Reactive Airway Disease VA Rating: How to Maximize Your Benefits

If you are experiencing shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing, or if your condition has progressed to the point where you need an apparatus to breathe, you may be exhibiting RAD—Reactive Airway Disease.

Reactive Airways Disease is a term used to describe different respiratory conditions. Veterans often experience these conditions due to their exposure to hazardous chemicals and toxins during their service.

The VA Ratings system does not have a specific category for Reactive Airway Disease, but you can obtain a rating using the Diagnostic Code 6602, which is a VA disability for asthma.

Many veterans receive documents, evidence, and medical records that show asthma-like symptoms. While it can exhibit symptoms that are similar to asthma, RAD has a different diagnosis.

Using a veteran coaching service to review your medical documents thoroughly can help improve your military disability rating or secure the appropriate veteran’s benefits.

To ensure a seamless process with your veteran coaching service and accurately determine where you are on the respiratory disability rating scale, we first need to understand what Reactive Airway Disease is.

What is Reactive Airway Disease?

Reactive Airway Disease is a generalized term medical experts use to explain different respiratory illnesses. Doctors often use the term “RAD” if a patient shows symptoms of respiratory illness but is unable to formally confirm a diagnosis.

Causes of Reactive Airway Disease

The exact reason a patient receives reactive airway disease may vary; most are still unconfirmed and undetermined. However, the cause of RAD presents common triggers such as the following:

1. Respiratory infections (this applies to conditions such as pneumonia or bronchitis.)
2. Exposure to different hazardous materials:
   1. Smoke;
   1. Irritants;
   1. Dust;
   1. Gasses;
   1. Chemical Fumes;
   1. Pollution; and
   1. Smog
3. Smoking
4. Allergies
   1. Pollen
   1. Molds
   1. Animal hide or dander
5. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
6. Weather changes
7. Strong odors

Symptoms of Reactive Airway Disease

The symptoms of reactive airway disease may be similar to asthma, these symptoms can be:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Chest tightening often resulting in breathing difficulty or shortness of breath
• Excessive or increased production of mucus

Difference between Asthma and Reactive Airway Disease

It’s important to note that Reactive Airway Disease symptoms are not asthma.

Asthma is a specific respiratory illness with defined symptoms, characteristics, and a clear diagnosis, whereas reactive airway disease is a generic term used to describe a respiratory condition that has not yet been confirmed or diagnosed.

Asthma is one type of reactive airway disease, alongside conditions like bronchiolitis and airway hyperresponsiveness.

VA Ratings for RAD

Your rating will depend on the severity or frequency of your symptoms; the VA will also consider your breathing test results and how you responded to the overall treatment.

The VA uses the following criteria to determine your rating.

10%: Occasional use of inhaled or oral bronchodilator treatments is necessary.

30%: The veteran uses daily inhaled or oral bronchodilator therapy or anti-inflammatory inhalation medication.

60%: This involves at least monthly doctor visits for flare-ups or requires intermittent courses (three or more times per year) of systemic corticosteroids, either oral or injected.

100%: The veteran experiences more than one respiratory attack per week, which leads to respiratory failure, or requires daily use of high-dose systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs.

For the VA to confirm your rating, it is essential to secure proper documents, evidence, and treatment records, alongside pulmonary function tests and lay or buddy statements to guarantee your condition is service-connected.

Reactive airway disease (RAD) can also cause secondary conditions, such as sleep apnea, which presents another opportunity for veterans to receive compensation.

Service connecting to Reactive Airway Disease

Just like any other condition, you will need to establish a service connection to warrant a valid VA rating for your claim.

It can either be:

• Injury or illness during active service
• Diagnosis made by a verified physician or medical professional
• A nexus between your injuries and active service events.

Veterans who served in certain deployment locations or held certain military jobs may have increased risks of exposure to harmful substances. Deployed veterans in Iraq, Afghanistan, or similar areas may face potential exposure to irritants, pollutants, dust, and burn pits.

Need help with your disability claims? J4V can help.

If you need educational assistance, evidence review, or a complete walkthrough of how to achieve the correct VA rating, then Just4Veterans can definitely help.

We offer free consultation to help you develop a concrete strategy for pursuing your claim. Obtain experts who witnessed different scenarios that led to the denial of different VA claims. Our veteran coaches can educate you on how to navigate the complex process of VA, understand it better, and win your claim.

Book a free strategy call now and contact our veteran coaches to get appropriate VA claim assistance.

Feel free to visit our VA claims assistance page and learn more about our services.