BVA decisions by condition
Peripheral nerve paralysis: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a peripheral nerve paralysis issue in 938 decisions. It granted the peripheral nerve paralysis issue in 18.9% of them, close to the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 35.6%, and remanded it in 48.9%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 34.6% were granted.
Decisions
938
2018–2026
Granted
18.9%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
34.6%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
48.9%
Denied: 35.6%
Peripheral nerve paralysis outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 76 | 27.6% | 48.7% | 31.6% |
| 2019 | 94 | 14.9% | 39.4% | 48.9% |
| 2020 | 117 | 16.2% | 34.2% | 55.6% |
| 2021 | 112 | 12.5% | 41.1% | 50.9% |
| 2022 | 121 | 19.8% | 28.1% | 52.1% |
| 2023 | 118 | 22.0% | 33.1% | 48.3% |
| 2024 | 113 | 19.5% | 33.6% | 49.6% |
| 2025 | 141 | 17.0% | 36.2% | 47.5% |
Evidence in granted and denied peripheral nerve paralysis decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the peripheral 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 | 146 | 67.5% | 24.9% | +42.6 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 139 | 61.5% | 27.4% | +34.1 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 41 | 57.1% | 33.3% | +23.8 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 370 | 45.7% | 27.6% | +18.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 268 | 45.3% | 28.9% | +16.3 pts |
| Combat service | 63 | 37.8% | 34.4% | +3.4 pts |
| Lay statement | 724 | 30.4% | 56.0% | −25.5 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 65.5% of the decisions that granted peripheral nerve paralysis.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 29.4% of grants and 13.5% 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 438 | 31.5% | 37.7% | −6.2 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 740 | 30.6% | 57.9% | −27.3 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied peripheral nerve paralysis
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability29
- Current diagnosis established22
- Service connection established9
- Severance of service connection was improper4
- Private opinion found probative2
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis2
- Reduction in rating was improper2
- Reduction void ab initio2
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis81
- Service records negative or silent28
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis24
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim22
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service16
- Current diagnosis established16
- Evidence persuasively weighs against the claim4
- Already at the maximum schedular rating3
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 paralysis decisions
Granted
Favorable VA examination finding; Toxic exposure risk activity in Guam; Benefit of the doubt applied
Severance of service connection was improper.; Criteria for restoration of service connection met.
VA proposed severance based on June 2019 examiner finding insufficient objective evidence.; January 2019 examiner found radiculopathy based on decreased sensation to light touch.; Board found reasonable minds could differ on CUE, thus VA did not meet burden to sever.
Denied
No current diagnosis of left lower extremity radiculopathy.; No symptoms causing impairment in earning capacity related to left lower extremity radiculopathy.; VA examinations and treatment records did not support the claim.
No current diagnosis of nerve disorder; VA examiner found reported symptoms non-physiological; VA examiner opined less likely than not related to service-connected knee disability
No current disability established; Service treatment records negative for complaints or treatment; No persistent symptoms impairing earning capacity
Rules that apply to peripheral nerve paralysis claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
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 paralysis case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a peripheral nerve paralysis issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2018–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.