BVA decisions by condition
Erectile dysfunction: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a erectile dysfunction issue in 17,513 decisions. It granted the erectile dysfunction issue in 17.0% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 29.9%, and remanded it in 50.8%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 36.3% were granted.
Decisions
17,513
2017–2026
Granted
17.0%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
36.3%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
50.8%
Denied: 29.9%
Erectile dysfunction outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1,075 | 10.1% | 35.6% | 50.1% | 4.1% |
| 2018 | 1,904 | 12.9% | 32.1% | 51.3% | 3.7% |
| 2019 | 2,068 | 12.4% | 32.6% | 52.5% | 2.5% |
| 2020 | 2,017 | 14.0% | 29.9% | 54.2% | 1.9% |
| 2021 | 1,677 | 16.6% | 27.5% | 52.7% | 3.2% |
| 2022 | 1,763 | 18.8% | 24.8% | 54.4% | 2.0% |
| 2023 | 1,868 | 16.9% | 27.0% | 53.3% | 2.8% |
| 2024 | 2,094 | 21.3% | 27.0% | 50.1% | 1.5% |
| 2025 | 2,344 | 22.4% | 32.2% | 43.7% | 1.7% |
| 2026 | 817 | 24.7% | 30.7% | 42.1% | 2.4% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied erectile dysfunction decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the erectile dysfunction issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 3,386 | 73.8% | 23.1% | +50.7 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 9,057 | 59.0% | 10.5% | +48.5 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 2,404 | 67.7% | 29.2% | +38.5 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 936 | 59.0% | 34.7% | +24.3 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 5,350 | 50.0% | 28.9% | +21.1 pts |
| Buddy statement | 464 | 56.3% | 35.8% | +20.4 pts |
| Combat service | 1,219 | 46.1% | 35.6% | +10.5 pts |
| Lay statement | 13,024 | 34.0% | 44.2% | −10.2 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 73.1% of the decisions that granted erectile dysfunction.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 27.0% of grants and 11.8% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often erectile dysfunction was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 9,017 | 39.4% | 32.9% | +6.5 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 12,659 | 34.0% | 44.5% | −10.4 pts |
Erectile dysfunction claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where erectile dysfunction was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
- Erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes1,811 decisions · 25.8% granted
- Erectile dysfunction secondary to PTSD1,645 decisions · 30.3% granted
- Erectile dysfunction secondary to a psychiatric disorder1,061 decisions · 31.9% granted
- Erectile dysfunction secondary to hypertension648 decisions · 36.7% granted
- Erectile dysfunction secondary to a back condition619 decisions · 27.6% granted
Why the Board granted or denied erectile dysfunction
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability509
- Current diagnosis established463
- Service connection established268
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability50
- Criteria for service connection met43
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service31
- Secondary service connection criteria met30
- Criteria for secondary service connection met26
Most common reasons in denials
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis500
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim420
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service345
- No current diagnosis302
- Service records negative or silent281
- No evidence of penile deformity222
- Current diagnosis established179
- Criteria for compensable rating not met149
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent erectile dysfunction decisions
Granted
Evidence in approximate balance regarding secondary connection to major depressive disorder.; VA examiner found erectile dysfunction less likely than not due to major depressive disorder, but noted it could be a cause.; Private physician opined psychiatric disorder was at least as likely as not the cause, despite lacking detailed rationale.; Board resolved doubt in Veteran's favor, granting service connection.
Veteran has a current diagnosis of ED.; Veteran is service-connected for DM II.; A private medical opinion found ED to be at least as likely as not due to DM II.; Benefit of the doubt applied to grant secondary service connection.
Negative service treatment records.; Unfavorable VA opinion.; Approximate balance of evidence weighs in Veteran's favor.; Onset reported in service, diagnosis shortly after separation.
Denied
Criteria for compensable rating not met; Evidence weighs against penile deformity manifestation
FSAD is rated noncompensable; Veteran receives SMC for loss of use of creative organ
Veteran reported occasional difficulty obtaining and maintaining an erection.; No penile deformity noted on examination.; Erectile dysfunction warrants only a noncompensable rating.
Rules that apply to erectile dysfunction claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your erectile dysfunction case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a erectile dysfunction issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.