Secondary service connection
Peripheral nerve disorders secondary to a back condition: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided peripheral nerve disorders claimed as secondary to a back condition in 1,103 decisions. It granted the issue in 28.6% of them, above the 21.5% grant rate for all peripheral nerve disorders issues, denied it in 23.2%, and remanded it in 48.6%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 55.2% were granted.
Decisions
1,103
2018–2026
Granted
28.6%
All peripheral nerve disorders: 21.5%
Granted on the merits
55.2%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
48.6%
Denied: 23.2%
See all peripheral nerve disorders decisions, direct and secondary.
Peripheral nerve disorders secondary to a back condition: outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 205 | 23.9% | 27.8% | 48.3% |
| 2019 | 149 | 27.5% | 21.5% | 49.7% |
| 2020 | 130 | 21.5% | 31.5% | 47.7% |
| 2021 | 116 | 23.3% | 25.0% | 54.3% |
| 2022 | 122 | 20.5% | 18.9% | 60.7% |
| 2023 | 118 | 32.2% | 18.6% | 48.3% |
| 2024 | 108 | 38.9% | 13.9% | 47.2% |
| 2025 | 117 | 39.3% | 24.8% | 38.5% |
| 2026 | 38 | 50.0% | 21.1% | 28.9% |
Evidence in granted and denied peripheral nerve disorders decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the peripheral nerve disorders 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 | 234 | 83.6% | 42.4% | +41.2 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 173 | 81.3% | 46.8% | +34.5 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 384 | 65.9% | 46.9% | +19.0 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 71 | 66.1% | 54.0% | +12.1 pts |
| Combat service | 65 | 53.3% | 55.3% | −1.9 pts |
| Lay statement | 866 | 51.6% | 71.2% | −19.5 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 71.1% of the decisions that granted peripheral nerve disorders.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 29.8% of grants and 9.8% 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 disorders 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 | 639 | 46.8% | 66.5% | −19.7 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 862 | 51.3% | 71.6% | −20.3 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied peripheral nerve disorders
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability102
- Current diagnosis established46
- Service connection established35
- Criteria for service connection met7
- Secondary service connection granted4
- Secondary service connection warranted4
- Criteria for secondary service connection met4
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability3
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis51
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim28
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service23
- Service records negative or silent20
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis19
- Current diagnosis established17
- Claimed as secondary to low back disability7
- Service connection established7
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 disorders decisions
Granted
Secondary to service-connected low back condition; VA examinations noted radiculopathy; Private opinion linked to service
Secondary service connection granted; Caused by service-connected lumbar spine disability; August 2024 VA examination confirmed nexus
Veteran's credible assertions supported by private medical opinion; Private opinion confirmed current diagnosis and secondary relationship; Conflicting VA exam findings created relative equipoise; Benefit of the doubt resolved in Veteran's favor
Denied
No current diagnosis of RLE radiculopathy; VA examinations showed no evidence of radiculopathy; Veteran's statements lacked credibility
Current disability confirmed (right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy); Service-connected disability established (low back syndrome with degenerative disc disease L4-5); Evidence persuasively weighs against nexus to service-connected low back condition; VA examiner opined it was anatomically impossible for low back to cause upper extremity symptoms; VA examiner opined less likely than not related to service
Veteran not service connected for thoracolumbar spine disability; No continuity of symptomatology since service; Lay contentions lack probative value for etiology
Rules that apply to secondary peripheral nerve disorders 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 peripheral nerve disorders 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 peripheral nerve disorders 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.