Secondary service connection
Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve secondary to a back condition: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve claimed as secondary to a back condition in 2,448 decisions. It granted the issue in 38.6% of them, above the 23.0% grant rate for all paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve issues, denied it in 16.2%, and remanded it in 45.5%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 70.5% were granted.
Decisions
2,448
2017–2026
Granted
38.6%
All paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve: 23.0%
Granted on the merits
70.5%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
45.5%
Denied: 16.2%
See all paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve decisions, direct and secondary.
Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve secondary to a back condition: outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 86 | 16.3% | 27.9% | 54.7% | 1.2% |
| 2018 | 199 | 30.7% | 10.1% | 56.3% | 3.0% |
| 2019 | 339 | 25.4% | 21.5% | 52.8% | 0.3% |
| 2020 | 379 | 29.0% | 22.4% | 47.8% | 0.8% |
| 2021 | 321 | 32.7% | 17.4% | 49.5% | 0.3% |
| 2022 | 390 | 36.2% | 12.8% | 50.0% | 1.0% |
| 2023 | 483 | 35.6% | 13.5% | 49.3% | 1.7% |
| 2024 | 518 | 41.9% | 12.9% | 45.0% | 0.2% |
| 2025 | 577 | 52.5% | 13.3% | 33.8% | 0.3% |
| 2026 | 237 | 63.7% | 11.0% | 23.6% | 1.7% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 20 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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 | 663 | 92.3% | 56.2% | +36.0 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 418 | 89.2% | 64.3% | +24.8 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 181 | 86.9% | 68.7% | +18.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 1,071 | 77.7% | 62.0% | +15.8 pts |
| Buddy statement | 122 | 75.6% | 70.1% | +5.5 pts |
| Combat service | 116 | 74.0% | 70.3% | +3.8 pts |
| Lay statement | 2,070 | 69.6% | 76.1% | −6.5 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 70.4% of the decisions that granted paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 40.0% of grants and 13.6% 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 paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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 | 1,318 | 68.2% | 73.8% | −5.7 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,899 | 69.2% | 76.3% | −7.2 pts |
How these claims are argued
A secondary claim says a back condition caused paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve or made it worse, and names how. Below: whether the Board's decision discussed aggravation, and the medical link each decision names, with how often those issues were granted.
Aggravation discussed
made worse by the disability, 3.310(b)
13.5%
granted, of 297 issues (8.4% of all)
Causation only
caused by the disability, 3.310(a)
40.8%
granted, of 3,232 issues (91.6% of all)
| Medical link named | Issues | Granted |
|---|---|---|
Chronic pain Granted “Veteran reported severe pain and paresthesias in the right leg” 25007909 (2025) Denied “Evidence showed severe pain, paresthesias, and numbness in the left lower extremity..” 23062366 (2023) | 35 | 54.3% |
Altered gait or overuse Granted “Evidence in approximate balance (equipoise) favoring the Veteran..” A26019534 (2026) Denied “The Board found the evidence persuasively favored the conclusion that it was less likely than not related to service or a service-connected condition.” 24012497 (2024) | 22 | 31.8% |
Based on words in the AI-written summary and reasons for each issue, not a reading of the full decision. 1.9% of the 3,529 issues name at least one medical link; the rest only say “secondary to” the disability. One issue can name several links. Granted is the share of those issues granted (remands count as not granted). A link named in a denial was often the argument the Board rejected.
Why the Board granted or denied paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability360
- Current diagnosis established128
- Service connection established66
- Criteria for service connection met23
- Criteria for secondary service connection met16
- Secondary to lumbar spine disability13
- Secondary service connection criteria met11
- Secondary service connection established10
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis43
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis25
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service24
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim20
- Service records negative or silent19
- Caused by the service-connected disability9
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability9
- Service connection established9
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 paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve decisions
Granted
Secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability; VA examiner noted relation to lumbar spine degenerative changes; Benefit of the doubt doctrine applied
No dispute of current disability.; Service-connected low back disability established.; Nexus between low back disability and radiculopathy is established.
Secondary service connection established; Caused by lumbar spine disability; Benefit of doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
Denied
Primary condition (lumbar spine) not service-connected.; Secondary service connection requires a service-connected primary condition.; No nexus established for primary condition.
No current diagnosis of bilateral lower extremity sciatica; Insufficient evidence to establish service connection; Weight of evidence against the claim
Primary lumbar spine condition not service-connected.; Secondary claim denied as a matter of law.; Direct service connection for sciatic nerve condition not raised.
What VA needs to grant a secondary claim
Secondary service connection means VA disability benefits for a condition caused or made worse by a disability that is already service connected (38 CFR 3.310). The claim needs three things:
- A current diagnosis of paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve.
- A back condition is already service connected.
- Medical evidence linking them (a nexus opinion): paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve was caused by a back condition (3.310(a)), or was made worse beyond its natural progress by it (aggravation, 3.310(b)).
VA's procedures for these claims are in M21-1 V.ii.2.D. When the evidence for and against is about even, VA must decide in the veteran's favor (38 CFR 3.102).
Other conditions secondary to a back condition
- Paralysis of sciatic nerve secondary to a back condition325 decisions · 57.8% granted
- Radiculopathy secondary to a back condition1,181 decisions · 49.9% granted
- Major depressive disorder secondary to a back condition770 decisions · 47.4% granted
- Sleep apnea secondary to a back condition1,166 decisions · 38.2% granted
- Ulnar nerve paralysis secondary to a back condition628 decisions · 34.6% granted
- Peripheral nerve conditions secondary to a back condition307 decisions · 32.2% granted
- Peripheral nerve disorders secondary to a back condition1,204 decisions · 27.8% granted
- Erectile dysfunction secondary to a back condition619 decisions · 27.6% granted
- Degenerative arthritis of the spine secondary to a back condition679 decisions · 23.7% granted
- Urinary incontinence secondary to a back condition408 decisions · 22.8% granted
- Hypertension secondary to a back condition330 decisions · 20.0% granted
- Migraine secondary to a back condition347 decisions · 18.7% granted
- Hip impairment secondary to a back condition1,856 decisions · 13.6% granted
- Knee conditions secondary to a back condition2,083 decisions · 12.3% granted
- Ankle impairment secondary to a back condition322 decisions · 11.2% granted
- Cervical spine limitation of motion secondary to a back condition1,553 decisions · 8.8% granted
- Shoulder impairment secondary to a back condition647 decisions · 7.3% granted
- Foot impairment secondary to a back condition354 decisions · 6.2% granted
See all conditions secondary to a back condition.
Rules that apply to secondary paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve claims
- 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.ii.2.D
Secondary service connection and aggravation of non-service-connected disabilities
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Counts decisions in which the Board decided a paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve issue claimed as secondary to a back condition, by the outcome of that issue.
- The primary disability is read from the decision text ("secondary to …") and grouped by name, so spellings such as "PTSD" and "posttraumatic stress disorder" count together.
- Secondary claims also include aggravation of a non-service-connected condition by a service-connected one (38 CFR 3.310(b)).
- 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.