Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders§ 4.124aUpdated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 8211Paralysis of: [Eleventh (spinal accessory, external branch) cranial nerve]

Rated from 10% to 30% under § 4.124a. Here is what the VA requires at each level.

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What each rating requires

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  1. 30%

    Complete

  2. 20%

    Incomplete, severe

  3. 10%

    Incomplete, moderate

From the schedule

Notes on this code

These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.

  • Note: Dependent upon loss of motor function of sternomastoid and trapezius muscles.

Eleventh (Spinal Accessory) Cranial Nerve Paralysis — VA Disability Rating (Diagnostic Code 8211)

Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders · 38 CFR § 4.124a

What This Condition Is

Diagnostic Code 8211 covers paralysis of the eleventh (spinal accessory) cranial nerve — external branch. This nerve helps control two important muscles: the sternomastoid (in the side of the neck) and the trapezius (across the shoulders and upper back). When this nerve is affected, the VA looks specifically at the loss of motor function in these muscles.

Per the rating schedule note: this rating is dependent upon loss of motor function of the sternomastoid and trapezius muscles.

Available Rating Levels

The VA assigns a disability rating based on whether the paralysis is complete or incomplete, and how severe an incomplete case is:

RatingCriteria
30%Complete
20%Incomplete, severe
10%Incomplete, moderate

What the VA Looks For

When evaluating this condition under Diagnostic Code 8211, the VA focuses on:

  • Loss of motor function in the sternomastoid and trapezius muscles, which is the basis for the rating.
  • Whether the paralysis is complete or incomplete.
  • For incomplete paralysis, how severe the loss of function is — distinguishing between moderate and severe levels.

These distinctions determine which rating level (10%, 20%, or 30%) applies to your evaluation.

This information is drawn from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.124a. It is provided for general educational purposes and does not guarantee any particular rating or outcome.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.124a, diagnostic code 8211. The official version is the one that governs your rating.

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What next

How to claim this

Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.

  1. Find your level in the stack

    Read each rung against what your medical records already say. The level your records document today is the one the VA can support today.

  2. Name the gap

    Look at the rung above yours and write down exactly what it asks for that your file does not show yet — a diagnosis, a measurement, a prescribed brace, a doctor’s opinion linking it to service.

  3. Claim it by code

    File under diagnostic code 8211 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders codes may cover your secondary conditions.

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