Secondary service connection
Ulnar nerve paralysis secondary to a neck (cervical spine) condition: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided ulnar nerve paralysis claimed as secondary to a neck (cervical spine) condition in 669 decisions. It granted the issue in 40.2% of them, above the 19.1% grant rate for all ulnar nerve paralysis issues, denied it in 15.5%, and remanded it in 43.6%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 72.1% were granted.
Decisions
669
2017–2026
Granted
40.2%
All ulnar nerve paralysis: 19.1%
Granted on the merits
72.1%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
43.6%
Denied: 15.5%
See all ulnar nerve paralysis decisions, direct and secondary.
Ulnar nerve paralysis secondary to a neck (cervical spine) condition: outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 29 | 27.6% | 17.2% | 51.7% | 3.4% |
| 2019 | 65 | 16.9% | 27.7% | 55.4% | 0.0% |
| 2020 | 100 | 38.0% | 22.0% | 39.0% | 1.0% |
| 2021 | 92 | 39.1% | 16.3% | 44.6% | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 121 | 41.3% | 9.9% | 47.9% | 0.8% |
| 2023 | 132 | 34.8% | 17.4% | 47.7% | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 166 | 46.4% | 10.8% | 41.6% | 1.2% |
| 2025 | 158 | 48.1% | 10.1% | 40.5% | 1.3% |
| 2026 | 79 | 59.5% | 15.2% | 25.3% | 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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 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 | 218 | 91.0% | 54.9% | +36.1 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 118 | 88.5% | 66.4% | +22.1 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 53 | 88.9% | 69.8% | +19.1 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 283 | 81.0% | 62.4% | +18.7 pts |
| Combat service | 41 | 82.6% | 71.4% | +11.2 pts |
| Lay statement | 563 | 71.7% | 75.0% | −3.3 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 70.3% of the decisions that granted ulnar nerve paralysis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 44.6% of grants and 10.6% 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 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 | 532 | 70.8% | 77.9% | −7.1 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 392 | 69.3% | 76.6% | −7.3 pts |
How these claims are argued
A secondary claim says a neck (cervical spine) condition caused ulnar nerve paralysis 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)
18.1%
granted, of 94 issues (9.9% of all)
Causation only
caused by the disability, 3.310(a)
43.5%
granted, of 859 issues (90.1% of all)
Based on words in the AI-written summary and reasons for each issue, not a reading of the full decision. 0.3% of the 953 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 ulnar nerve paralysis
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability106
- Current diagnosis established38
- Service connection established19
- Criteria for service connection met9
- Secondary service connection criteria met6
- Criteria for secondary service connection met5
- Related to service-connected cervical spine disability3
- Service connection granted3
Most common reasons in denials
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis11
- No current diagnosis10
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service6
- Current diagnosis established5
- Caused by the service-connected disability5
- Service records negative or silent5
- Service connection established5
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim4
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 service connection criteria met.; Secondary to cervical spine arthritis.
Current disability conceded by AOJ.; AOJ favorably conceded left upper extremity radiculopathy due to service-connected cervical degenerative arthritis.; Benefit of the doubt resolved in Veteran's favor.
Denied
No current diagnosis of radiculopathy; VA examination showed no radicular pain or symptoms; Veteran's lay statements not probative for diagnosis
Service connection for cervical spine disorder denied.; No legal basis to award secondary service connection without service connection for the primary condition.
Service connection for cervical spine denied; No credible evidence of in-service event or injury; No credible evidence of relationship to service-connected disability
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 ulnar nerve paralysis.
- A neck (cervical spine) condition is already service connected.
- Medical evidence linking them (a nexus opinion): ulnar nerve paralysis was caused by a neck (cervical spine) 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 neck (cervical spine) condition
Ulnar nerve paralysis secondary to other conditions
See all conditions secondary to a neck (cervical spine) condition.
Rules that apply to secondary ulnar nerve paralysis 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 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
- Counts decisions in which the Board decided a ulnar nerve paralysis issue claimed as secondary to a neck (cervical spine) 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.