BVA decisions by condition
Peripheral nerve conditions: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a peripheral nerve conditions issue in 1,852 decisions. It granted the peripheral nerve conditions issue in 21.4% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 34.0%, and remanded it in 47.2%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 38.6% were granted.
Decisions
1,852
2017–2026
Granted
21.4%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
38.6%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
47.2%
Denied: 34.0%
Peripheral nerve conditions outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 270 | 11.1% | 39.3% | 44.1% | 5.6% |
| 2018 | 447 | 19.5% | 33.6% | 45.4% | 1.6% |
| 2019 | 372 | 16.9% | 31.5% | 48.7% | 3.0% |
| 2020 | 289 | 10.4% | 37.0% | 50.2% | 2.4% |
| 2021 | 290 | 15.5% | 37.2% | 47.2% | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 329 | 20.7% | 27.1% | 51.7% | 0.6% |
| 2023 | 386 | 24.1% | 25.6% | 49.2% | 1.0% |
| 2024 | 353 | 21.8% | 31.2% | 45.0% | 2.0% |
| 2025 | 415 | 28.7% | 27.2% | 41.2% | 2.9% |
| 2026 | 179 | 27.9% | 29.6% | 39.7% | 2.8% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 peripheral nerve conditions decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the peripheral nerve conditions 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 | 283 | 69.9% | 29.8% | +40.1 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 262 | 69.3% | 30.5% | +38.8 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 100 | 62.5% | 36.8% | +25.7 pts |
| Buddy statement | 44 | 61.5% | 38.0% | +23.5 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 834 | 46.6% | 32.3% | +14.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 528 | 45.2% | 35.5% | +9.8 pts |
| Combat service | 106 | 33.9% | 38.9% | −5.0 pts |
| Lay statement | 1,495 | 37.1% | 47.2% | −10.1 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 64.1% of the decisions that granted peripheral nerve conditions.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 26.8% of grants and 10.2% 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 peripheral nerve conditions 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,447 | 37.6% | 45.0% | −7.4 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 942 | 34.3% | 44.8% | −10.5 pts |
Peripheral nerve conditions claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where peripheral nerve conditions was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
Why the Board granted or denied peripheral nerve conditions
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability53
- Current diagnosis established38
- Service connection established23
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service5
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability4
- Continuity of symptomatology since service4
- Criteria for service connection met3
- Secondary service connection warranted3
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis117
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service73
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim67
- Service records negative or silent61
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis47
- Current diagnosis established28
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability9
- No continuity of symptomatology8
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 peripheral nerve conditions decisions
Granted
Service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis; Medical treatment records indicate radiculopathy and sciatica; VA examinations inadequate for causation and contrary evidence; Resolving reasonable doubt in Veteran's favor
Conceded herbicide exposure in Vietnam; Conflicting medical opinions weighed; Reasonable doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
VA examiner opined radiculopathy related to back disability; 38 C.F.R. § 3.310(a) supports secondary service connection; Service connection established for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine
Denied
No current diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy; Service treatment records silent for neuropathy; VA examiner found no objective evidence to support diagnosis
No current disability from claimed finger numbness; Lumbosacral spine disability did not cause or contribute to finger numbness; VA clinician opined cervical radiculopathy responsible for finger symptoms
No in-service incurrence or aggravation found; Post-service workplace injury identified as likely etiology; VA examiner opinion found less likely than not related to service
Rules that apply to peripheral nerve conditions 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 peripheral nerve conditions 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 peripheral nerve conditions 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.