RespiratoryDC 6516

Chronic Laryngitis

Chronic laryngitis is rated under DC 6516 based on the severity of hoarseness and the condition of the vocal cords and larynx. The condition must be lasting at least three months at a time to be considered chronic. This is a presumptive condition for veterans exposed to mustard gas or Lewisite.

VA Rating Levels

10%

Hoarseness with swelling of the vocal cords or larynx walls.

30%

Hoarseness with thickening or nodules on the vocal cords, polyps, submucous infiltration, or pre-cancerous changes.

Exam Tips & Key Evidence

→This condition must be chronic, meaning it lasts at least three months at a time. Make sure your medical records reflect the ongoing nature of your symptoms.
→If you have nodules, polyps, or thickening on your vocal cords, that supports the higher 30% rating. Laryngoscopy results are key evidence here.
→If your condition comes and goes, an intermittent inability to speak is rated under this laryngitis code rather than the loss of speech code.
→Throat conditions are rated separately from lung conditions under the respiratory system. Having laryngitis does not prevent you from also being rated for a lung condition.

Commonly Related Conditions

Chronic SinusitisGERD

38 CFR Reference

38 CFR 4.97, DC 6516