Deviated Septum

DC 6502Respiratory38 CFR 4.97, DC 6502

A condition where the wall between your nostrils is crooked, making it harder to breathe through your nose. The VA rates a deviated septum based on how much it blocks your nasal airway.

Rating Levels

You have 50 percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side. This is the maximum rating for a deviated septum.

What the VA looks for

50% nasal obstruction on both sides documented
Or complete obstruction on one side
Nasal endoscopy or CT scan results
History of in-service nasal trauma
Breathing difficulty documented by physician

Common Pitfalls

⚠The maximum rating for a deviated septum alone is 10% — if you also have sinusitis, rhinitis, or sleep apnea, file for those conditions separately for higher combined ratings.
⚠Not documenting how the deviated septum was caused by an in-service injury (broken nose, facial trauma).
⚠Not getting a nasal endoscopy or CT scan to objectively measure the percentage of obstruction.
⚠If you had septoplasty surgery during service, document whether the septum remains deviated or if new symptoms developed post-surgery.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Sinusitis, Rhinitis, and Other Conditions of the Nose, Throat, Larynx, and Pharynx

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…