Secondary service connection grant rates

Secondary service connection

Secondary conditions at the Board

How often the Board of Veterans' Appeals granted a condition claimed as caused or aggravated by another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), grouped by that disability.

Secondary to PTSD

Major depressive disorder305 · 62.0% granted
Migraine1,732 · 37.1% granted
Sleep apnea11,479 · 31.7% granted
Erectile dysfunction1,645 · 30.3% granted
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)1,237 · 25.3% granted
Irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis mucous colitis)380 · 24.2% granted
Diabetes mellitus551 · 20.3% granted
Hypertension3,194 · 16.5% granted

Secondary to a back condition

Paralysis of sciatic nerve325 · 57.8% granted
Radiculopathy1,181 · 49.9% granted
Major depressive disorder770 · 47.4% granted
Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve2,436 · 38.7% granted
Sleep apnea1,166 · 38.2% granted
Ulnar nerve paralysis628 · 34.6% granted
Peripheral nerve conditions307 · 32.2% granted
Peripheral nerve disorders1,204 · 27.8% granted
Erectile dysfunction619 · 27.6% granted
Degenerative arthritis of the spine679 · 23.7% granted
Urinary incontinence408 · 22.8% granted
Hypertension330 · 20.0% granted
Migraine347 · 18.7% granted
Hip impairment1,856 · 13.6% granted
Knee conditions2,083 · 12.3% granted
Ankle impairment322 · 11.2% granted
Cervical spine limitation of motion1,553 · 8.8% granted
Shoulder impairment647 · 7.3% granted
Foot impairment354 · 6.2% granted

Secondary to a knee condition

Major depressive disorder512 · 49.4% granted
Sleep apnea983 · 46.2% granted
Osteoarthritis535 · 34.2% granted
Degenerative arthritis of the spine2,449 · 24.1% granted
Intervertebral disc syndrome1,760 · 19.7% granted
Hip impairment2,665 · 19.0% granted
Ankle impairment952 · 15.2% granted
Shoulder impairment426 · 15.0% granted
Cervical spine limitation of motion396 · 10.6% granted
Thoracolumbar or lumbar spine limitation of motion636 · 8.6% granted
Foot impairment445 · 8.3% granted

Secondary to diabetes

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease)335 · 37.3% granted
Retinal dystrophy (including retinitis pigmentosa macular degeneration)416 · 37.0% granted
Peripheral nerve disorders3,602 · 33.6% granted
Kidney disease906 · 26.5% granted
Erectile dysfunction1,811 · 25.8% granted
Sleep apnea994 · 23.0% granted
Cataract extraction372 · 22.6% granted
Hypertension2,809 · 15.2% granted
Glaucoma482 · 10.6% granted

Secondary to a psychiatric disorder

Migraine1,181 · 41.2% granted
Sleep apnea4,474 · 33.1% granted
Erectile dysfunction1,061 · 31.9% granted
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)591 · 25.4% granted
Diabetes mellitus418 · 21.3% granted
Hypertension1,487 · 20.1% granted

Secondary to an ankle condition

Degenerative arthritis of the spine590 · 27.1% granted
Hip impairment596 · 19.3% granted
Knee conditions1,562 · 18.2% granted
Intervertebral disc syndrome353 · 16.1% granted

Secondary to tinnitus

Major depressive disorder384 · 43.0% granted
Migraine1,013 · 31.9% granted
Sleep apnea632 · 20.7% granted
Hearing loss396 · 13.6% granted
Peripheral vestibular disorders579 · 12.6% granted

Secondary to hypertension

Kidney disease528 · 37.1% granted
Erectile dysfunction648 · 36.7% granted
Migraine346 · 23.7% granted
Sleep apnea692 · 14.6% granted
Diabetes mellitus467 · 14.6% granted

Secondary to a neck (cervical spine) condition

Ulnar nerve paralysis658 · 40.6% granted
Migraine628 · 34.9% granted
Shoulder impairment373 · 10.7% granted

Secondary to flat feet

Knee conditions738 · 24.3% granted
Degenerative arthritis of the spine364 · 23.1% granted
Ankle impairment308 · 18.5% granted

How to read these numbers

Each rate is the share of decisions in which the Board granted that secondary issue. Within each group, conditions are listed from highest to lowest grant rate.
Lists pairs with at least 300 decisions from 2018 to today. The primary disability is read from the decision text and grouped by name.

Where this data comes from

Claim
Regional office decides
Veteran appeals
Board decides
Granted · Denied · Remanded: back to the regional office

Board of Veterans' Appeals decisions show how VA's highest review body applies 38 CFR and weighs evidence on contested claims.

Each one is an appeal: a regional office decided the claim first, and the veteran appealed. So these rates describe the Board, not a veteran's odds at the regional office, where most claims are decided and whose decisions are not public.

More on what Board decisions can and cannot tell you

Research any secondary claim

Ask about any pair, read the nexus opinions the Board relied on, and export a research memo.

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