals to report
6827	Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis	Too few Board appeals to report
6828	Eosinophilic granuloma of lung	Too few Board appeals to report
6829	Drug-induced pulmonary pneumonitis and fibrosis	Too few Board appeals to report
6830	Radiation-induced pulmonary pneumonitis and fibrosis	Too few Board appeals to report
6831	Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis)	Too few Board appeals to report
6836	Blastomycosis	Too few Board appeals to report
6837	Cryptococcosis	Too few Board appeals to report
6838	Aspergillosis	Too few Board appeals to report
6839	Mucormycosis	Too few Board appeals to report
6840	Diaphragm paralysis or paresis	Too few Board appeals to report
6841	Spinal cord injury with respiratory insufficiency	Too few Board appeals to report

Counts from RateMyVSO's index of published BVA decisions, refreshed weekly. A remand is not a loss; it means the Board needed more evidence before deciding. Descriptive of the published record, not a prediction for any claim.

Common Secondary Conditions

Respiratory conditions rarely stay in one place. Because breathing touches sleep, the heart, and mood, one service-connected condition often opens the door to several secondary claims:

Sleep apnea from a blocked airway or weight gain. Sleep apnea can be claimed as secondary to chronic sinus or nasal obstruction, or to weight gain caused by another service-connected condition that limits activity.
Cor pulmonale (right-heart strain). Severe, long-standing lung disease can strain the right side of the heart. Cor pulmonale is not a separate secondary heart claim: 38 CFR § 4.104 directs VA to evaluate it as part of the pulmonary condition that causes it, and several lung codes count it at their highest levels.
Depression and anxiety from chronic breathlessness. Long-term shortness of breath and lost activity drive depression and anxiety, which can be claimed as secondary to the physical condition. See secondary conditions.
GERD and asthma often travel together. Acid reflux and asthma frequently occur together and can aggravate each other, so one may support a secondary claim tied to the other.

Each dedicated guide above shows the live Board grant rates for that condition's most common secondary pairings.

Records That Show What the Schedule Measures

What belongs in the file depends on the lane. Five record groups cover the respiratory schedule:

Exact respiratory diagnosis: the specific diagnosis, and which condition is predominant when several coexist, because the codes in the affected groups are not combined.
Complete pulmonary function report: pre- and post-bronchodilator values, DLCO when applicable, and the examiner's statement about which measure most accurately reflects the disability.
Treatment path: inhalers, anti-inflammatory medicine, courses of systemic steroids, oxygen, antibiotics, and the physician visits the applicable code counts.
Episode and event timeline: exacerbations, hospitalizations, respiratory failure, cancer treatment dates, or procedures, whichever the code names.
Condition-specific records outside the breathing test: a sleep study and device prescription for sleep apnea, ear, nose, and throat findings for sinus disease, or the examination the diagnosis calls for when the code is not test-driven.

Proof of qualifying service for a presumptive route belongs in the file too, and the matching DBQ prompts an examiner to capture most of these fields.

Evidence Cited in Published Asthma Decisions

We analyzed 20,558 published Board decisions involving asthma for condition-specific evidence, counting only case-specific mentions (boilerplate recitations excluded). "Favorable" is the share of decisions citing that evidence where every issue was granted or the outcome was mixed; the baseline across all these decisions is 52.6%. Evidence appearing in a decision does not mean it decided the case. Descriptive of the published record, not a prediction.

Bar length shows decisions citing the evidence.

Inhalational therapy or bronchodilator use

6,877 decisions60.7% favorable

Pulmonary function testing (FEV-1/FVC)

6,861 decisions57.2% favorable

Asthma attacks or urgent-care visits documented

4,093 decisions58.2% favorable

Asthma diagnosed or treated in service

2,391 decisions62.4% favorable

Systemic (oral) corticosteroid courses

2,045 decisions61.5% favorable

Evidence Cited in Published COPD and chronic lung disease Decisions

We analyzed 36,233 published Board decisions involving copd and chronic lung disease for condition-specific evidence, counting only case-specific mentions (boilerplate recitations excluded). "Favorable" is the share of decisions citing that evidence where every issue was granted or the outcome was mixed; the baseline across all these decisions is 43.9%, combining every diagnostic code below. Evidence appearing in a decision does not mean it decided the case. Descriptive of the published record, not a prediction.

Bar length shows decisions citing the evidence.

Service exposure etiology discussed (asbestos, fumes, burn pits)

12,178 decisions46.4% favorable

Pulmonary function testing (FEV-1/FVC)

11,376 decisions46.3% favorable

Bronchodilator or inhalational therapy

8,317 decisions51.1% favorable

Smoking history weighed as etiology

7,009 decisions42.1% favorable

Outpatient oxygen therapy

3,233 decisions56.3% favorable

By diagnostic code

These codes are grouped together above. They do not perform the same, so find your own code here rather than reading the combined figure. A code retired in the schedule rewrites appears without a link, because its decisions were judged under criteria that no longer apply.

Bar length shows published decisions reviewed.

DC 6603 Emphysema, pulmonary

14,497 decisions928 granted · 49.8% favorable

DC 6604 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

10,286 decisions480 granted · 38.6% favorable

DC 6600 Bronchitis, chronic

8,793 decisions350 granted · 44.5% favorable

DC 6833 Asbestosis

5,000 decisions423 granted · 43.0% favorable

Detected by phrase-reading the decision text with condition-specific vocabularies. Source: Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions, RateMyVSO analysis.

Symptoms Recorded in Granted Asthma Decisions

We analyzed 1,431 granted Board decisions involving asthma for symptoms named in sentences about the condition (rating-criteria recitations excluded). Descriptive of the published record, what the Board wrote down, not a checklist of what to report.

Bar length shows decisions. Percentages remain context.

Shortness of breath

403 decisions28.2% of granted

Wheezing

247 decisions17.3% of granted

Coughing

202 decisions14.1% of granted

Difficulty breathing

66 decisions4.6% of granted

Chest tightness

42 decisions2.9% of granted

Symptoms Recorded in Granted COPD and chronic lung disease Decisions

We analyzed 2,069 granted Board decisions involving copd and chronic lung disease for symptoms named in sentences about the condition (rating-criteria recitations excluded). Descriptive of the published record, what the Board wrote down, not a checklist of what to report.

Bar length shows decisions. Percentages remain context.

Shortness of breath (dyspnea)

216 decisions10.4% of granted

Chronic cough

120 decisions5.8% of granted

Wheezing

54 decisions2.6% of granted

Sputum or mucus production

27 decisions1.3% of granted

Detected by phrase-reading the decision text with condition-specific vocabularies. Source: Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions, RateMyVSO analysis.

Common Mistakes

Filing a lung claim with no PFT. If there is no breathing test in the file, there is often nothing for the rater to score the condition on. A complete PFT report is usually the backbone of the claim.
Using pre-bronchodilator numbers. Readings taken before the inhaler can overstate how well the lungs work. The post-bronchodilator values are generally the ones that control.
Skipping the presumptive path. If a qualifying burn-pit or airborne-hazard exposure already covers the condition under the PACT Act, do not overlook that route, it can remove the need to prove the medical link.
Not tying sleep apnea to its cause. Sleep apnea can be a secondary condition (for example, to sinus or nasal obstruction, or to weight gain from another condition). Claiming it in isolation can miss that link.
Forgetting that sinus and nasal conditions are rated separately. Sinusitis and rhinitis are counted by episodes, not by a PFT, so a lung claim does not cover them. Claim them on their own.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the VA rate lung conditions?

Most lung diseases, including COPD, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and interstitial lung disease, are rated under 38 CFR 4.97 on a breathing test called the pulmonary function test (PFT). For most of them the rating reads three numbers: FEV-1, the FEV-1/FVC ratio, and DLCO, usually measured after an inhaler (post-bronchodilator); pre-bronchodilator values are used only when the post-bronchodilator result is poorer, and when different measures point to different levels, the one the examiner says most accurately reflects the disability controls (38 CFR 4.96(d)). Asthma is the exception: DC 6602 uses FEV-1 and the FEV-1/FVC ratio but not DLCO, and it can also be rated on treatment alone. Some codes also list maximum exercise capacity, measured in ml/kg/min of oxygen consumption, at specific levels.

What does a PFT (breathing test) measure?

A pulmonary function test measures how much air you can move and how fast. The three readings that matter most for VA ratings are FEV-1 (the percent of predicted air you can force out in one second), the FEV-1/FVC ratio (how much of your total breath comes out in that first second), and DLCO (how well oxygen crosses from your lungs into your blood, as a percent of predicted). The post-bronchodilator values, taken after an inhaler, are generally the ones used.

How is sleep apnea rated?

Sleep apnea is not rated on a PFT. What matters is whether the condition requires a breathing-assistance device such as a CPAP machine. A sleep study documents the apnea, and the prescription for the device supports the rating. Sleep apnea can also be claimed as a secondary condition, for example to chronic sinus or nasal obstruction or to weight gain from another service-connected condition. See the sleep apnea guide for the details.

Does the worst PFT number automatically control?

No. When different pulmonary function measures point to different levels, the controlling value is the one the examiner states most accurately reflects the disability, not simply the lowest result on the page (see 38 CFR § 4.96(d)). Post-bronchodilator values are generally used, with pre-bronchodilator values used only when the post-bronchodilator result is poorer. When DLCO is missing or a test conflicts with the clinical picture, the examiner has to explain why, and that explanation is part of the record.

Does PACT Act service make every respiratory condition presumptive?

No. A presumption attaches to a listed diagnosis plus the required service, location, and time facts, not to breathing problems generally. Several respiratory diseases and cancers are on the burn-pit and airborne-hazard lists, and for a covered veteran those do not need a separately proven medical link. A condition that is not on a list, or service that does not meet the requirements, still runs through the ordinary direct, secondary, or aggravation routes. Check the current lists in the PACT Act guide against the exact diagnosis and service.

Can asthma, COPD, and sleep apnea always receive separate ratings?

No. Ratings inside the affected respiratory code groups are not combined with each other; VA assigns a single evaluation under the code reflecting the predominant respiratory disability and may elevate it when overall severity warrants (see 38 CFR § 4.96(a)). Whether two diagnoses can be evaluated separately depends on the exact codes involved and on whether the manifestations actually overlap, so the answer turns on the record rather than on the number of diagnoses.

Is sinusitis rated the same way as COPD?

No. COPD and most lung diseases are rated on the numbers from a breathing test (the PFT). Chronic sinusitis and rhinitis are rated a completely different way: by counting incapacitating and non-incapacitating episodes over a year, along with findings like nasal polyps and blockage. Because the methods differ, a lung PFT does nothing for a sinus or nasal claim, and those conditions should be claimed on their own.

Related Tools and Guides

COPD Guide

How COPD, bronchitis, and emphysema rate on the breathing test.

Asthma Guide

The PFT numbers and medication rules behind an asthma rating.

Sleep Apnea Guide

Why the CPAP device, not a PFT, drives the rating.

Sinusitis & Rhinitis Guide

Counting episodes, polyps, and nasal blockage instead of a PFT.

PACT Act Guide

Burn-pit and airborne-hazard presumptives for the lungs.

DBQ Guide

The exam forms that capture the breathing measurements.

Asbestos Exposure

How the Board has tied asbestos to lung conditions, by outcome.

Silica Exposure

Crystalline-silica lung claims in published BVA decisions.

Diesel Exhaust

Diesel fuel and exhaust as a claimed respiratory cause.

Sources: 38 CFR 4.97, respiratory ratings · VA airborne hazards and burn-pit exposures. Educational only, not legal advice, and not a prediction of any individual claim. Rating criteria and the presumptive lists change; confirm current details in 38 CFR Part 4 and on VA.gov. For help with your claim, find a VA-accredited representative.