BVA decisions by condition
Peripheral nerve disorders: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a peripheral nerve disorders issue in 16,563 decisions. It granted the peripheral nerve disorders issue in 20.9% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 27.6%, and remanded it in 52.7%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 43.1% were granted.
Decisions
16,563
2017–2026
Granted
20.9%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
43.1%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
52.7%
Denied: 27.6%
Peripheral nerve disorders outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2,307 | 15.2% | 33.2% | 48.5% | 3.1% |
| 2018 | 3,821 | 17.1% | 32.0% | 48.2% | 2.7% |
| 2019 | 4,391 | 16.2% | 24.9% | 56.5% | 2.4% |
| 2020 | 3,910 | 17.6% | 27.5% | 53.2% | 1.7% |
| 2021 | 3,987 | 18.6% | 27.0% | 52.9% | 1.5% |
| 2022 | 4,186 | 21.7% | 22.0% | 55.2% | 1.2% |
| 2023 | 3,996 | 21.1% | 24.5% | 52.9% | 1.4% |
| 2024 | 3,289 | 26.7% | 21.2% | 50.9% | 1.3% |
| 2025 | 3,171 | 27.5% | 24.4% | 46.4% | 1.7% |
| 2026 | 1,084 | 33.9% | 23.2% | 41.5% | 1.3% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 disorders decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the peripheral nerve disorders 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 | 2,621 | 77.9% | 32.0% | +45.9 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 1,936 | 73.7% | 36.2% | +37.5 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 1,100 | 70.1% | 40.4% | +29.6 pts |
| Buddy statement | 450 | 63.3% | 42.4% | +21.0 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 7,961 | 54.0% | 33.5% | +20.6 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 5,358 | 52.9% | 36.8% | +16.1 pts |
| Combat service | 1,270 | 46.1% | 42.8% | +3.3 pts |
| Lay statement | 12,615 | 39.9% | 58.0% | −18.1 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 69.6% of the decisions that granted peripheral nerve disorders.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 31.4% of grants and 10.6% 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 disorders 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 | 7,351 | 37.2% | 49.0% | −11.8 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 10,909 | 39.1% | 54.2% | −15.1 pts |
Peripheral nerve disorders claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where peripheral nerve disorders was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
Why the Board granted or denied peripheral nerve disorders
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established595
- Caused by the service-connected disability554
- Service connection established230
- Continuity of symptomatology since service31
- Secondary service connection granted31
- Criteria for service connection met28
- Criteria for secondary service connection met27
- Severance of service connection was improper21
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis625
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis501
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim455
- Service records negative or silent437
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service365
- Current diagnosis established258
- No continuity of symptomatology120
- Continuity of symptomatology since service45
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 disorders decisions
Granted
38 C.F.R. § 3.310; Diabetes mellitus is now service-connected; Podiatry note: 'diabetes mellitus with neuropathy'; Endocrinology note: neuropathy as complication of diabetes
Resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.; Causal relationship established between herbicide exposure and neuropathy.; Private medical opinion from Dr. J.C. found persuasive.
AOJ granted service connection in Feb 2026; Prior favorable AOJ finding not clearly erroneous; Board grant to avoid prejudice per Green v. McDonough
Denied
Peripheral neuropathy claimed secondary to diabetes mellitus, which was not service-connected.; Condition did not onset during service or within one year of separation.; No continuity of symptoms from service to diagnosis.
No confirmed diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy; Symptoms attributed to other causes; Veteran declined EMG assessment
No competent evidence of current right lower extremity radiculopathy diagnosis; Lay assertions not sufficient for medical determination; Primary disability (back condition) not service-connected
Rules that apply to peripheral nerve disorders 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 disorders 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 disorders 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.