BVA decisions by condition
Residuals of fractures: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a residuals of fractures issue in 1,889 decisions. It granted the residuals of fractures issue in 11.9% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 22.3%, and remanded it in 64.3%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 34.8% were granted.
Decisions
1,889
2017–2026
Granted
11.9%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
34.8%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
64.3%
Denied: 22.3%
Residuals of fractures outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 69 | 7.2% | 23.2% | 63.8% |
| 2019 | 236 | 8.9% | 25.0% | 66.1% |
| 2020 | 292 | 10.6% | 22.6% | 66.8% |
| 2021 | 265 | 9.4% | 26.4% | 63.0% |
| 2022 | 245 | 10.6% | 18.8% | 71.0% |
| 2023 | 271 | 13.7% | 17.0% | 66.1% |
| 2024 | 194 | 17.5% | 21.6% | 59.3% |
| 2025 | 203 | 14.8% | 26.6% | 56.7% |
| 2026 | 67 | 22.4% | 23.9% | 50.7% |
Evidence in granted and denied residuals of fractures decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the residuals of fractures 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Favorable VA exam | 159 | 58.9% | 30.0% | +28.9 pts |
| Positive nexus opinion | 192 | 58.0% | 29.5% | +28.4 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 74 | 60.0% | 33.3% | +26.7 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 88 | 56.4% | 33.4% | +23.0 pts |
| Combat service | 161 | 54.5% | 32.5% | +22.0 pts |
| Buddy statement | 43 | 50.0% | 34.3% | +15.7 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 411 | 41.1% | 32.3% | +8.8 pts |
| Lay statement | 1,397 | 35.3% | 32.2% | +3.2 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 67.1% of the decisions that granted residuals of fractures.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 37.3% of grants and 12.6% 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 residuals of fractures 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 | 652 | 34.5% | 35.0% | −0.5 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,176 | 30.6% | 48.3% | −17.7 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied residuals of fractures
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established25
- Service connection established7
- Criteria for service connection met6
- Caused by the service-connected disability5
- Criteria for 10 percent rating met3
- Severance of service connection was improper3
- Positive VA nexus opinion2
- Resolution of doubt in veteran's favor2
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis55
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim39
- Service records negative or silent31
- Current diagnosis established30
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service18
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis16
- Already at the maximum schedular rating11
- Criteria for service connection not met8
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 residuals of fractures decisions
Granted
Reduction of rating requires showing of actual improvement in functioning under ordinary conditions of life and work.; AOJ failed to demonstrate sustained improvement or address practical implications of symptoms on daily life/employment.; Veteran's and wife's statements credible in establishing no improvement in daily life conditions.
Resolving all reasonable doubt in Veteran's favor; Symptoms approximated moderately severe from July 5, 2023
Favorable finding of current disability (resolved fracture); Favorable finding of in-service incurrence (corroborated by STRs); Adequate private opinion linking condition to service; Inadequate VA opinion due to deficiencies; Reasonable doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
Denied
No competent evidence of current disability; Service records negative for follow-up treatment; Veteran reported no current treatment for joint pain; Failed to attend rescheduled VA examinations
Symptoms manifested by no more than moderate symptoms prior to July 5, 2023
No evidence of in-service right leg fracture.; Service treatment records noted left leg fracture, not right.; VA examinations did not identify right leg fracture or residuals.
Rules that apply to residuals of fractures 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 residuals of fractures 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 residuals of fractures 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 (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.