VASRD 5321 · Musculoskeletal System
Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles VA Disability Rating
Injury to the thoracic muscle group — the chest-wall muscles used in breathing.
VA Rating Tiers
How the VA Evaluates Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles
Under 38 CFR 4.73, DC 5321 rates injury of Muscle Group XXI: the muscles of respiration, which the schedule identifies as the thoracic muscle group, with respiration as their stated function. Unlike every other muscle group in § 4.73, this code merges two steps of the severity scale into one evaluation: a severe OR moderately severe injury is 20 percent, a moderate injury is 10 percent, and a slight injury is 0 percent. Twenty percent is the highest evaluation DC 5321 provides. This is a rating for injury to the chest-wall muscles themselves, not a rating for lung or airway disease — a diagnosed respiratory disease is evaluated under its own diagnostic code in § 4.97.
Approval outlook
Moderate
Veterans service-connected
~1,500 veterans
Typical rating awarded
~20%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule — not official VA statistics.
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Best Evidence to Gather
- •Service treatment records documenting the chest-wall injury — a penetrating wound, blast injury, rib fracture or thoracic surgery — and how deep it went.
- •An operative or surgical report describing loss of muscle substance, debridement, or scarring and adhesion within the thoracic muscle group.
- •Imaging of the chest wall showing the extent of muscle damage or retained foreign bodies.
- •A C&P muscle-injury examination that grades the injury as slight, moderate, moderately severe or severe, since that grade is what the code turns on.
Strategy Tips
- •Include PFT (pulmonary function test) results as core evidence, since this objective measurement is central to grading this condition's severity.
- •Log the daily activity impact of breathing difficulty, since this functional detail helps distinguish a muscle-based breathing impairment from general fatigue.
C&P Exam Pitfalls
- •Symptoms being attributed to general fatigue rather than a specific respiratory muscle impairment.
- •Not documenting the muscle involvement specifically.
Common Filing Mistakes
- •No respiratory testing included.
- •Lack of muscle grading to establish the severity.
Onset Patterns
- •Respiratory muscle damage under this code can be post-traumatic, from a chest injury, or develop from overuse or an underlying disease process affecting the chest wall muscles.
Secondary Conditions
Conditions commonly linked to Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles. Service-connecting a secondary condition can increase your combined rating.
Shortness of breath
COPD
Fatigue
Common questions about Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles
- Is Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles a VA-rated disability?
- Yes. The VA rates Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles under VASRD diagnostic code 5321 (Musculoskeletal System). Injury to the thoracic muscle group — the chest-wall muscles used in breathing.
- What VA disability rating can I get for Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles?
- Possible VA ratings for Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles are 20%, 10%, 0%. Examples: 20%: Severe or moderately severe damage to the chest-wall breathing muscles.; 10%: Moderate damage to the chest-wall breathing muscles.; 0%: Slight damage — service-connected, but below the level the schedule pays for..
- What's the typical VA rating awarded for Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles?
- Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 1,500 veterans are service-connected for Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate.
- What evidence helps prove Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles for VA disability?
- Strong evidence for a Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles claim includes: Service treatment records documenting the chest-wall injury — a penetrating wound, blast injury, rib fracture or thoracic surgery — and how deep it went.; An operative or surgical report describing loss of muscle substance, debridement, or sc…
- What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles?
- Common pitfalls when filing for Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles: No respiratory testing included.; Lack of muscle grading to establish the severity..
- What conditions are commonly secondary to Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles?
- Conditions often service-connected as secondary to Muscle Group XXI - Respiratory muscles include: Shortness of breath, COPD, Fatigue. Filing for secondary conditions can increase a veteran's combined VA rating.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.73 — Schedule of ratings — muscle injuries (Diagnostic Code 5321)
Rating criteria on this page are an educational summary of the cited regulation — the eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
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