38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Neuritis, lower radicular group — VA Diagnostic Code 8612

Peripheral nerves

Diagnostic code

8612

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38 CFR § 4.124a lists “Lower radicular group,” then Diagnostic Code 8612 as “Neuritis.” The row prints no percentage. Section 4.123 says neuritis is rated on the scale for the nerve involved. The paralysis scale for this group is DC 8512. That scale has Major and Minor columns. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Neuritis, lower radicular group.” The rating row itself is only the word “Neuritis.”

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.124a source note prints 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 § 4.31 source note prints 58 FR 52018, Oct. 6, 1993. The § 4.69 source note prints 62 FR 30239, June 3, 1997.

The rating criteria at each level

8612 Neuritis — the row under the lower radicular group

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Neuritis.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Neuritis.

8512 Paralysis of the lower radicular group — the scale § 4.123 names

Rating %: 70 major, 60 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Complete; all intrinsic muscles of hand, and some or all of flexors of wrist and fingers, paralyzed (substantial loss of use of hand)

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 intrinsic muscles of hand, and some or all of flexors of wrist and fingers, paralyzed (substantial loss of use of hand)
—	Incomplete:
50 major, 40 minor	Severe
40 major, 30 minor	Moderate
20 major, 20 minor	Mild

DC 8612 prints the word “Neuritis.” and no number. DC 8712 prints “Neuralgia.” and no number. The percentages above are the DC 8512 columns, headed Major and Minor.

The heading is “Lower radicular group.” It does not add the parenthetical cervical words that the upper radicular heading uses.

The complete cell does not end with a period. It says “substantial loss of use of hand,” not “the hand.”

The Diseases of the Peripheral Nerves preface 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. That sentence uses “varied level.” It says wholly sensory involvement should be mild, or at most moderate. 38 CFR § 4.26 is the bilateral factor. 38 CFR § 4.69 determines the dominant hand. It does not use the words “Major” and “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 § 4.123 says neuritis characterized by loss of reflexes, muscle atrophy, sensory disturbances, and constant pain, at times excruciating, is rated on the scale for the nerve involved, with a maximum equal to severe, incomplete, paralysis. The commas in “severe, incomplete, paralysis” are in that sentence. Neuritis not characterized by the organic changes referred to in that section is capped at moderate, or, with sciatic nerve involvement, at moderately severe, incomplete paralysis. The second sentence does not put a comma between “incomplete” and “paralysis.” The sciatic clause is not the lower radicular group. On DC 8512, severe is 50 major and 40 minor. Moderate is 40 and 30. DC 8712 is neuralgia of this group. 38 CFR § 4.124 caps neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. That maximum is not the neuritis maximum. DC 8510 is the upper radicular group. Its complete line is also 70 and 60, and the complete sentence is different. 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 8512’s lowest printed line is mild, 20 and 20.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.124a and 38 CFR § 4.123, Diagnostic Code 8612, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Severe is the higher neuritis maximum

Section 4.123 sets that maximum when the organic changes it names are present. DC 8512 prints severe as 50 in the Major column and 40 in the Minor column. Moderate on that scale is 40 and 30.

The complete type picture

The complete line says all intrinsic muscles of the hand, and some or all of the flexors of the wrist and fingers, are paralyzed, with substantial loss of use of the hand. Complete is 70 and 60. That line is above the neuritis maximum in § 4.123.

Wholly sensory

The preface says that when the involvement is wholly sensory, the rating should be for the mild, or at most, the moderate degree. For this group those two lines are 20 and 20, and 40 and 30.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 8612 row

What the rater needs to see. Neuritis of the lower radicular group, including whether the organic changes § 4.123 names are present: loss of reflexes, muscle atrophy, sensory disturbances, and constant pain, at times excruciating.

Where that usually lives. The neurological examination that identifies this group.

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

What the rater needs to see. The severe incomplete line when those organic changes are present. Otherwise the maximum is the moderate line. The sciatic moderately-severe clause is not this group.

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

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 8612 row	Neuritis of the lower radicular group, including whether the organic changes § 4.123 names are present: loss of reflexes, muscle atrophy, sensory disturbances, and constant pain, at times excruciating.	The neurological examination that identifies this group.
Severe — 50 and 40, or moderate — 40 and 30	The severe incomplete line when those organic changes are present. Otherwise the maximum is the moderate line. The sciatic moderately-severe clause is not this group.	The same examination. Complete, 70 and 60, 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 8612 prints no percentage. Section 4.123 and DC 8512 are the scale. This page does not say the form replaces that text.

Related codes and how they interact

Paralysis and neuralgia are the neighboring codes.

DC 8512 is paralysis of the lower radicular group. DC 8712 is neuralgia, and § 4.124 caps that neuralgia at moderate. The upper radicular group is a different complete sentence at the same 70 and 60.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “neuritis” or “radicular.” It lists “Other organic diseases of the nervous system” without a diagnostic code. That family row stays without a code.

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 lower radicular group?

Under 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8612 prints “Neuritis.” and no percentage. Section 4.123 caps that neuritis at severe incomplete paralysis when the organic changes it names are present, and otherwise at moderate. On Diagnostic Code 8512, severe is 50 percent major and 40 percent minor. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Why are there two columns?

The DC 8512 scale prints Major and Minor. Section 4.69 determines the dominant hand and does not use those two words. The lower-radicular heading does not add the cervical parenthetical used on the upper radicular group.

FAQ

How does VA rate lower-radicular-group neuritis under DC 8612?

The DC 8612 row prints no percentage. Section 4.123 rates neuritis on the scale for the nerve involved. When the organic changes that section names are present, the maximum is severe, incomplete, paralysis: 50 percent major and 40 percent minor on DC 8512. Otherwise the maximum is moderate, 40 and 30, because the sciatic clause is not this group. Education only.

Are the 70 percent lines used for this neuritis?

Those are the complete lines on the DC 8512 paralysis scale, 70 major and 60 minor. Section 4.123 sets the neuritis maximum at severe incomplete paralysis when the named organic changes are present. Complete is above that maximum.

Is neuralgia the same maximum?

No. Neuralgia is DC 8712 and § 4.124. That section caps neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. On this scale moderate is 40 and 30.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 8612 or DC 8512, 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 8612 • va.gov

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