BVA decisions by condition
Thigh impairment: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a thigh impairment issue in 734 decisions. It granted the thigh impairment issue in 20.3% of them, close to the 19.9% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 55.6%, and remanded it in 31.7%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 26.8% were granted.
Decisions
734
2018–2026
Granted
20.3%
All conditions: 19.9%
Granted on the merits
26.8%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
31.7%
Denied: 55.6%
Thigh impairment outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 61 | 9.8% | 49.2% | 45.9% |
| 2020 | 83 | 24.1% | 59.0% | 24.1% |
| 2021 | 88 | 27.3% | 61.4% | 22.7% |
| 2022 | 87 | 23.0% | 52.9% | 37.9% |
| 2023 | 97 | 13.4% | 53.6% | 35.1% |
| 2024 | 123 | 19.5% | 55.3% | 30.1% |
| 2025 | 141 | 19.9% | 58.2% | 31.2% |
Evidence in granted and denied thigh impairment decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the thigh impairment 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 | 86 | 42.4% | 23.9% | +18.4 pts |
| Positive nexus opinion | 63 | 39.6% | 25.4% | +14.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 152 | 29.0% | 26.1% | +2.9 pts |
| Lay statement | 588 | 24.9% | 35.8% | −10.9 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 48.3% of the decisions that granted thigh impairment.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 16.1% of grants and 10.3% 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 thigh impairment 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 | 168 | 32.3% | 25.1% | +7.2 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 588 | 25.4% | 35.1% | −9.6 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied thigh impairment
Most common reasons in grants
- Already at the maximum schedular rating6
- Current diagnosis established4
- Granted 10 percent rating3
- Reduction from 10 percent to 0% was improper2
- Criteria for 20 percent rating met2
- Criteria for 10 percent rating under DC 5251 met2
- Meets criteria for 10 percent rating under DC 52532
- Caused by the service-connected disability2
Most common reasons in denials
- Already at the maximum schedular rating49
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim28
- Criteria for compensable rating not met11
- Did not meet criteria for higher rating8
- No current diagnosis6
- Did not meet criteria for compensable rating6
- Criteria for initial compensable rating not met5
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service5
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 thigh impairment decisions
Granted
Competent and credible lay testimony regarding inability to cross legs.; Benefit of the doubt applied due to approximate balance of evidence.; VA examiner's finding of no limitation contradicted by Veteran's credible testimony.
Evidence supports functional loss due to fatigue during flare-ups.; Fatigue contributed to functional loss during ROM testing.; Warrants a 10% rating for left hip condition as to flexion.
Reduction from 10% to 0% was improper; No opinion on functional impact of improvements; Restoration of 10% rating
Denied
Flexion of the right thigh not limited to 30 degrees (observed at 90 degrees).; Abduction of the right thigh not limited beyond 10 degrees (observed at 35 degrees).; Criteria for higher ratings not met.
No evidence of right hip extension limited to 5 degrees or less.; December 2019 VA DBQ showed extension limited to 30 degrees.; November 2024 VA DBQ showed extension limited to 15 degrees.
Veteran already in receipt of maximum schedular rating of 10% under DC 5251 for left hip extension.; Evidence did not support entitlement to an increased rating in excess of 10% for extension.; No evidence of exceptional or unusual circumstances to consider extraschedular consideration.
Rules that apply to thigh impairment 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 thigh impairment 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 thigh impairment 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.