Respiratory System§ 4.97Updated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 6520Larynx, stenosis of, including residuals of laryngeal trauma (unilateral or bilateral):

Rated from 10% to 100% under § 4.97. Here is what the VA requires at each level.

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What each rating requires

The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.

  1. 100%

    Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV-1) less than 40 percent of predicted value, with Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction, or; permanent tracheostomy

  2. 60%

    FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, with Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction

  3. 30%

    FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, with Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction

  4. 10%

    FEV-1 of 71- to 80-percent predicted, with Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction

From the schedule

Notes on this code

These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.

  • Note: Or evaluate as aphonia (DC 6519).

Laryngeal Stenosis (VA Diagnostic Code 6520)

Understanding VA disability ratings for stenosis of the larynx, including residuals of laryngeal trauma.

Rated under 38 CFR § 4.97 — Respiratory System

What This Condition Is

Diagnostic Code 6520 covers stenosis of the larynx — a narrowing of the voice box — including residuals of laryngeal trauma. This condition can affect one side (unilateral) or both sides (bilateral) of the larynx.

Because narrowing of the larynx can restrict airflow, the VA evaluates this condition largely by measuring how well air moves out of your lungs and by examining the pattern of airflow.

Alternative rating option: The VA may instead evaluate this condition as aphonia (loss of voice) under Diagnostic Code 6519, depending on how the condition presents.

Available Rating Levels

The VA assigns a disability percentage based on your Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV-1), measured against your predicted value, together with a Flow-Volume Loop finding, or based on the presence of a permanent tracheostomy.

RatingCriteria
100%FEV-1 less than 40% of predicted value, with a Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction; or a permanent tracheostomy
60%FEV-1 of 40% to 55% of predicted value, with a Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction
30%FEV-1 of 56% to 70% of predicted value, with a Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction
10%FEV-1 of 71% to 80% of predicted value, with a Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction

What the VA Looks For

When rating stenosis of the larynx, the VA focuses on objective breathing measurements and clinical findings, including:

  • Your FEV-1 result — how much air you can forcefully exhale in one second, expressed as a percentage of your predicted value. Lower percentages generally correspond to higher ratings.
  • A Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction — this airflow pattern is required at every rating level from 10% through 100%.
  • The presence of a permanent tracheostomy, which supports a 100% rating on its own.

The VA may also consider whether it is more appropriate to evaluate the condition as aphonia under Diagnostic Code 6519.

This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.97 for Diagnostic Code 6520. It is provided for general educational purposes and does not guarantee any particular rating or outcome.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.97, diagnostic code 6520. The official version is the one that governs your rating.

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What next

How to claim this

Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.

  1. Find your level in the stack

    Read each rung against what your medical records already say. The level your records document today is the one the VA can support today.

  2. Name the gap

    Look at the rung above yours and write down exactly what it asks for that your file does not show yet — a diagnosis, a measurement, a prescribed brace, a doctor’s opinion linking it to service.

  3. Claim it by code

    File under diagnostic code 6520 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Respiratory System codes may cover your secondary conditions.

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