YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis under diagnostic code 8620, in 38 CFR § 4.124a (neurological conditions), and the schedule provides four evaluation levels for it: 60%, 40%, 20% and 10%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis
Inflammation of the sciatic nerve, causing sharp pain down one leg or both legs.
The rating depends on the severity of nerve involvement, from mild occasional numbness or burning at the lowest tier to severe cases with marked muscular atrophy at the highest, confirmed through a neurology evaluation and nerve conduction studies.
- Diagnostic code
- 8620
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.124a
- Schedule levels
- 60%, 40%, 20% and 10%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
This code prints no 0% row. Under 38 CFR § 4.31, a 0% evaluation is assigned where the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis VA rating criteria (DC 8620)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis?
- Peripheral Nerves DBQ (PDF, VA.gov)
- Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy DBQ (PDF, VA.gov), for diabetic sensory-motor peripheral neuropathy, which VA's Peripheral Nerves form excludes
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim2 tips
- 01
List the specific activities limited by the pain (standing, walking, sitting for periods), since this functional detail supports the severity tier beyond a general pain description.
- 02
Get an EMG study if one hasn't been done yet, since nerve conduction testing is what objectively confirms and grades the neuritis.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Missing motor strength testing, which is part of how severity is graded under this rating.
- 02
Not showing functional limitations clearly, leaving the exam without context for how the pain actually affects daily life.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Claiming pain without supporting exam notes to document it.
- 02
Missing the link to a service-connected spinal issue, since sciatic neuritis is very often secondary to an underlying back condition.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Sciatic nerve neuritis most often follows a back injury or develops alongside long-term disc disease that compresses the nerve root.
YOUR SERVICE STORY
Military jobs associated with Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis
More by branch: Marines
THE BROADER PICTURE
Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- High when linked to back condition or injury.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~8,400 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~20%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis
Is Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis under VASRD diagnostic code 8620 (Neurological Conditions). Inflammation of the sciatic nerve, causing sharp pain down one leg or both legs.
What VA disability rating can I get for Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis?
Possible VA ratings for Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis are 60%, 40%, 20%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 60%: Severe, with marked muscular atrophy; 40%: Moderately severe; 20%: Moderate.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 8,400 veterans are service-connected for Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis. Estimated approval outlook: High when linked to back condition or injury.
What evidence helps prove Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis claim includes: EMG/NCS (nerve conduction study) testing confirming the nerve involvement; Orthopedic or neurological exam findings documenting the severity and pattern of symptoms.
Which DBQ is used for Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis?
VA's Peripheral Nerves Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ), for diabetic sensory-motor peripheral neuropathy, which VA's Peripheral Nerves form excludes, is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis?
Common pitfalls when filing for Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis: Claiming pain without supporting exam notes to document it; Missing the link to a service-connected spinal issue, since sciatic neuritis is very often secondary to an underlying back condition.
What conditions can be secondary to Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Sciatic Nerve, Neuritis, when a medical opinion links them, include: Spinal Stenosis; Depression. A secondary condition gets its own rating, which VA combines with the veteran's other ratings under 38 CFR 4.25.
What is the difference between DC 8520 and DC 8620?
DC 8520 is paralysis of the sciatic nerve and DC 8620 is neuritis of the same nerve. Neuritis is rated on the scale DC 8520 provides, so the percentages look alike, but 38 CFR 4.123 puts a ceiling on it. Neuritis characterized by loss of reflexes, muscle atrophy, sensory disturbances and constant pain is rated up to a maximum equal to severe incomplete paralysis. Without those organic changes the maximum is moderate, or moderately severe where the sciatic nerve is involved. That is why this code publishes no 80 percent evaluation: complete paralysis is DC 8520's, not this one's. Neuralgia of the same nerve, DC 8720, is capped lower still, at moderate incomplete paralysis, under 38 CFR 4.124.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.124a, Schedule of ratings, neurological conditions (Diagnostic Code 8620)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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