Interstitial Lung Disease VA Rating Explained: How the VA Rates Lung Scarring and Breathing Problems

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As a veteran, you’ve likely faced risks during your service that can lead to long-term health challenges. One such condition is interstitial lung disease (ILD), a group of disorders that cause inflammation and scarring of the lungs, making breathing increasingly difficult.  

For many veterans, exposure to burn pits in Iraq or Afghanistan or asbestos on ships may contribute to respiratory conditions, including interstitial lung disease. Understanding your potential VA benefits is crucial, and an interstitial lung disease VA rating can provide the financial support you deserve. 

Your VA rating, which can range from 10% to 100%, is dependent on pulmonary function test (PFT) results, including Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and Diffusing Capacity of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide (DLCO). Severity of symptoms, such as the need for oxygen’ therapy, is also considered. 

In this guide, we’ll break down the VA rating for interstitial lung disease, how the VA evaluates it, and steps to secure your claim.

Summary of Key Points

• VA rates interstitial lung disease (ILD) from 10% to 100% under Diagnostic Codes 6825–6833, based on the results of lung function tests; a 100% rating requires severe impairment or the need for oxygen therapy. 

• The PACT Act grants presumptive service connection for ILD VA disability linked to burn pits in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Gulf War zones. Presumptive service connection means no nexus is needed for qualifying veterans. 

• Common veteran ILDs, such as pulmonary fibrosis, asbestosis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, share the same interstitial lung disease VA rating formula, but exposures (asbestos, burn pits) must be documented. 

• Secondary claims and TDIU are possible because ILD can prevent you from working or stem from sleep apnea and autoimmune conditions; a strong nexus letter and valid PFTs are the keys to a higher rating. 

What is Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)?

Interstitial lung disease refers to a family of more than 200 disorders that cause inflammation and progressive scarring (fibrosis) in the lungs. This scarring stiffens the lungs, reducing their ability to expand and transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. Symptoms include: 

• Shortness of breath 

• Dry cough 

• Chest discomfort 

• Fatigue 

• Weight loss/loss of appetite 

• “Clubbing,” or widening of fingers and toes 

• “Crackles” sound in lungs 

For veterans, common triggers include environmental and occupational exposures during service. These might involve inhaling asbestos fibers while working on aging ships, burn pit smoke containing toxins like dioxins and particulate matter, jet fuel vapors, or industrial dust in deployment zones.  

The PACT Act has expanded presumptive service connection for interstitial lung disease VA ratings related to burn pits, making it easier for post-9/11 veterans to qualify without proving direct causation.

Related Post: VA Respiratory Ratings Guide

Interstitial Lung Disease and the PACT Act

The Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, signed in 2022, is a game-changer for veterans seeking a VA rating for interstitial lung disease, as it’s among the more than 20 new presumptive conditions tied to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures.  

If you served in qualifying locations (e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan, or the Gulf War after Aug. 2, 1990), you no longer need to prove that burn pit smoke or particulate matter directly caused your ILD. The VA assumes the link, streamlining the claims process. 

This applies to conditions like pulmonary fibrosis, asbestosis, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis when tied to covered exposures. As of April 2025, more than 2.1 million PACT Act claims have been processed, including many interstitial lung disease VA rating approvals. 

How the VA Rates Interstitial Lung Disease

The VA rates interstitial lung disease using the General Rating Formula for Interstitial Lung Disease (Diagnostic Codes 6825–6833), which focuses on objective PFT metrics. Tests measure lung capacity and gas exchange, typically post-bronchodilator (after an inhaler) for accuracy. Ratings range from 10% (mild impairment) to 100% (severe, life-altering disability). 

General Rating Formula for Interstitial Lung Disease (DC 6825–6833)
VA Rating	Criteria Based on Pulmonary Function Tests or Other Findings
10%	FVC of 75–80% predicted, or DLCO (SB) of 66–80% predicted. (Mild reduction in lung function.)
30%	FVC of 65–74% predicted, or DLCO (SB) of 56–65% predicted. (Moderate impairment affecting daily activities.)
60%	FVC of 50–64% predicted, or DLCO (SB) of 40–55% predicted, or maximum exercise capacity of 15–20 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption with cardiorespiratory limit. (Significant breathing difficulties, possibly with fatigue during exertion.)
100%	FVC less than 50% predicted, or DLCO (SB) less than 40% predicted, or maximum exercise capacity less than 15 ml/kg/min oxygen consumption with cardiorespiratory limit, or cor pulmonale (right heart failure), pulmonary hypertension, or requires outpatient oxygen therapy. (Severe restriction, often with respiratory failure risk.)

For example, if your FVC drops below 50% predicted — indicating your lungs hold less than half the air of a healthy peer — you could qualify for 100%.

Common Types of ILD Seen in Veterans

Veterans often encounter specific ILD variants linked to service exposures. Each falls under the same interstitial lung disease VA rating formula but may have presumptive connections: 

• Pulmonary Fibrosis (DCs 6825–6827): Scarring of lung tissue from unknown causes or exposures like burn pits; leads to progressive breathlessness.  

Learn more in our Pulmonary Fibrosis VA Rating guide. 

• Asbestosis (DC 6833): Fibrosis from asbestos inhalation, common in Navy veterans handling insulation; causes pleural plaques and restricted breathing.  

Read our Asbestosis VA Disability blog. 

• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (DC 6831): An allergic reaction to inhaled organic dusts or chemicals (e.g., mold in tents or jet fuels), resulting in inflammation and fibrosis.  

• Sarcoidosis (DC 6846): Granulomas form in lungs from immune overreaction, possibly triggered by deployments; can involve other organs like eyes or skin; it is rated separately from the interstitial lung disease codes under its own criteria.  

Explore our Sarcoidosis VA Rating article. 

These conditions share the VA rating for interstitial lung disease criteria, but documenting exposure strengthens your claim. 

Proving Service Connection for ILD

To establish service connection for an ILD VA disability claim, you need three elements:  

1. A current medical diagnosis of ILD (through PFTs, CT scans, or biopsy),  

2. An in-service event like exposure to asbestos, burn pits, jet fuel, or industrial dust, and  

3. A nexus linking the two, often in the form of a doctor’s opinion or medical nexus letter. 

Under the PACT Act, interstitial lung disease is presumptively service-connected for veterans who served in qualifying locations. That means you don’t have to have a nexus; the VA already assumes the connection. For asbestosis VA rating claims (common in Vietnam-era Navy vets), submit your DD-214 and exposure history. 

Can ILD Be Secondary to Other Service-Connected Conditions?

Yes, interstitial lung disease often develops as a secondary condition to existing service-connected issues, allowing you to claim additional benefits. ILD can stem from: 

• Autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma 

• Radiation therapy for service-connected cancers 

• Chronic respiratory conditions, like sleep apnea 

A strong nexus letter from a medical professional explaining how an already service-connected primary condition aggravated ILD is essential. Specialist evaluations via VA or private DBQs can bolster this. 

100% VA Disability for Interstitial Lung Disease

A 100% VA rating for interstitial lung disease is reserved for profound impairment, including a FVC of less than 50%, a DLCO of less than 40%, an exercise capacity of less than 15 ml/kg/min, or complications like pulmonary hypertension or oxygen dependency. This reflects near-total respiratory failure, where even minimal activity is exhausting. 

TDIU for Interstitial Lung Disease

If ILD symptoms prevent substantial gainful employment but don’t hit 100% schedular criteria, Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is another option.  

TDIU pays at 100% rates if you have one condition rated at least 60% or two or more conditions totaling 70% with at least one condition rated at 40%. There are specific criteria to qualify for and maintain TDIU, including income and employment limits.  

Conclusion

Interstitial lung disease doesn’t have to define your post-service life. VA benefits can ease the burden of lung scarring and breathing struggles, whether from burn pits, asbestos, or secondary effects. 

The most important components of your ILD VA disability claim are gathering Pulmonary Function Tests to secure a current diagnosis, providing exposure evidence or other in-service event or aggravation, and a medical nexus linking your service to your condition. 

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