Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders§ 4.124aUpdated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 8530Paralysis of:

Rated from 0% to 10% under § 4.124a. Here is what the VA requires at each level.

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  1. 10%

    Severe to complete

  2. 0%

    Mild or moderate

VA Disability Rating: Paralysis (Diagnostic Code 8530)

Understanding This Rating

Diagnostic Code 8530 falls under the VA's Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders category and is rated according to § 4.124a of the federal rating schedule.

This diagnostic code addresses paralysis of the affected nerve. The severity of the paralysis is a central factor in how the VA assigns a disability rating.

Available Rating Levels

Under Diagnostic Code 8530, there are two rating levels:

RatingWhat It Reflects
10%Severe to complete
0%Mild or moderate
  • A 10% rating applies when the paralysis is described as severe to complete.
  • A 0% rating applies when the paralysis is described as mild or moderate.

What the VA Looks For

When rating under Diagnostic Code 8530, the VA evaluates the severity of the paralysis to determine which level applies. Specifically, the VA distinguishes between:

  • Mild or moderate paralysis, which corresponds to the 0% level, and
  • Severe to complete paralysis, which corresponds to the 10% level.

The applicable rating depends on where a veteran's condition falls along this scale, as evaluated under § 4.124a.


This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule for Diagnostic Code 8530. It is provided for general educational purposes and does not guarantee any particular rating outcome. Individual evaluations depend on the specific medical evidence and circumstances of each case.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.124a, diagnostic code 8530. 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 8530 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.

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