Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders§ 4.124aUpdated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 8721Neuralgia.

Rated from 10% to 20% 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. 20%

    Incomplete: Moderate

  2. 10%

    Incomplete: Mild

How it is applied

General rating formula

Rate as Paralysis of: (DC 8521)

From the schedule

Notes on this code

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

  • Rated by analogy to Paralysis of: (DC 8521). Per § 4.124, neuralgia is rated at a maximum of moderate incomplete paralysis.

Neuralgia (VA Diagnostic Code 8721)

Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Understanding This Condition

Neuralgia refers to nerve pain along the path of a nerve. Under the VA rating schedule, neuralgia listed under Diagnostic Code 8721 is rated by analogy to Paralysis of the external popliteal nerve (common peroneal nerve), Diagnostic Code 8521.

Because of how the VA classifies nerve pain, this condition is evaluated using the criteria for incomplete paralysis. Per § 4.124, neuralgia is rated at a maximum of moderate incomplete paralysis.

Available Rating Levels

The VA assigns a disability rating based on the severity of the incomplete paralysis:

RatingCriteria
20%Incomplete paralysis — Moderate
10%Incomplete paralysis — Mild

What the VA Looks For

When rating neuralgia under DC 8721, the VA:

  • Evaluates the condition by analogy to Paralysis of the affected nerve (DC 8521).
  • Determines the degree of incomplete paralysis, ranking severity as either mild or moderate.
  • Applies the rule under § 4.124 that neuralgia is rated no higher than the moderate incomplete paralysis level.

This information is drawn from the VA rating schedule (38 CFR § 4.124a) and is provided for general educational purposes. Individual ratings are determined by the VA based on your specific evidence and circumstances.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.124a, diagnostic code 8721. 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 8721 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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