C&P Exam for Asthma, bronchial (DC 6602)

Diagnostic code: 6602Condition: Asthma, bronchialRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.97DBQ: DBQ RESP Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea)

Which form the examiner uses

For asthma, bronchial (DC 6602), the C&P examiner completes the following Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ):

DBQs are Department of Veterans Affairs Form 21-0960 series documents. Public DBQs are hosted on benefits.va.gov. A handful are examiner-only and are not posted publicly.

What the examiner records

The fields below are reproduced from the DBQ form the examiner completes for this diagnostic code. This is the structural map of the form, showing what the examiner is asked to measure, observe, and record. It is a factual reproduction of the public DBQ, not advice on how to answer.

This DBQ evaluates respiratory conditions (excluding tuberculosis and sleep apnea), including asthma, COPD, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, asbestosis, and diaphragm conditions, organized as Section III subsections per condition.

How DC 6602 maps to this DBQ: for this diagnostic code specifically, the examiner typically completes sections I-VI of this form. Section III is the condition-specific section for this code.

DIAGNOSIS (Section I)
  • 1A. List the claimed condition(s) that pertain to this questionnaire:
  • 1B. Select diagnoses associated with the claimed condition(s) (check all that apply): Asthma — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Emphysema — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Chronic bronchitis — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Constrictive bronchiolitis — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Interstitial lung disease (if checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Restrictive lung disease (If checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Mycotic lung disease (If checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Sarcoidosis — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Benign or malignant neoplasm or metastases of respiratory system (If checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Pulmonary vascular disease (Including pulmonary thromboembolism)(If checked, specify) — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Pleurisy with empyema, with or without pleurocutaneous fistula — Unresolved / Resolved — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1B. Other diagnosis #1 / #2 / #3 — ICD code / Date of diagnosis
  • 1C. If there are additional diagnoses that pertain to respiratory conditions, list using above format:
MEDICAL HISTORY (Section II)
  • 2A. Describe the history, including onset and course, of the Veteran's respiratory condition(s). Brief summary:
  • 2B. Does the Veteran's respiratory condition require the use of oral or parenteral corticosteroid medications?
  • Requires chronic low dose (maintenance) corticosteroids
  • Requires intermittent courses or bursts of systemic (oral or parenteral) corticosteriods — number of courses or bursts in past 12 months: 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 or more
  • Requires systemic (oral or parenteral) high dose (therapeutic) corticosteroids for control
  • Requires daily use of systemic (oral or parenteral) high dose corticosteroids
  • Requires daily use of systemic (oral or parenteral) immuno-suppressive medications
  • 2C. Does the Veteran's respiratory condition require the use of inhaled medications?
  • Inhalational bronchodilator therapy — frequency: Intermittent / Daily
  • Inhalational anti-inflammatory medication — frequency: Intermittent / Daily
  • Other inhaled medications, describe:
  • 2D. Does the Veteran's respiratory condition require the use of oral bronchodilators? — frequency: Intermittent / Daily
  • 2E. Does the Veteran's respiratory condition require the use of antibiotics? — list antibiotics, dose, frequency and condition
  • 2F. Does the Veteran require outpatient oxygen therapy for his or her respiratory condition?
  • does the Veteran require continuous oxygen therapy (>17 hours/day)?
PULMONARY CONDITIONS (Section III)
    DIAGNOSTIC TESTING (Section IV)
    • 4A. Have imaging studies or procedures been performed? — Chest x-ray (Date / Results) / MRI (Date / Results) / CT (Date / Results) / HRCT (Date / Results) / Bronchoscopy (Date / Results) / Biopsy (Date / Results) / Other (Date / Results)
    • 4B. Has pulmonary function testing (PFT) been performed?
    • Do PFT results reported below reflect the Veteran's current pulmonary function?
    • Reason PFTs not required: Veteran requires outpatient oxygen therapy / 1 or more episodes of acute respiratory failure / Cor pulmonale/right ventricular hypertrophy/pulmonary hypertension / Exercise capacity testing ≤20 ml/kg/min
    • 4C. Date of test:
    • Pre-bronchodilator FVC: % predicted
    • Pre-bronchodilator FEV1: % predicted
    • Pre-bronchodilator FEV-1/FVC: %
    • Post-bronchodilator FVC: % predicted
    • Post-bronchodilator FEV1: % predicted
    • Post-bronchodilator FEV-1/FVC: %
    • DLCO: % predicted
    • 4D. Which test result most accurately reflects the Veteran's level of disability: FVC % predicted / FEV-1 % predicted / FEV-1/FVC / DLCO
    • 4E. If post-bronchodilator testing has not been completed, indicate reason:
    • 4F. If DLCO testing has not been completed, provide reason:
    • 4G. Does the Veteran have multiple respiratory conditions? — list conditions and predominantly responsible condition:
    • 4H. Has exercise capacity testing been performed? — Maximum exercise capacity <15 ml/kg/min / 15-20 ml/kg/min / >20 ml/kg/min / Unknown results
    • 4I. Are there any other significant diagnostic test findings and/or results? — describe (brief summary):
    FUNCTIONAL IMPACT (Section V)
    • 5A. Regardless of the Veteran's current employment status, do the conditions listed in the diagnosis section impact his/her ability to perform any type of occupational task (such as standing, walking, lifting, sitting, etc.)?
    • If yes, describe the functional impact of each condition, providing one or more examples:
    REMARKS (Section VI)
    • 6A. Remarks (if any - please identify the section to which the remark pertains when appropriate).

    Rating Levels for DC 6602

    The following tiers are reproduced from 38 CFR Part 4, the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. Toggle between the official VA criteria and a Plain English explanation.

    Plain-English summaries are AI-generated to explain the official criteria. The official 38 CFR language is the binding legal standard. When in doubt, ask a VSO.

    Evidence cited in published BVA decisions for DC 6602

    The counts below are aggregated from published Board of Veterans Appeals decisions for this diagnostic code. Each row reports how often a given evidence type was discussed in the decision text, broken down by outcome. This is a factual aggregate of the public record, not a prediction or recommendation about any specific claim.

    • VA examination: appeared in 97 granted decisions (42 denied, 119 remanded; 258 total)
    • Private medical opinion: appeared in 63 granted decisions (6 denied, 24 remanded; 93 total)
    • Medical literature: appeared in 30 granted decisions (4 denied, 10 remanded; 44 total)
    • Nexus letter: appeared in 16 granted decisions (5 denied, 4 remanded; 25 total)
    • Buddy / lay statements: appeared in 12 granted decisions (5 denied, 18 remanded; 35 total)
    • Service treatment records: appeared in 9 granted decisions (4 denied, 25 remanded; 38 total)

    What the Board discussed in granted decisions for DC 6602

    The themes below were extracted by clustering 500 grant-factor sentences from published Board of Veterans Appeals decisions for this diagnostic code. Frequencies indicate how often each theme appeared in the sample. This is a factual aggregate of the public record, not advice or strategy for any specific claim.

    1. 27% Benefit of the doubt doctrine cited as legal standard
      The Board or decision cited the statutory benefit-of-the-doubt rule requiring VA to resolve approximate balance of positive and negative evidence in the claimant's favor.
      134 of 500 sample sentences
    2. 13% Evidence found in equipoise supporting asthma service connection
      The Board found the competent and probative evidence at least in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's asthma was incurred in, related to, or aggravated by active military service.
      63 of 500 sample sentences
    3. 12% VA or private examiner nexus opinion cited for asthma
      A VA or private medical examiner opined that the Veteran's asthma was at least as likely as not caused by, incurred in, or related to active duty service or a service-connected condition.
      62 of 500 sample sentences
    4. 12% Preponderance of evidence found against claim; benefit of doubt inapplicable
      The Board determined that the weight of probative evidence persuasively weighed against the claim, making the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine inapplicable.
      62 of 500 sample sentences
    5. 12% Examiner nexus opinion cited for non-asthma conditions
      A VA or private medical examiner opined that a condition other than asthma (e.g., tinnitus, PTSD, hearing loss, OSA, COPD) was at least as likely as not related to service or a service-connected disability.
      62 of 500 sample sentences
    6. 8% Relative equipoise standard and veteran-prevails rule noted
      The Board recorded the legal standard that when evidence supports the claim or is in relative equipoise the veteran prevails, and a preponderance against the claim results in denial.
      42 of 500 sample sentences
    7. 4% Examiner opinion request documented for asthma nexus
      The Board or remand order documented a request for a medical examiner to opine whether the Veteran's asthma or respiratory condition was at least as likely as not related to service or a toxic exposure.
      22 of 500 sample sentences
    8. 4% Benefit of doubt applied to asthma rating or symptom criteria
      The Board recorded application of the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine to resolve an approximate balance of evidence regarding the degree of asthma disability or whether specific rating criteria were met.
      22 of 500 sample sentences
    9. 4% OSA or secondary condition linked to asthma in equipoise finding
      The Board found the evidence at least in equipoise as to whether a secondary condition such as obstructive sleep apnea, pulmonary hypertension, or COPD was caused or aggravated by service-connected asthma.
      18 of 500 sample sentences
    10. 3% Board conclusion cited granting service connection for asthma
      The Board recorded a finding of fact or conclusion of law that service connection for asthma or a respiratory disorder was warranted after resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
      13 of 500 sample sentences
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    Disclaimer: This page reproduces public Department of Veterans Affairs forms (DBQs) and verbatim text from 38 CFR Part 4 (the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities). It is informational only and is not legal or medical advice. For guidance on a specific claim, contact a VA-accredited representative.