Secondary service connection
Peripheral nerve conditions secondary to a back condition: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided peripheral nerve conditions claimed as secondary to a back condition in 308 decisions. It granted the issue in 32.1% of them, above the 21.4% grant rate for all peripheral nerve conditions issues, denied it in 30.5%, and remanded it in 38.0%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 51.3% were granted.
Decisions
308
2017–2026
Granted
32.1%
All peripheral nerve conditions: 21.4%
Granted on the merits
51.3%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
38.0%
Denied: 30.5%
See all peripheral nerve conditions decisions, direct and secondary.
Peripheral nerve conditions secondary to a back condition: outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 45 | 31.1% | 28.9% | 40.0% | 0.0% |
| 2019 | 35 | 17.1% | 34.3% | 48.6% | 0.0% |
| 2020 | 46 | 15.2% | 50.0% | 30.4% | 4.3% |
| 2021 | 28 | 28.6% | 28.6% | 42.9% | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 62 | 33.9% | 19.4% | 46.8% | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 52 | 34.6% | 19.2% | 46.2% | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 65 | 35.4% | 38.5% | 26.2% | 0.0% |
| 2025 | 78 | 39.7% | 23.1% | 37.2% | 0.0% |
| 2026 | 25 | 28.0% | 16.0% | 56.0% | 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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 20 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied peripheral nerve conditions decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the peripheral nerve conditions 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 | 65 | 83.3% | 38.8% | +44.5 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 52 | 81.4% | 42.7% | +38.7 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 106 | 61.6% | 45.0% | +16.6 pts |
| Lay statement | 266 | 48.0% | 77.3% | −29.3 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 67.7% of the decisions that granted peripheral nerve conditions.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 28.3% of grants and 8.5% 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 conditions 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 | 176 | 43.1% | 61.9% | −18.8 pts |
How these claims are argued
A secondary claim says a back condition caused peripheral nerve conditions 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)
6.3%
granted, of 63 issues (13.9% of all)
Causation only
caused by the disability, 3.310(a)
34.2%
granted, of 389 issues (86.1% of all)
Based on words in the AI-written summary and reasons for each issue, not a reading of the full decision. 2.7% of the 452 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 peripheral nerve conditions
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability28
- Service connection established10
- Current diagnosis established10
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service3
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability2
- Veteran's lay statements described symptoms consistent with radiculopathy2
- Resolved all doubt in favor of the veteran2
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis19
- Service records negative or silent11
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service11
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim8
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis5
- Current diagnosis established3
- Underlying low back condition denied service connection2
- No evidence of direct service connection2
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 conditions decisions
Granted
Service-connected lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis; Medical treatment records indicate radiculopathy and sciatica; VA examinations inadequate for causation and contrary evidence; Resolving reasonable doubt in Veteran's favor
VA examiner opined radiculopathy related to back disability; 38 C.F.R. § 3.310(a) supports secondary service connection; Service connection established for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine
Favorable nexus opinion from VA examiner; Benefit of the doubt applied; Secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability
Denied
No current disability from claimed finger numbness; Lumbosacral spine disability did not cause or contribute to finger numbness; VA clinician opined cervical radiculopathy responsible for finger symptoms
VA examinations diagnosed diabetic neuropathy, linked to non-service-connected diabetes.; No continuity of symptoms from brief in-service leg pain.; Symptoms first reported 23 years post-service.; Private chiropractor opinion lacked sufficient rationale for nexus to lumbar spine disability.
No objective evidence of radiculopathy on examination or imaging.; Conflicting and speculative VA examiner opinions regarding etiology.; Veteran's subjective reports of pain and numbness not meeting diagnostic criteria.
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 peripheral nerve conditions.
- A back condition is already service connected.
- Medical evidence linking them (a nexus opinion): peripheral nerve conditions 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
- Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve secondary to a back condition2,436 decisions · 38.7% 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 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 peripheral nerve conditions 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 peripheral nerve conditions case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Counts decisions in which the Board decided a peripheral nerve conditions 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.