On this page
- Pulmonary embolism VA rating criteria (DC 6817)
- Symptoms after the clot resolves
- How much VA pays for pulmonary embolism
- How to prove pulmonary embolism is service connected
- The C&P exam and the Respiratory Conditions DBQ
- Why VA denies pulmonary embolism claims
- Questions veterans ask about pulmonary embolism
- Sources
Your pulmonary embolism rating depends on more than having had a clot. Under DC 6817, VA separates a resolved episode from chronic pulmonary thromboembolism and from pulmonary hypertension. The code has four levels: 0, 30, 60 and 100 percent.
This page explains those levels, the difference between a blood thinner prescription and the chronic disease requirement, and the records that support service connection. The Board section below covers the broader pulmonary vascular disease family, including pulmonary hypertension.
Pulmonary embolism VA rating criteria (DC 6817)
38 CFR § 4.97 lists the following criteria for pulmonary vascular disease:
| Rating | DC 6817 |
|---|---|
| 100% | "Primary pulmonary hypertension, or; chronic pulmonary thromboembolism with evidence of pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular hypertrophy, or cor pulmonale, or; pulmonary hypertension secondary to other obstructive disease of pulmonary arteries or veins with evidence of right ventricular hypertrophy or cor pulmonale" |
| 60% | "Chronic pulmonary thromboembolism requiring anticoagulant therapy, or; following inferior vena cava surgery without evidence of pulmonary hypertension or right ventricular dysfunction" |
| 30% | "Symptomatic, following resolution of acute pulmonary embolism" |
| 0% | "Asymptomatic, following resolution of pulmonary thromboembolism" |
A note in § 4.97 explains how to handle other lasting effects.
Evaluate other residuals following pulmonary embolism under the most appropriate diagnostic code, such as chronic bronchitis (DC 6600) or chronic pleural effusion or fibrosis (DC 6844), but do not combine that evaluation with any of the above evaluations.
Blood thinners and the 60 percent level
Anticoagulants are medicines that reduce clotting. The first part of the 60 percent row requires both chronic pulmonary thromboembolism and anticoagulant therapy. A prescription after one acute episode does not, by itself, show that the condition is chronic. Ask your treating clinician to identify the diagnosis, why the medicine is prescribed and how long treatment is expected to continue.
The second part of that row covers the stated situation after inferior vena cava surgery. If you had a procedure, include the operative report and follow-up findings. The procedure's name and the findings about your lungs and heart matter more than calling everything a blood clot treatment.
Pulmonary hypertension and the 100 percent level
The top row has three alternatives. Primary pulmonary hypertension is listed on its own. Chronic pulmonary thromboembolism reaches that row when there is evidence of pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular hypertrophy or cor pulmonale. For pulmonary hypertension secondary to other obstructive disease of the pulmonary arteries or veins, the row also requires right ventricular hypertrophy or cor pulmonale.
Right ventricular hypertrophy means thickening of the muscle of the heart's right ventricle. Rather than trying to interpret a scan yourself, obtain the specialist's explanation of which diagnosis and findings apply. Submit the reports on which that explanation relies.
Symptoms after the clot resolves
A scan showing that an acute clot has resolved does not answer every question about remaining symptoms. In the ELOPE study, investigators followed 100 people after a first pulmonary embolism. Among those tested at one year, imaging findings did not predict exercise limitation (Ma and colleagues, 2018). That study does not determine your rating, but it supports documenting function as well as imaging.
For the 30 percent row, ask the clinician to explain which continuing symptoms follow the resolved embolism. Record how far you can walk, what brings symptoms on and what changed after the episode. If another lung or heart condition explains a symptom, the medical record should distinguish it. See the separate pages for COPD and heart disease where those diagnoses apply.
How much VA pays for pulmonary embolism
At VA's rates effective December 1, 2025, a veteran without dependents receives $552.47 a month at 30 percent, $1,435.02 at 60 percent and $3,938.58 at 100 percent. A 0 percent rating establishes service connection but does not pay monthly disability compensation for that condition by itself. If you have other ratings, use the combined rating calculator; percentages are combined rather than added.
How to prove pulmonary embolism is service connected
An embolism or related illness in service
Under 38 CFR § 3.303, evidence must connect the current disability to service. Keep the hospital record confirming the embolism, the treatment record and the follow-up record describing residuals. If the diagnosis came after discharge, § 3.303(d) still allows service connection when the evidence establishes that the disease was incurred in service. A medical opinion should explain your particular timeline.
Secondary to a service-connected condition or its treatment
38 CFR § 3.310 covers disability caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition. If a clinician attributes the clot or its lasting effects to treatment for an already service-connected condition, include the treatment records and that explanation. Timing alone does not establish cause.
Ask the opinion to address aggravation as well: whether the pulmonary condition was aggravated by the veteran's service-connected condition, meaning it would be less severe but for that condition. In El-Amin v. Shinseki, the Court found an opinion inadequate because it did not adequately address the claimed aggravation. Medical evidence of severity before the aggravation, or the earliest qualifying evidence after it began, matters under § 3.310(b).
The C&P exam and the Respiratory Conditions DBQ
The Respiratory Conditions DBQ guide helps you prepare. For a related leg-vein claim, see the Artery and Vein DBQ guide.
- Bring the diagnosis and discharge summary. Identify an acute episode, chronic clot disease or pulmonary hypertension accurately.
- List anticoagulant treatment. Include the medication, dates and the clinician's reason for continuing it.
- Bring specialist findings. Include the reports documenting pulmonary hypertension or right heart changes, if present.
- Describe remaining limitations. Give concrete examples and ask that the examiner connect them to the diagnosis.
- Include procedure records. Name any vena cava procedure and its outcome.
Raven Scan can help you review your uploaded medical records before you gather the documents for the exam.
Why VA denies pulmonary embolism claims
The Board section below shows the available pulmonary vascular disease appeal results, including reasons for remand when the data supports that breakdown. It does not currently include a detailed denial breakdown. The evidence issues below follow from the rules described above.
The link is missing. A confirmed embolism establishes that the episode happened. The record must also explain its connection to service or to a service-connected condition.
The chronic diagnosis is unclear. A medicine list without a diagnosis and treatment rationale can leave the 60 percent criteria unresolved.
The remaining symptoms are not explained. Include follow-up records even after the acute clot resolves. Ask which limitations remain attributable to it.
The decision does not address the relevant findings. Compare the chosen row with the specialist's findings about pulmonary hypertension and the right heart. If a report was missing, identify it when seeking review.
Questions veterans ask about pulmonary embolism
What is the VA rating for pulmonary embolism?
DC 6817 provides 0, 30, 60 and 100 percent levels. The diagnosis, remaining symptoms, chronic clot treatment and pulmonary hypertension or right heart findings determine which criteria apply.
Do blood thinners automatically mean a 60 percent rating?
No. The anticoagulant route in the 60 percent row requires chronic pulmonary thromboembolism. Your clinician should explain the chronic diagnosis and why anticoagulants are required.
Can I receive a rating after the clot has gone away?
Yes. DC 6817 provides 30 percent when you remain symptomatic after an acute pulmonary embolism resolves, and 0 percent when resolved pulmonary thromboembolism is asymptomatic. Service connection must also be established.
Is pulmonary hypertension rated 100 percent?
The 100 percent row covers primary pulmonary hypertension and the other combinations quoted above. Other forms require the additional findings specified in that row, so the exact diagnosis matters.
Can VA add a separate respiratory rating for the same residuals?
The note to DC 6817 directs VA to evaluate other residuals under the most appropriate code, but bars combining that alternative evaluation with the listed pulmonary vascular evaluations. The decision should explain the code chosen.
Sources
- 38 CFR § 4.97, DC 6817 (opens in a new tab), eCFR current through October 5, 2026
- 38 CFR § 3.303, service connection (opens in a new tab)
- 38 CFR § 3.310, secondary service connection (opens in a new tab)
- El-Amin v. Shinseki, 26 Vet. App. 136 (2013) (opens in a new tab)
- Ma KA and colleagues. Serial imaging after pulmonary embolism and correlation with functional limitation at 12 months: Results of the ELOPE Study. Res Pract Thromb Haemost. 2018;2:670-677. doi:10.1002/rth2.12123 (opens in a new tab)
- VA disability compensation rates (opens in a new tab), effective December 1, 2025
- Respiratory Conditions DBQ guide