Secondary service connection
Peripheral nerve disorders secondary to diabetes: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2018 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided peripheral nerve disorders claimed as secondary to diabetes in 3,356 decisions. It granted the issue in 34.1% of them, above the 21.5% grant rate for all peripheral nerve disorders issues, denied it in 21.2%, and remanded it in 45.4%. Counting only decisions on the merits, 61.7% were granted.
Decisions
3,356
2018–2026
Granted
34.1%
All peripheral nerve disorders: 21.5%
Granted on the merits
61.7%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
45.4%
Denied: 21.2%
See all peripheral nerve disorders decisions, direct and secondary.
Peripheral nerve disorders secondary to diabetes: outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 439 | 29.8% | 27.1% | 42.1% |
| 2019 | 508 | 30.9% | 16.7% | 53.7% |
| 2020 | 467 | 30.4% | 21.0% | 48.8% |
| 2021 | 421 | 28.5% | 21.4% | 51.1% |
| 2022 | 445 | 34.8% | 19.3% | 45.4% |
| 2023 | 403 | 36.5% | 24.1% | 40.9% |
| 2024 | 336 | 41.7% | 19.9% | 41.1% |
| 2025 | 252 | 44.4% | 19.4% | 37.7% |
| 2026 | 85 | 48.2% | 24.7% | 25.9% |
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 | 674 | 87.6% | 50.8% | +36.8 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 514 | 88.1% | 53.7% | +34.4 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 286 | 86.8% | 58.6% | +28.2 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 1,106 | 69.1% | 57.0% | +12.2 pts |
| Combat service | 263 | 72.1% | 60.8% | +11.3 pts |
| Buddy statement | 154 | 72.1% | 60.9% | +11.2 pts |
| Lay statement | 2,582 | 58.0% | 78.7% | −20.7 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 72.4% of the decisions that granted peripheral nerve disorders.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 35.1% of grants and 10.0% 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 | 1,438 | 55.7% | 66.4% | −10.7 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 2,114 | 56.8% | 71.1% | −14.3 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied peripheral nerve disorders
Most common reasons in grants
- Caused by the service-connected disability337
- Current diagnosis established245
- Service connection established149
- Secondary service connection granted22
- Criteria for secondary service connection met17
- Service connection for diabetes mellitus granted16
- Secondary service connection criteria met11
- Diabetes mellitus is service-connected10
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis131
- Service records negative or silent66
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis59
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim57
- Current diagnosis established44
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service33
- Diabetes mellitus not service-connected22
- Service connection for diabetes mellitus denied16
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
38 C.F.R. § 3.310; Diabetes mellitus is now service-connected; Podiatry note: 'diabetes mellitus with neuropathy'; Endocrinology note: neuropathy as complication of diabetes
Diagnosed with bilateral lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy post-service.; Recognized complication of diabetes mellitus.; Private medical opinion confirmed condition is approximately due to Type I diabetes.
Condition is a complication of service-connected diabetes mellitus.; Manifested or diagnosed prior to the 2004 claim.; Effective date of July 14, 2004, granted as it is the later of the claim date and when entitlement arose.
Denied
Peripheral neuropathy claimed secondary to diabetes mellitus, which was not service-connected.; Condition did not onset during service or within one year of separation.; No continuity of symptoms from service to diagnosis.
Complication of diabetes mellitus; Veteran not service-connected for diabetes mellitus
No in-service complaints, findings, treatment, or diagnosis; Diagnosed approximately 30 years post-service; VA opinions found no nexus to service or TERA; Attributed to diabetes mellitus; No evidence of aggravation from service-connected conditions
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
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How these numbers are calculated
- Counts decisions in which the Board decided a peripheral nerve disorders issue claimed as secondary to diabetes, 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.