COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
Start a claim for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)— free & guided
Step-by-step builder: add this and any related conditions, see the research, and get a package ready for a free VSO. No account needed to start.
The DBQ for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960L-1 (Respiratory Conditions (Other Than Tuberculosis and Sleep Apnea)) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.97, DC 6604 (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
FEV-1 of 71 to 80 percent predicted; or FEV-1/FVC of 71 to 80 percent; or DLCO(SB) of 66 to 80 percent predicted.
FEV-1 of 56 to 70 percent predicted; or FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent; or DLCO(SB) of 56 to 65 percent predicted.
FEV-1 of 40 to 55 percent predicted; or FEV-1/FVC of 40 to 55 percent; or DLCO(SB) of 40 to 55 percent predicted; or maximum oxygen consumption of 15 to 20 ml/kg/min.
FEV-1 less than 40 percent predicted; or FEV-1/FVC less than 40 percent; or DLCO(SB) less than 40 percent predicted; or maximum oxygen consumption less than 15 ml/kg/min; or cor pulmonale; or right ventricular hypertrophy; or pulmonary hypertension; or an episode of acute respiratory failure; or requires outpatient oxygen therapy.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2024 · PMID 38446720
Finding: In a survey of Gulf War and Post-9/11 veterans, documented burn pit exposure was associated with significantly higher odds of multiple airway conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, interstitial lung disease, constrictive bronchiolitis, and pulmonary fibrosis.
Why it helps: Supports an association between airborne hazard/open burn pit exposure during deployment and COPD, useful context for a direct service-connection theory under the PACT Act framework.
Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2023 · PMID 37343826
Finding: This review summarizes evidence that toxic burn pit constituents (dioxins, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, particulate matter) can cause or exacerbate upper and lower airway disease, with preclinical models showing airway dysfunction and inflammation, while noting causality has been difficult to prove.
Why it helps: Provides a plausible biological mechanism linking deployment burn pit smoke to chronic airway disease such as COPD, supporting a nexus argument while being candid about evidentiary limits.
Environmental Research, 2014 · PMID 24906069
Finding: Among 111,726 Korean Vietnam veterans, the high Agent Orange exposure group had significantly elevated odds of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease including chronic bronchitis (OR=1.05) and bronchiectasis (OR=1.16) after adjustment for covariates.
Why it helps: Supports a modest association between Agent Orange/herbicide exposure and COPD in a large veteran cohort, relevant to a direct exposure claim.
- Agent Orange exposure and risk of death in Korean Vietnam veterans: Korean Veterans Health StudyDirect
International Journal of Epidemiology, 2014 · PMID 25186308
Finding: In a cohort of 180,639 Korean Vietnam veterans followed over 14 years, mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease increased with increasing Agent Orange exposure, alongside elevated deaths from several cancers and liver disease.
Why it helps: Strengthens the exposure-disease relationship by showing increasing COPD mortality with greater herbicide exposure, supporting a direct-exposure association.
Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease, 2013 · PMID 23470637
Finding: This review describes deployment respiratory hazards (suspended geologic dusts, burn pits, vehicle exhaust, industrial air pollution) and notes COPD and asthma remain frequently diagnosed in service members, with deployment exposures giving rise to both acute symptoms and chronic lung disease.
Why it helps: Documents the range of inhalational hazards in Iraq/Afghanistan deployments and ties them to chronic obstructive lung disease, useful background for a service-connection narrative.
International Journal of COPD, 2015 · nexus to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) · PMID 26508851
Finding: A structured review of 19 qualifying articles found inconclusive evidence for direct co-occurrence of COPD and PTSD, but more consistent evidence that PTSD worsens perceived respiratory symptom burden and complicates COPD management.
Why it helps: Supports a secondary/aggravation argument that service-connected PTSD can worsen COPD symptom burden and management, while honestly reflecting the limits of the co-occurrence evidence.
Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, 2024 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) · PMID 38932721
Finding: This review describes the OSA-COPD overlap syndrome, in which coexisting obstructive sleep apnea and COPD share hypoxia and inflammation pathways; overlap patients treated with positive airway pressure had superior survival and fewer exacerbations and hospitalizations than untreated patients.
Why it helps: Supports the clinical link between service-connected OSA and COPD (overlap syndrome) and its impact on outcomes, useful for a secondary-condition or aggravation theory.
General Hospital Psychiatry, 2020 · nexus to depression · PMID 32279024
Finding: In a VA cohort of 3,284,496 patients, COPD and current smoking were independent risk factors for incident depression, with annual odds of developing depression rising from 1.4% in never-smokers without COPD to 2.9% in current smokers with COPD.
Why it helps: Supports a secondary claim that COPD can contribute to the development of depression, relevant when depression is claimed as secondary to service-connected COPD.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
Share this rating breakdown
A free, source-cited infographic of how the VA rates COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Save it and post it, or send it to someone who needs it. No fee, no catch.
Square format, ready for an Instagram or Facebook post.
Open / save the image →Sharing the page link also shows a wide preview card automatically.
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) as a Secondary Condition
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)claim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) should also be looking at:
Quick calculator
Estimate your combined rating →
The VA doesn't add ratings — they use a specific formula. See your combined rating in 30 seconds.
Health care
Estimate your VA Priority Group →
Priority Group 1-8 determines what care you get and what it costs. Service-connected = lower copays, full access.
Where you live
Compare 50 state veteran benefits →
State property tax exemptions for SC vets vary 10x. Some states fully exempt 100%-rated vets, others give nothing.
Home buying
VA home loan + funding fee waiver →
ANY service-connected rating waives the funding fee. On a $400K loan that's ~$8,600 saved.
Draft your COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) VA Claim
Use our free Claims Builder to organize your COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) evidence, track your claim status, and prepare for your C&P exam. No coaching fees — just tools.
Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
More free tools
Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.