BVA decisions by condition
Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve issue in 12,589 decisions. It granted the paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve issue in 23.0% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 26.8%, and remanded it in 51.0%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 46.2% were granted.
Decisions
12,589
2017–2026
Granted
23.0%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
46.2%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
51.0%
Denied: 26.8%
Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 630 | 12.5% | 26.7% | 56.3% | 4.4% |
| 2018 | 1,263 | 17.5% | 23.0% | 56.3% | 3.2% |
| 2019 | 1,714 | 17.0% | 26.0% | 55.2% | 1.8% |
| 2020 | 2,144 | 19.5% | 29.3% | 49.2% | 2.0% |
| 2021 | 2,139 | 20.0% | 27.6% | 49.8% | 2.5% |
| 2022 | 2,295 | 20.1% | 25.3% | 52.3% | 2.3% |
| 2023 | 2,610 | 20.8% | 24.2% | 52.5% | 2.5% |
| 2024 | 2,653 | 25.5% | 27.0% | 45.1% | 2.4% |
| 2025 | 2,958 | 28.3% | 24.7% | 44.2% | 2.8% |
| 2026 | 1,124 | 30.9% | 25.0% | 41.5% | 2.7% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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 | 1,643 | 71.4% | 40.2% | +31.2 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 3,505 | 64.4% | 38.9% | +25.5 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 1,544 | 66.4% | 41.3% | +25.2 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 646 | 62.7% | 45.1% | +17.6 pts |
| Buddy statement | 315 | 62.2% | 45.7% | +16.5 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 3,766 | 54.0% | 41.7% | +12.3 pts |
| Combat service | 456 | 51.9% | 45.9% | +5.9 pts |
| Lay statement | 9,648 | 45.9% | 47.3% | −1.3 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 58.0% of the decisions that granted paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 27.6% of grants and 11.9% 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 paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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 | 4,259 | 45.7% | 46.5% | −0.8 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 8,767 | 45.3% | 49.6% | −4.3 pts |
Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
Why the Board granted or denied paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability430
- Current diagnosis established172
- Service connection established81
- Moderate incomplete paralysis of sciatic nerve39
- Criteria for service connection met34
- Moderate incomplete paralysis25
- Criteria for 20 percent rating met23
- Service connection granted22
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim208
- No current diagnosis204
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis117
- Service records negative or silent101
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service78
- Current diagnosis established72
- Criteria for higher rating not met59
- Criteria for increased rating not met50
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 paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve decisions
Granted
Secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability; VA examiner noted relation to lumbar spine degenerative changes; Benefit of the doubt doctrine applied
No dispute of current disability.; Service-connected low back disability established.; Nexus between low back disability and radiculopathy is established.
Secondary service connection established; Caused by lumbar spine disability; Benefit of doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
Denied
No in-service complaints or treatment; No positive nexus opinion; McLendon criteria for remand not met
No in-service complaints, treatment, or diagnosis; Significant temporal gap post-service; Negative nexus opinion
Primary condition (lumbar spine) not service-connected.; Secondary service connection requires a service-connected primary condition.; No nexus established for primary condition.
Rules that apply to paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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 paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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.