BVA decisions by condition
Paralysis of the sciatic nerve: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a paralysis of the sciatic nerve issue in 1,500 decisions. It granted the paralysis of the sciatic nerve issue in 50.5% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 54.2%, and remanded it in 3.3%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 48.2% were granted.
Decisions
1,500
2017–2026
Granted
50.5%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
48.2%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
3.3%
Denied: 54.2%
Paralysis of the sciatic nerve outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 75 | 26.7% | 49.3% | 8.0% | 16.0% |
| 2018 | 140 | 42.9% | 45.7% | 4.3% | 7.1% |
| 2019 | 179 | 41.9% | 53.6% | 1.1% | 3.4% |
| 2020 | 294 | 40.8% | 55.8% | 2.0% | 1.4% |
| 2021 | 295 | 43.7% | 51.2% | 1.4% | 3.7% |
| 2022 | 307 | 46.3% | 45.9% | 3.3% | 4.6% |
| 2023 | 323 | 47.7% | 48.9% | 1.9% | 1.5% |
| 2024 | 438 | 49.5% | 46.3% | 2.7% | 1.4% |
| 2025 | 440 | 45.0% | 49.3% | 4.5% | 1.1% |
| 2026 | 184 | 51.1% | 44.6% | 3.3% | 1.1% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 the sciatic nerve decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the paralysis of the sciatic 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Favorable VA exam | 330 | 62.3% | 44.1% | +18.2 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 80 | 59.8% | 47.6% | +12.2 pts |
| Positive nexus opinion | 146 | 58.3% | 47.1% | +11.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 490 | 54.3% | 45.3% | +9.0 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 116 | 56.1% | 47.5% | +8.6 pts |
| Lay statement | 1,254 | 48.9% | 44.7% | +4.3 pts |
| Combat service | 49 | 47.9% | 48.2% | −0.3 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 55.6% of the decisions that granted paralysis of the sciatic nerve.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 20.2% of grants and 10.9% 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 the sciatic 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 | 303 | 40.8% | 50.0% | −9.2 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,295 | 46.4% | 60.0% | −13.6 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied paralysis of the sciatic nerve
Most common reasons in grants
- Moderate incomplete paralysis of sciatic nerve23
- Moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve14
- Symptoms approximated moderately severe incomplete paralysis12
- Symptoms approximated moderate incomplete paralysis11
- Moderately severe incomplete paralysis of sciatic nerve11
- Moderate incomplete paralysis9
- Service connection established7
- Evidence supports moderately severe incomplete paralysis7
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim56
- Moderate incomplete paralysis of sciatic nerve8
- Evidence weighed against higher rating7
- No evidence of marked muscular atrophy7
- Symptoms approximated moderate incomplete paralysis6
- No muscle atrophy or trophic changes noted6
- Evidence supports moderate incomplete paralysis5
- Symptoms consistent with mild incomplete paralysis5
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 the sciatic nerve decisions
Granted
Diminished muscle strength; Hypoactive reflexes; Decreased and absent sensations; Severe pain and paresthesias; No muscle atrophy
Resolved reasonable doubt in veteran's favor; Symptoms approximated moderate incomplete paralysis; No muscle atrophy or normal reflexes/strength
Evidence supports 40 percent rating for left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy.; Resolving doubt in veteran's favor.; No evidence of marked muscular atrophy for higher rating.
Denied
Symptoms limited to mild sensory deficits (pain, numbness, paresthesias in right lower extremity).; Normal muscle strength and reflexes documented.; No findings indicative of moderate or greater severity, muscle atrophy, trophic changes, or significant sensory deficits.
Current rating is 20 percent; Evidence did not show motor/reflex impairment for severe paralysis; Mild subjective symptoms and sensory deficits noted
Denied higher rating for left leg radiculopathy; Evidence against moderate/severe incomplete paralysis; Normal strength, reflexes, sensory exams; only mild intermittent pain
Rules that apply to paralysis of the sciatic 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 the sciatic nerve 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 paralysis of the sciatic 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.