C&P Exam for Asbestosis (DC 6833)

Diagnostic code: 6833Condition: AsbestosisRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.97DBQ: DBQ RESP Respiratory Conditions (other than tuberculosis and sleep apnea)

Which form the examiner uses

For asbestosis (DC 6833), 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 6833 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 6833

    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 6833

    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 5 granted decisions (8 denied, 21 remanded; 34 total)
    • Private medical opinion: appeared in 3 granted decisions (0 denied, 2 remanded; 5 total)
    • Nexus letter: appeared in 1 granted decision (1 denied, 3 remanded; 5 total)
    • Buddy / lay statements: appeared in 0 granted decisions (0 denied, 4 remanded; 4 total)
    • Service treatment records: appeared in 0 granted decisions (4 denied, 13 remanded; 17 total)
    • Medical literature: appeared in 0 granted decisions (1 denied, 2 remanded; 3 total)

    What the Board discussed in granted decisions for DC 6833

    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. 28% Benefit of the doubt doctrine cited as legal standard
      The Board or decision recited the statutory or regulatory benefit-of-the-doubt rule requiring that approximate balance of positive and negative evidence resolves in the claimant's favor.
      142 of 500 sample sentences
    2. 24% VA or private examiner nexus opinion cited as favorable
      A VA or private medical examiner opined that a current disability was at least as likely as not incurred in or caused by in-service asbestos exposure or another service-related event.
      121 of 500 sample sentences
    3. 19% Evidence found in relative equipoise warranting grant
      The Board found that the positive and negative evidence was in approximate balance or relative equipoise, resulting in a grant of service connection or a higher rating under the benefit-of-the-doubt rule.
      96 of 500 sample sentences
    4. 11% Preponderance against claim; benefit of doubt inapplicable
      The Board found that the weight of evidence persuasively favored denial, rendering the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine inapplicable and requiring the claim to be denied.
      57 of 500 sample sentences
    5. 4% Examiner nexus opinion noted as unfavorable or negative
      A VA or private examiner opined that a current disability was not at least as likely as not related to service or in-service asbestos exposure, recorded as negative evidence against the claim.
      22 of 500 sample sentences
    6. 4% Finding of fact recorded that asbestosis linked to service
      The Board entered a formal finding of fact that the Veteran's asbestosis or related pulmonary condition was at least as likely as not caused by or related to in-service asbestos exposure.
      21 of 500 sample sentences
    7. 4% Examiner opinion requested on asbestos nexus or secondary condition
      The Board or remand order directed an examiner to provide an opinion on whether a disability was at least as likely as not related to in-service asbestos exposure or secondary to a service-connected condition.
      20 of 500 sample sentences
    8. 2% Heightened duty noted due to lost or destroyed records
      The Board noted a heightened obligation to consider the benefit-of-the-doubt rule and explain its decision because the Veteran's service or medical records were lost, destroyed, or unavailable.
      10 of 500 sample sentences
    9. 2% Higher or staged disability rating granted under benefit of doubt
      The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine to assign a higher schedular rating or staged rating for asbestosis or a related condition during a specified appeal period.
      9 of 500 sample sentences
    10. 0% Evidence supported claim on direct basis without equipoise analysis
      The Board found that the weight of evidence affirmatively supported the claim for service connection or a higher rating, making resort to the benefit-of-the-doubt doctrine unnecessary.
      2 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.