Secondary service connection
Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve secondary to a back condition: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve claimed as secondary to a back condition in 2,371 decisions. It granted the issue in 39.3% of them, above the 23.4% grant rate for all paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve issues, denied it in 15.8%, and remanded it in 45.2%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 71.3% were granted.
Decisions
2,371
2018–2026
Granted
39.3%
All paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve: 23.4%
Granted on the merits
71.3%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
45.2%
Denied: 15.8%
See all paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve decisions, direct and secondary.
Paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve secondary to a back condition: outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 150 | 30.7% | 10.7% | 56.0% |
| 2019 | 240 | 26.3% | 22.9% | 52.9% |
| 2020 | 266 | 28.9% | 22.2% | 48.9% |
| 2021 | 233 | 33.5% | 18.9% | 47.6% |
| 2022 | 264 | 37.1% | 13.3% | 50.4% |
| 2023 | 329 | 37.7% | 13.7% | 47.7% |
| 2024 | 344 | 41.3% | 14.0% | 45.6% |
| 2025 | 386 | 52.8% | 14.0% | 34.7% |
| 2026 | 159 | 62.9% | 11.9% | 23.9% |
Evidence in granted and denied paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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 | 657 | 92.2% | 57.2% | +35.0 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 410 | 89.6% | 65.2% | +24.3 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 177 | 88.2% | 69.5% | +18.7 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 1,052 | 78.1% | 63.1% | +15.0 pts |
| Buddy statement | 119 | 76.5% | 71.0% | +5.6 pts |
| Combat service | 111 | 74.7% | 71.1% | +3.6 pts |
| Lay statement | 2,011 | 70.4% | 77.4% | −7.0 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 70.3% of the decisions that granted paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 40.2% of grants and 13.9% 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 paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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 | 1,288 | 69.2% | 74.4% | −5.2 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,858 | 69.9% | 77.8% | −7.9 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability358
- Current diagnosis established127
- Service connection established65
- Criteria for service connection met23
- Criteria for secondary service connection met16
- Secondary to lumbar spine disability12
- Secondary service connection criteria met11
- Secondary service connection established10
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis42
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service23
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis23
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim19
- Service records negative or silent19
- Service connection established9
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability8
- Caused by the service-connected disability7
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 paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve decisions
Granted
Secondary to service-connected lumbar spine disability; VA examiner noted relation to lumbar spine degenerative changes; Benefit of the doubt doctrine applied
No dispute of current disability.; Service-connected low back disability established.; Nexus between low back disability and radiculopathy is established.
Secondary service connection established; Caused by lumbar spine disability; Benefit of doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
Denied
Primary condition (lumbar spine) not service-connected.; Secondary service connection requires a service-connected primary condition.; No nexus established for primary condition.
No current diagnosis of bilateral lower extremity sciatica; Insufficient evidence to establish service connection; Weight of evidence against the claim
Primary lumbar spine condition not service-connected.; Secondary claim denied as a matter of law.; Direct service connection for sciatic nerve condition not raised.
Rules that apply to secondary paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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 paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Counts decisions in which the Board decided a paralysis of sciatic nerve or external popliteal nerve 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 (2018–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.