VA Diagnostic Code 8513Paralysis of:
Rated from 20% to 90% under § 4.124a. Here is what the VA requires at each level.
Not the right code?
What each rating requires
The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.
- 90%80% non-dominant
Complete
- 70%60% non-dominant
Incomplete: Severe
- 40%30% non-dominant
Incomplete: Moderate
- 20%20% non-dominant
Incomplete: Mild
Notes on this code
These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.
- Note: Combined nerve injuries should be rated by reference to the major involvement, or if sufficient in extent, consider radicular group ratings.
Paralysis of All Radicular Groups (VA Diagnostic Code 8513)
Understanding how the VA rates paralysis affecting all radicular groups of the arm and hand.
About This Condition
Diagnostic Code 8513 falls under Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders and is evaluated under § 4.124a of the VA rating schedule. This code addresses paralysis of all radicular groups — the nerve groups that supply the upper extremity.
Because function of the arm and hand differs depending on which arm is affected, the VA rates this condition differently for a dominant (major) extremity versus a non-dominant (minor) extremity.
Available Rating Levels
The VA assigns a rating based on whether the paralysis is complete or incomplete, and — for incomplete paralysis — how severe the impairment is. Ratings differ for the dominant and non-dominant extremity.
| Criteria | Dominant Extremity | Non-Dominant Extremity |
|---|---|---|
| Complete | 90% | 80% |
| Incomplete: Severe | 70% | 60% |
| Incomplete: Moderate | 40% | 30% |
| Incomplete: Mild | 20% | 20% |
What the VA Looks For
When rating under Diagnostic Code 8513, the VA considers:
- Whether the paralysis is complete or incomplete. Complete paralysis receives the highest rating levels.
- The severity of incomplete paralysis — categorized as mild, moderate, or severe.
- Which extremity is affected — the dominant (major) side or the non-dominant (minor) side, since the rating levels differ.
Important Note on Combined Nerve Injuries
Per the rating schedule: Combined nerve injuries should be rated by reference to the major involvement, or if sufficient in extent, consider radicular group ratings.
This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule under § 4.124a. Individual ratings depend on how the VA evaluates your specific medical evidence.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.124a, diagnostic code 8513. The official version is the one that governs your rating.
View official sourceHow to claim this
Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.
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.
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.
Claim it by code
File under diagnostic code 8513 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders codes may cover your secondary conditions.
Find out which rating your evidence supports.
Six reads your records against these exact criteria and tells you what the VA is still missing.
Start for freeAll 119 Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders codes →