BVA decisions by condition
Ulnar nerve paralysis: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a ulnar nerve paralysis issue in 6,149 decisions. It granted the ulnar nerve paralysis issue in 19.1% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 21.2%, and remanded it in 59.0%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 47.4% were granted.
Decisions
6,149
2017–2026
Granted
19.1%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
47.4%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
59.0%
Denied: 21.2%
Ulnar nerve paralysis outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 183 | 15.8% | 30.6% | 49.7% | 3.8% |
| 2018 | 385 | 13.0% | 28.1% | 55.3% | 3.6% |
| 2019 | 777 | 15.1% | 25.2% | 57.1% | 2.6% |
| 2020 | 1,089 | 15.6% | 24.6% | 57.2% | 2.6% |
| 2021 | 1,122 | 16.1% | 19.8% | 61.9% | 2.2% |
| 2022 | 1,232 | 16.5% | 17.2% | 64.9% | 1.4% |
| 2023 | 1,342 | 16.8% | 15.9% | 65.0% | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1,298 | 21.8% | 20.3% | 54.9% | 2.9% |
| 2025 | 1,250 | 22.0% | 20.6% | 55.4% | 1.9% |
| 2026 | 539 | 30.6% | 20.8% | 45.1% | 3.5% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 ulnar nerve paralysis decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the ulnar nerve paralysis 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 | 981 | 78.3% | 35.3% | +43.0 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 681 | 72.7% | 41.5% | +31.3 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 2,334 | 64.7% | 34.3% | +30.4 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 312 | 73.8% | 45.5% | +28.3 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 1,812 | 61.4% | 38.6% | +22.9 pts |
| Buddy statement | 183 | 66.3% | 46.6% | +19.8 pts |
| Combat service | 294 | 55.0% | 47.0% | +8.0 pts |
| Lay statement | 4,690 | 48.2% | 44.2% | +3.9 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 62.9% of the decisions that granted ulnar nerve paralysis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 35.8% of grants and 9.4% 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 ulnar nerve paralysis 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 | 4,172 | 47.3% | 47.7% | −0.4 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 2,594 | 45.9% | 48.9% | −3.0 pts |
Ulnar nerve paralysis claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where ulnar nerve paralysis was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
Why the Board granted or denied ulnar nerve paralysis
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability276
- Current diagnosis established130
- Service connection established47
- Criteria for service connection met35
- Severance of service connection was improper9
- Continuity of symptomatology since service8
- Secondary service connection criteria met8
- Criteria for secondary service connection met7
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis133
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis131
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim113
- Service records negative or silent82
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service63
- Current diagnosis established59
- Criteria for service connection not met35
- No continuity of symptomatology27
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 ulnar nerve paralysis decisions
Granted
Secondary service connection established; Caused by cervical spine disability; Benefit of doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
Secondary to granted neck disability; VA exam found radiculopathy related to neck disability
Current radiculopathy assessed in VA examinations.; Evidence evenly balanced regarding causation to service-connected lumbar spine condition.; Doubt resolved in Veteran's favor.
Denied
No in-service complaints or treatment; No positive nexus opinion; McLendon criteria for remand not met
No VA fault or unforeseeable event established; Evidence did not show care resulted in additional disability; Claim denied under 38 U.S.C. § 1151
Evidence weighs against current diagnosis; Veteran's contentions not competent medical evidence; No diagnosis in VA or private treatment records
Rules that apply to ulnar nerve paralysis 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 ulnar nerve paralysis 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 ulnar nerve paralysis 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.