YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Bronchial Asthma VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Bronchial Asthma under diagnostic code 6602, in 38 CFR § 4.97 (respiratory system), and the schedule provides four evaluation levels for it: 100%, 60%, 30% and 10%.
Free · No account needed
Save your Bronchial Asthma guide
Email yourself this Bronchial Asthma guide so the rating criteria, evidence checklist, and preparation tips are easy to find later.
A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Prepare for your examTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Bronchial Asthma
A chronic lung condition that causes wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing due to inflamed airways.
Rated on pulmonary function (FEV-1 and FEV-1/FVC), the frequency of attacks and physician visits for exacerbations, and treatment: intermittent bronchodilators (10%), daily bronchodilators or inhaled anti-inflammatory medication (30%), at least three courses of systemic corticosteroids a year (60%), or daily high-dose systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressive medication (100%). Without clinical findings of asthma at the examination, a verified history of asthmatic attacks must be of record.
- Diagnostic code
- 6602
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.97
- Schedule levels
- 100%, 60%, 30% and 10%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
This code prints no 0% row. Under 38 CFR § 4.31, a 0% evaluation is assigned where the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Bronchial Asthma VA rating criteria (DC 6602)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
IN THE REGULATION’S OWN WORDS
What 38 CFR also says about Bronchial Asthma
The notes 38 CFR Part 4 prints with these criteria, quoted. They govern how the evaluation is made without being a rating level themselves.
- “Note: In the absence of clinical findings of asthma at time of examination, a verified history of asthmatic attacks must be of record.”DC 6602
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Bronchial Asthma claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
A LITTLE PREPARATION HELPS
What the C&P examiner will ask about Bronchial Asthma
Think through your own experience before exam day. Open a question to see what the examiner is assessing and which details are useful to describe accurately.
Daily functionHow often do you have asthma attacks or breathing difficulties that limit your activities?
Evaluating asthma frequency, severity, and functional respiratory limitations.
- Track frequency of inhaler use and emergency room visits
- Describe specific triggers: exercise, allergens, weather, stress
- Mention sleep disruption from breathing difficulties
- Bring documentation of pulmonary function tests
- Not mentioning frequency of rescue inhaler use
- Forgetting to describe environmental triggers and avoidance
- Not documenting ER visits or hospitalizations for asthma
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Bronchial Asthma?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Bronchial Asthma claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim3 tips
- 01
Include all ER visits or steroid bursts
- 02
Connect with PACT Act if deployed in qualifying areas
- 03
Submit latest breathing test results
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind3 tips
- 01
Lack of current PFT results
- 02
Failure to report steroid frequency
- 03
Symptoms confused with other respiratory conditions
Common filing mistakes3 tips
- 01
No PFTs or inhaler records submitted
- 02
Not documenting frequency of attacks or ER visits
- 03
Leaving out link to exposure or deployment
When symptoms may first appear3 tips
- 01
Triggered during service by airborne irritants
- 02
Delayed onset after deployment or chemical exposure
- 03
Can worsen with age, smoke, or allergens
SECONDARY TO SOMETHING ELSE
Conditions that can lead to Bronchial Asthma
Each links to a page on claiming Bronchial Asthma as secondary to that condition.
YOUR SERVICE STORY
Military jobs associated with Bronchial Asthma
More by branch: Air Force
THE BROADER PICTURE
Bronchial Asthma by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- High – especially when linked to burn pits, dust exposure, or PACT Act presumptives.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~114,000 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~30%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Bronchial Asthma
Is Bronchial Asthma a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Bronchial Asthma under VASRD diagnostic code 6602 (Respiratory System). A chronic lung condition that causes wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing due to inflamed airways.
What VA disability rating can I get for Bronchial Asthma?
Possible VA ratings for Bronchial Asthma are 100%, 60%, 30%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 100%: FEV-1 less than 40-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC less than 40 percent, or; more than one attack per week with episodes of respiratory failure, or; requires daily use of systemic (oral or parenteral) high dose corticosteroids or immuno-suppressive medications; 60%: FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent, or; at least monthly visits to a physician for required care of exacerbations, or; intermittent (at least three per year) courses of systemic (oral or parenteral) corticosteroids; 30%: FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent, or; daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy, or; inhalational anti-inflammatory medication.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Bronchial Asthma?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Bronchial Asthma at around 30%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 114,000 veterans are service-connected for Bronchial Asthma. Estimated approval outlook: High – especially when linked to burn pits, dust exposure, or PACT Act presumptives.
What evidence helps prove Bronchial Asthma for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Bronchial Asthma claim includes: Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) results showing FEV-1 percentages; Specialist (pulmonologist) notes with treatment history; Prescription history of corticosteroids or bronchodilators.
Which DBQ is used for Bronchial Asthma?
VA's Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea) Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Bronchial Asthma?
Common pitfalls when filing for Bronchial Asthma: No PFTs or inhaler records submitted; Not documenting frequency of attacks or ER visits; Leaving out link to exposure or deployment.
Is Bronchial Asthma a presumptive condition for VA benefits?
Yes, for a veteran who meets a presumption's conditions. 38 CFR 3.320(a) names "Asthma" among the chronic diseases associated with fine particulate matter, for a veteran with service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War, or in Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti or Uzbekistan on or after September 19, 2001, if it became manifest to any degree at any time after that service. 38 U.S.C. 1120(b) names "Asthma that was diagnosed after service" for a covered veteran: one who, on or after August 2, 1990, was assigned to a duty station in, or in the airspace above, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia or the United Arab Emirates, or, on or after September 11, 2001, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen or Uzbekistan (38 U.S.C. 1119(c)). Each presumption gives way to affirmative evidence to the contrary (38 CFR 3.320(b); 38 U.S.C. 1113).
What conditions can be secondary to Bronchial Asthma?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Bronchial Asthma, when a medical opinion links them, include: GERD. A secondary condition gets its own rating, which VA combines with the veteran's other ratings under 38 CFR 4.25.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.97, Schedule of ratings, respiratory system (Diagnostic Code 6602)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
- 38 CFR 3.320(a), presumptive service connection
- 38 U.S.C. 1120(b), presumptive service connection
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
VA Calc: Disability Pay
Combine your ratings & see monthly pay on your iPhone · Works offline