38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Neuritis, upper radicular group — VA Diagnostic Code 8610

Peripheral nerves

Diagnostic code

8610

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38 CFR § 4.124a lists “Upper radicular group (fifth and sixth cervicals),” then Diagnostic Code 8610 as “Neuritis.” The row prints no percentage. Section 4.123 rates neuritis on the scale for the nerve involved. The paralysis scale is DC 8510. The columns are Major and Minor. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Neuritis, upper radicular group.” The catalog slug is dc-8610-neuritis-upper-radicular-group.

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was last amended on 2026-08-27. On 2026-10-05 the titles list reports up to date as of 2026-10-02. Section 4.124a source note: 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 40 FR 42540, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11302, Mar. 18, 1976; 43 FR 45362, Oct. 2, 1978; 54 FR 4282, Jan. 30, 1989; 54 FR 49755, Dec. 1, 1989; 55 FR 154, Jan. 3, 1990; 56 FR 51653, Oct. 15, 1991; 57 FR 24364, June 9, 1992; 70 FR 75399, Dec. 20, 2005; 73 FR 54705, Sept. 23, 2008; 73 FR 69554, Nov. 19, 2008; 76 FR 78824, Dec. 20, 2011; 79 FR 2100, Jan. 13, 2014. The § 4.123 and § 4.124 XML for this date print the neuritis and neuralgia paragraphs and do not print a Federal Register source note.

The rating criteria at each level

8610 Neuritis — the row under the upper radicular group

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Neuritis.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Neuritis.

8510 Paralysis of the upper radicular group — the scale § 4.123 names

Rating %: 70 major, 60 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Complete; all shoulder and elbow movements lost or severely affected, hand and wrist movements not affected

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Incomplete:

Rating %: 50 major, 40 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Severe

Rating %: 40 major, 30 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Moderate

Rating %: 20 major, 20 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Mild

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
70 major, 60 minor	Complete; all shoulder and elbow movements lost or severely affected, hand and wrist movements not affected
—	Incomplete:
50 major, 40 minor	Severe
40 major, 30 minor	Moderate
20 major, 20 minor	Mild

DC 8610 prints the word “Neuritis.” and no number. DC 8710 prints “Neuralgia.” and no number. The percentages above are the DC 8510 columns.

The complete cell does not end with a period. It says hand and wrist movements are not affected. It says “fifth and sixth cervicals,” with “cervicals” in lowercase, in the heading rather than in the complete cell.

The Diseases of the Peripheral Nerves block says: The term “incomplete paralysis,” with this and other peripheral nerve injuries, indicates a degree of lost or impaired function substantially less than the type picture for complete paralysis given with each nerve, whether due to varied level of the nerve lesion or to partial regeneration. When the involvement is wholly sensory, the rating should be for the mild, or at most, the moderate degree. The ratings for the peripheral nerves are for unilateral involvement; when bilateral, combine with application of the bilateral factor.

38 CFR § 4.123 says: “Neuritis, cranial or peripheral, characterized by loss of reflexes, muscle atrophy, sensory disturbances, and constant pain, at times excruciating, is to be rated on the scale provided for injury of the nerve involved, with a maximum equal to severe, incomplete, paralysis. See nerve involved for diagnostic code number and rating. The maximum rating which may be assigned for neuritis not characterized by organic changes referred to in this section will be that for moderate, or with sciatic nerve involvement, for moderately severe, incomplete paralysis.” On the DC 8510 scale, severe is 50 major and 40 minor. Moderate is 40 major and 30 minor. The sciatic clause is not the upper radicular group. This scale has no moderately severe line. Complete is 70 major and 60 minor, and that line is above the neuritis maximum. DC 8510 is the paralysis row. 38 CFR § 4.124 says: “Neuralgia, cranial or peripheral, characterized usually by a dull and intermittent pain, of typical distribution so as to identify the nerve, is to be rated on the same scale, with a maximum equal to moderate incomplete paralysis. See nerve involved for diagnostic code number and rating. Tic douloureux, or trifacial neuralgia, may be rated up to complete paralysis of the affected nerve.” The tic douloureux sentence is not this nerve. Moderate on this scale is 40 major and 30 minor. 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just. 38 CFR § 4.14 says the evaluation of the same disability under various diagnoses is to be avoided, and that the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses is to be avoided.

The peripheral-nerve sentence says wholly sensory involvement should be mild, or at most moderate, and that bilateral ratings combine with application of the bilateral factor. 38 CFR § 4.26 is the bilateral factor. 38 CFR § 4.69 says only one hand shall be considered dominant. It does not use the words “Major” and “Minor.” 38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met. DC 8510’s lowest printed line is mild, 20 and 20.

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “radicular” or “8610.” This page does not add DC 8610 to a presumptive row.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.124a and 38 CFR § 4.123, Diagnostic Code 8610, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Severe is 50 and 40 when the organic changes are present

Section 4.123’s higher neuritis maximum is severe, incomplete, paralysis when loss of reflexes, muscle atrophy, sensory disturbances, and constant pain, at times excruciating, are present. DC 8510 prints Severe at 50 major and 40 minor.

Otherwise the maximum is moderate

Neuritis not characterized by those organic changes is capped at moderate, except the sciatic clause. This is not the sciatic nerve. Moderate is 40 major and 30 minor. Mild is 20 and 20.

Hand and wrist not affected

The DC 8510 complete cell says all shoulder and elbow movements lost or severely affected, hand and wrist movements not affected, at 70 and 60. That complete line is above the neuritis maximum.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 8610 row

What the rater needs to see. Neuritis of the upper radicular group, and whether the organic changes § 4.123 names are present.

Where that usually lives. The neurological examination that identifies this group, and which hand is dominant.

Severe — 50 and 40, or moderate — 40 and 30

What the rater needs to see. The severe line when those organic changes are present. Otherwise the maximum is moderate, because this scale has no moderately severe line and the sciatic clause is a different nerve.

Where that usually lives. The same examination. Complete, 70 and 60, is the DC 8510 paralysis line and is above the neuritis maximum.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 8610 row	Neuritis of the upper radicular group, and whether the organic changes § 4.123 names are present.	The neurological examination that identifies this group, and which hand is dominant.
Severe — 50 and 40, or moderate — 40 and 30	The severe line when those organic changes are present. Otherwise the maximum is moderate, because this scale has no moderately severe line and the sciatic clause is a different nerve.	The same examination. Complete, 70 and 60, is the DC 8510 paralysis line and is above the neuritis maximum.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Peripheral Nerves” under Neurological. The file is Peripheral Nerves.

The exam form

DC 8610 prints no percentage. Section 4.123 and DC 8510 are the scale. This page does not say the form replaces that text.

Related codes and how they interact

Paralysis of this group is DC 8510.

That row prints 70 and 60, 50 and 40, 40 and 30, and 20 and 20. Neuralgia is DC 8710 and stops at moderate incomplete paralysis under § 4.124.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

Section 3.309 does not contain “radicular” or “8610.” This page does not add DC 8610 to a presumptive row.

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for neuritis of the upper radicular group?

Under 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8610 prints “Neuritis.” and no percentage. Section 4.123 caps that neuritis at severe, incomplete, paralysis when the organic changes it names are present. On Diagnostic Code 8510, severe is 50 percent major and 40 percent minor. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Which hand is major?

The column headings are Major and Minor. Section 4.69 says only one hand shall be considered dominant. It does not use the words Major and Minor.

FAQ

How does VA rate upper-radicular neuritis under DC 8610?

The DC 8610 row prints “Neuritis.” and no percentage. Section 4.123 rates neuritis on the DC 8510 scale. When the organic changes that section names are present, the maximum is severe, 50 percent major and 40 percent minor. Otherwise the maximum is moderate, 40 and 30. Education only.

Is the 70 percent complete line a neuritis rating?

That 70 and 60 line is the complete paralysis cell on DC 8510. Section 4.123 sets the neuritis maximum at severe, incomplete, paralysis when the named organic changes are present. Complete is above that maximum.

What does the complete cell say is not affected?

Hand and wrist movements. The cell says shoulder and elbow movements are lost or severely affected.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 8610 or DC 8510, which column was used, and whether the evaluation stopped at severe or at moderate.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other nerve codes are on the peripheral-nerve diagnostic-code index.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Peripheral nerves, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Peripheral nerves codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 8610 • va.gov

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This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.