Secondary service connection
Peripheral nerve disorders secondary to a back condition: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided peripheral nerve disorders claimed as secondary to a back condition in 1,228 decisions. It granted the issue in 27.4% of them, above the 20.9% grant rate for all peripheral nerve disorders issues, denied it in 23.8%, and remanded it in 49.0%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 53.5% were granted.
Decisions
1,228
2017–2026
Granted
27.4%
All peripheral nerve disorders: 20.9%
Granted on the merits
53.5%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
49.0%
Denied: 23.8%
See all peripheral nerve disorders decisions, direct and secondary.
Peripheral nerve disorders secondary to a back condition: outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 156 | 18.6% | 27.6% | 52.6% | 1.3% |
| 2018 | 275 | 23.6% | 29.1% | 46.5% | 0.7% |
| 2019 | 218 | 26.1% | 20.2% | 51.4% | 2.3% |
| 2020 | 196 | 21.4% | 28.6% | 49.0% | 1.0% |
| 2021 | 182 | 23.1% | 21.4% | 55.5% | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 196 | 18.9% | 17.9% | 63.3% | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 182 | 30.8% | 19.2% | 47.3% | 2.7% |
| 2024 | 178 | 36.5% | 13.5% | 49.4% | 0.6% |
| 2025 | 204 | 35.8% | 24.0% | 38.2% | 2.0% |
| 2026 | 64 | 48.4% | 20.3% | 29.7% | 1.6% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 disorders decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the peripheral nerve disorders 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 | 247 | 82.6% | 41.4% | +41.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 187 | 80.4% | 45.2% | +35.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 420 | 63.9% | 45.7% | +18.3 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 79 | 66.7% | 52.0% | +14.6 pts |
| Combat service | 74 | 50.0% | 53.7% | −3.7 pts |
| Buddy statement | 44 | 48.3% | 53.8% | −5.5 pts |
| Lay statement | 971 | 49.7% | 70.8% | −21.1 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 71.1% of the decisions that granted peripheral nerve disorders.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 29.5% of grants and 11.3% 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 disorders 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 | 706 | 43.9% | 67.3% | −23.4 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 942 | 49.0% | 72.5% | −23.5 pts |
How these claims are argued
A secondary claim says a back condition caused peripheral nerve disorders 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)
6.2%
granted, of 322 issues (17.4% of all)
Causation only
caused by the disability, 3.310(a)
31.2%
granted, of 1,529 issues (82.6% of all)
| Medical link named | Issues | Granted |
|---|---|---|
Chronic pain Granted “Veteran reported more severe pain in right leg” A25091565 (2025) Denied “The veteran claimed this condition was due to a service-connected lumbar strain and also arose from an in-service injury with ongoing pain.” A22007948 (2022) | 14 | 50.0% |
Weight gain or obesity Denied “Obesity not established as caused by service-connected lumbar spine disability” 19121643 (2019) | 12 | 0.0% |
Based on words in the AI-written summary and reasons for each issue, not a reading of the full decision. 1.9% of the 1,851 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 disorders
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability107
- Current diagnosis established49
- Service connection established40
- Criteria for service connection met7
- Secondary service connection granted5
- Secondary service connection warranted4
- Criteria for secondary service connection met4
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability3
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis58
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim28
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis26
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service26
- Service records negative or silent21
- Current diagnosis established19
- Service connection established9
- Claimed as secondary to low back disability8
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 disorders decisions
Granted
Secondary to service-connected low back condition; VA examinations noted radiculopathy; Private opinion linked to service
Secondary service connection granted; Caused by service-connected lumbar spine disability; August 2024 VA examination confirmed nexus
Veteran's credible assertions supported by private medical opinion; Private opinion confirmed current diagnosis and secondary relationship; Conflicting VA exam findings created relative equipoise; Benefit of the doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
Denied
No current diagnosis of RLE radiculopathy; VA examinations showed no evidence of radiculopathy; Veteran's statements lacked credibility
Current disability confirmed (right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy); Service-connected disability established (low back syndrome with degenerative disc disease L4-5); Evidence persuasively weighs against nexus to service-connected low back condition; VA examiner opined it was anatomically impossible for low back to cause upper extremity symptoms; VA examiner opined less likely than not related to service
Veteran not service connected for thoracolumbar spine disability; No continuity of symptomatology since service; Lay contentions lack probative value for etiology
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 disorders.
- A back condition is already service connected.
- Medical evidence linking them (a nexus opinion): peripheral nerve disorders 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 conditions secondary to a back condition307 decisions · 32.2% 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
Peripheral nerve disorders secondary to other conditions
See all conditions secondary to a back condition.
Rules that apply to secondary peripheral nerve disorders 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 disorders 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 disorders 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.