BVA decisions by condition
Restless legs syndrome: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a restless legs syndrome issue in 584 decisions. It granted the restless legs syndrome issue in 16.8% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 30.0%, and remanded it in 52.4%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 35.9% were granted.
Decisions
584
2017–2026
Granted
16.8%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
35.9%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
52.4%
Denied: 30.0%
Restless legs syndrome outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 50 | 12.0% | 36.0% | 46.0% | 6.0% |
| 2019 | 63 | 17.5% | 25.4% | 55.6% | 1.6% |
| 2020 | 59 | 13.6% | 32.2% | 54.2% | 0.0% |
| 2021 | 52 | 9.6% | 32.7% | 57.7% | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 54 | 11.1% | 25.9% | 61.1% | 1.9% |
| 2023 | 68 | 13.2% | 25.0% | 61.8% | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 94 | 20.2% | 17.0% | 62.8% | 0.0% |
| 2025 | 189 | 22.2% | 33.3% | 44.4% | 0.0% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 restless legs syndrome decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the restless legs syndrome 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 | 114 | 68.8% | 22.3% | +46.5 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 66 | 65.2% | 30.0% | +35.3 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 232 | 45.7% | 27.4% | +18.3 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 215 | 47.1% | 30.9% | +16.2 pts |
| Combat service | 45 | 44.4% | 35.0% | +9.5 pts |
| Lay statement | 449 | 34.1% | 42.9% | −8.8 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 72.4% of the decisions that granted restless legs syndrome.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 33.7% of grants and 12.0% 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 restless legs syndrome 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 | 425 | 34.7% | 40.0% | −5.3 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 292 | 32.7% | 39.8% | −7.2 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied restless legs syndrome
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established19
- Caused by the service-connected disability12
- Service connection established5
- Service connection granted2
- Service records negative or silent2
- Private medical opinion found probative2
- Criteria for 10 percent rating met2
- Criteria for service connection met2
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis28
- Service records negative or silent23
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis22
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service21
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim18
- Current diagnosis established16
- Criteria for service connection not met5
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability4
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 restless legs syndrome decisions
Granted
Diagnosis of restless leg syndrome confirmed; VA examination noted obstructive sleep apnea as likely cause; Private examiner agreed obstructive sleep apnea caused restless leg syndrome
Persuasive private medical opinion linking RLS to service-connected conditions and medications.; VA opinions found inadequate for failing to address treatment history or medication effects.; Evidence establishes RLS is caused by service-connected PTSD, arthritis, and radiculopathy.
Benefit of the doubt applied; Onset in service and etiologically related to service
Denied
Criteria for entitlement not met; Diagnostic Code 8520
Service treatment records were silent regarding restless leg syndrome.; Private opinion diagnosed RLS and linked it to service, but was deemed inadequate by the Board.; VA examination found no objective evidence of RLS.; Board found the VA examination persuasive and the evidence weighed against service connection.
No probative medical evidence of current diagnosis.; Private consultation lacked supporting rationale.; VA examinations found no diagnosis or consistent symptoms; less likely than not related to service.
Rules that apply to restless legs syndrome 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 restless legs syndrome 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 restless legs syndrome 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.