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VA Respiratory Conditions DBQ (Asthma, COPD)

Asthma, COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, constrictive bronchiolitis, interstitial and restrictive lung disease, sarcoidosis, pulmonary embolism and lung infections are documented for VA disability claims on this 11-page questionnaire. The clinician records corticosteroid courses, inhaled and oral bronchodilators, antibiotics and oxygen use, condition-specific findings such as asthma exacerbation visits or sarcoidosis stage, and pulmonary function results, which are a major basis for VA's respiratory ratings.

Who completes it

The Veteran's treating or examining clinician completes the form and signs the Section VII examiner's certification. The Veteran completes no part of it.

Submitting and payment

How to submit it
The clinician gives the signed DBQ to the Veteran, who uploads it with the claim on VA.gov or mails it to the VA Evidence Intake Center; a representative may file it too.
Who pays
VA does not pay or reimburse the cost of completing the respiratory DBQ; any charge is between the Veteran and the provider.

Good to know

  • PFTs are not required if the Veteran uses outpatient oxygen, has had acute respiratory failure, has cor pulmonale, RVH or pulmonary hypertension, or has exercise capacity of 20 ml/kg/min or less.
  • Item 4D asks which PFT value, FVC, FEV-1, FEV-1/FVC or DLCO, most accurately reflects the disability, and reasons are required when post-bronchodilator or DLCO testing is skipped.
  • With more than one respiratory condition, the examiner names the condition mainly responsible for steroid or oxygen use, cardiopulmonary complications and PFT limitation.
  • Sleep apnea and narcolepsy have their own DBQs and are documented there instead of on this form.

Get the official form

Download the current version from the source each time; forms change without notice.

Respiratory Conditions (Other Than Tuberculosis and Sleep Apnea) Disability Benefits Questionnaire

Official pagePDF

How this list is checked

A form is listed only after its name and number were confirmed on the issuing agency’s or insurer’s own website, or in the form itself. Each entry links to that source. The list was last checked in October 2026. Forms and their requirements change without notice, so check the official page for the current version before you complete one.

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Frequently asked questions

Does the VA respiratory DBQ require pulmonary function tests?

Usually. The form says most respiratory conditions require PFTs because the results are a major basis for evaluation, and existing results that reflect current function need not be repeated. PFTs can be skipped for oxygen-dependent Veterans, those with respiratory failure, cor pulmonale or pulmonary hypertension, or low measured exercise capacity.

What asthma details does the respiratory DBQ ask for?

Part A asks how many asthma attacks with respiratory failure occurred per week over the past 12 months and how often the Veteran needed physician visits for exacerbations, less than monthly or at least monthly. Section II records inhaled bronchodilators and anti-inflammatories, oral bronchodilators and systemic corticosteroid courses.

Is asbestosis covered by this DBQ?

Yes. Asbestosis is listed among the interstitial lung diseases, along with diffuse interstitial fibrosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and pneumoconioses such as silicosis. The diagnostic testing section includes high-resolution CT for evaluating interstitial lung disease and DLCO in the PFT results.