VA Diagnostic Code 6824Chronic lung abscess

VA Disability Rating for Chronic Lung Abscess (Diagnostic Code 6824)

Understanding This Respiratory Condition

A chronic lung abscess is a condition affecting the respiratory system. The VA evaluates it under Diagnostic Code 6824, found in § 4.97 of the federal rating regulations.

This condition is rated using the General Rating Formula for Bacterial Infections of the Lung, which applies to diagnostic codes 6822 through 6824.

Available Rating Levels

The VA assigns one of the following disability ratings based on your specific findings:

100% Rating

Assigned when there is an active infection with systemic symptoms, such as:

• Fever
• Night sweats
• Weight loss
• Hemoptysis (coughing up blood)

0% Rating

When the active infection is not present, the VA rates the residuals — the lasting effects of the condition. Depending on the specific findings, residuals are rated as:

• Interstitial lung disease, or
• Restrictive lung disease, or
• Chronic bronchitis (Diagnostic Code 6600) — when obstructive lung disease is the major residual.

What the VA Looks For

When rating a chronic lung abscess, the VA focuses on:

• Whether the infection is currently active, along with the presence of systemic symptoms like fever, night sweats, weight loss, or hemoptysis.
• The nature of any residual effects once active infection is no longer present, which determines whether the condition is rated as interstitial lung disease, restrictive lung disease, or chronic bronchitis.

Because ratings depend on your individual medical findings, the specific evidence in your record plays a central role in how this condition is evaluated.