C&P Exam for Paralysis of sciatic nerve (DC 8520)

For paralysis of sciatic nerve (DC 8520), the C&P examiner completes the following Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ):

• DBQ NEURO Peripheral Nerves (public PDF on VA.gov)

DBQs are Department of Veterans Affairs Form 21-0960 series documents. Public DBQs are hosted on benefits.va.gov. A handful are examiner-only and are not posted publicly.

The following tiers are reproduced from 38 CFR Part 4, the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. Toggle between the official VA criteria and a Plain English explanation.

Plain-English summaries are AI-generated to explain the official criteria. The official 38 CFR language is the binding legal standard. When in doubt, ask a VSO.

The counts below are aggregated from published Board of Veterans Appeals decisions for this diagnostic code. Each row reports how often a given evidence type was discussed in the decision text, broken down by outcome. This is a factual aggregate of the public record, not a prediction or recommendation about any specific claim.

• VA examination: appeared in 69 granted decisions (3 denied, 9 remanded; 81 total)
• Private medical opinion: appeared in 17 granted decisions (0 denied, 0 remanded; 17 total)
• Service treatment records: appeared in 4 granted decisions (0 denied, 1 remanded; 5 total)
• Buddy / lay statements: appeared in 4 granted decisions (1 denied, 3 remanded; 8 total)
• Nexus letter: appeared in 1 granted decision (0 denied, 1 remanded; 2 total)

The themes below were extracted by clustering 500 grant-factor sentences from published Board of Veterans Appeals decisions for this diagnostic code. Frequencies indicate how often each theme appeared in the sample. This is a factual aggregate of the public record, not advice or strategy for any specific claim.

1. 24% Benefit of doubt doctrine cited, claim denied as evidence against
   The Board noted the benefit of the doubt doctrine but found it inapplicable because the preponderance of the evidence weighed against the claim.
   121 of 500 sample sentences
2. 22% Benefit of doubt resolved in veteran's favor, higher rating granted
   The Board applied the benefit of the doubt doctrine in the veteran's favor and awarded a specific disability rating or grant of service connection based on approximately balanced evidence.
   112 of 500 sample sentences
3. 16% Evidence in equipoise or relative balance on rating or nexus issue
   The Board found the positive and negative evidence approximately balanced or in relative equipoise on a material issue, entitling the veteran to prevail.
   81 of 500 sample sentences
4. 11% Medical nexus opinion citing at-least-as-likely-as-not standard
   An examiner or provider opined that a disability, secondary condition, or nexus to service was at least as likely as not established, meeting the evidentiary threshold for the claim.
   56 of 500 sample sentences
5. 11% Benefit of doubt legal standard defined or recited
   The Board or decision recited the statutory or regulatory definition of the benefit of the doubt rule, describing when approximate balance of positive and negative evidence entitles the claimant to prevail.
   55 of 500 sample sentences
6. 6% Sciatic nerve paralysis severity level cited for rating assignment
   The Board cited the degree of sciatic nerve incomplete paralysis — mild, moderate, moderately severe, or severe — as the basis for assigning or confirming a specific disability rating under DC 8520.
   28 of 500 sample sentences
7. 5% TDIU or unemployability finding based on service-connected disabilities
   The Board found the evidence at least in equipoise or supportive of a finding that the veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him or her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
   24 of 500 sample sentences
8. 5% Radiculopathy of lower extremities noted as secondary to lumbar spine
   The Board or examiner recorded that lower extremity radiculopathy was at least as likely as not caused by or secondary to the veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability, supporting a separate rating.
   23 of 500 sample sentences