38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Neuritis, sciatic nerve — VA Diagnostic Code 8620

Peripheral nerves

Diagnostic code

8620

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38 CFR § 4.124a lists “Sciatic nerve” and then Diagnostic Code 8620 as “Neuritis.” The row prints no percentage. Section 4.123 says neuritis is rated on the scale for the nerve involved, and it names sciatic nerve involvement for a moderately severe maximum. The paralysis scale for this nerve is DC 8520. That scale has one Rating column. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Neuritis, sciatic nerve.” 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 rating criteria at each level

8620 Neuritis — the row under the sciatic nerve

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Neuritis.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Neuritis.

8520 Paralysis of the sciatic nerve — the scale § 4.123 names

Rating %: 80

Criteria (verbatim). Complete; the foot dangles and drops, no active movement possible of muscles below the knee, flexion of knee weakened or (very rarely) lost

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Incomplete:

Rating %: 60

Criteria (verbatim). Severe, with marked muscular atrophy

Rating %: 40

Criteria (verbatim). Moderately severe

Rating %: 20

Criteria (verbatim). Moderate

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Mild

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
80	Complete; the foot dangles and drops, no active movement possible of muscles below the knee, flexion of knee weakened or (very rarely) lost
—	Incomplete:
60	Severe, with marked muscular atrophy
40	Moderately severe
20	Moderate
10	Mild

DC 8620 prints the word “Neuritis.” and no number. DC 8720 prints “Neuralgia.” and the cell contains a space after that period. The percentages above are the DC 8520 column. There is no Major or Minor column.

The complete cell does not end with a period. It says the foot dangles and drops. It spells “(very rarely)” in parentheses.

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 8520 scale, severe incomplete paralysis is “Severe, with marked muscular atrophy” at 60. The sciatic clause in § 4.123 sets the maximum for neuritis not characterized by the organic changes that section names at moderately severe, incomplete paralysis. On this scale that line is “Moderately severe” at 40. DC 8520 is the paralysis row. Complete on that row is 80, and that line is above the neuritis maximum. 38 CFR § 4.124 caps neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. DC 8720 prints “Neuralgia.” and no percentage. Moderate on this scale is 20. 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.

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 § 4.63(b) names complete paralysis of the external popliteal nerve (common peroneal) and consequent, footdrop. It does not name the sciatic nerve or DC 8620. DC 8621 is neuritis of that external popliteal nerve. Its scale is not the sciatic scale. 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 8520’s lowest printed line is mild, at 10.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.124a and 38 CFR § 4.123, Diagnostic Code 8620, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Severe is 60 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 8520 prints that severe line as “Severe, with marked muscular atrophy” at 60.

Moderately severe is the sciatic clause

For neuritis not characterized by those organic changes, § 4.123 says the maximum with sciatic nerve involvement is moderately severe, incomplete paralysis. DC 8520 prints “Moderately severe” at 40. Moderate is 20. Mild is 10.

The foot dangles and drops

The DC 8520 complete cell uses that sentence, at 80. Section 4.63(b) uses “footdrop” for the external popliteal nerve. That paragraph does not name the sciatic nerve.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 8620 row

What the rater needs to see. Neuritis of the sciatic nerve, and whether the organic changes § 4.123 names are present.

Where that usually lives. The neurological examination that identifies the sciatic nerve.

Severe — 60, or moderately severe — 40

What the rater needs to see. The severe line, with marked muscular atrophy, when those organic changes are present. Otherwise the sciatic clause stops the maximum at moderately severe.

Where that usually lives. The same examination. Complete, 80, is the DC 8520 paralysis line and is above the neuritis maximum. Neuralgia under § 4.124 stops at moderate, 20.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 8620 row	Neuritis of the sciatic nerve, and whether the organic changes § 4.123 names are present.	The neurological examination that identifies the sciatic nerve.
Severe — 60, or moderately severe — 40	The severe line, with marked muscular atrophy, when those organic changes are present. Otherwise the sciatic clause stops the maximum at moderately severe.	The same examination. Complete, 80, is the DC 8520 paralysis line and is above the neuritis maximum. Neuralgia under § 4.124 stops at moderate, 20.

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

The exam form

DC 8620 prints no percentage. Section 4.123 and DC 8520 are the scale. This page does not say the form replaces that text.

Related codes and how they interact

Paralysis of this nerve is DC 8520.

That row prints 80, 60, 40, 20, and 10. DC 8720 is neuralgia and stops at the moderate line under § 4.124. The external popliteal nerve is a different scale.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “sciatic.” Section 3.309(a) lists “Other organic diseases of the nervous system.” That family name is not assigned to DC 8620.

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 sciatic nerve?

Under 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8620 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, for the sciatic nerve, at moderately severe, incomplete paralysis. On Diagnostic Code 8520 those lines are 60 and 40. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Why is there a space after “Neuralgia.”?

The DC 8720 cell prints “Neuralgia.” and then a space. The DC 8620 cell prints “Neuritis.” with the period at the end of the text. Neither row prints a percentage.

FAQ

How does VA rate sciatic neuritis under DC 8620?

The DC 8620 row prints no percentage. Section 4.123 rates neuritis on the DC 8520 scale. When the organic changes that section names are present, the maximum is severe, 60 percent. Otherwise sciatic nerve involvement makes the maximum moderately severe, 40 percent. Education only.

Is the 80 percent complete line a neuritis rating?

That 80 percent line is the complete paralysis cell on DC 8520. It says the foot dangles and drops. Section 4.123 sets the neuritis maximum at severe, incomplete, paralysis when the named organic changes are present. Complete is above that maximum.

Does § 4.63(b) name the sciatic nerve?

No. Paragraph (b) names complete paralysis of the external popliteal nerve and consequent, footdrop. It does not name DC 8620. The comma after “consequent” is in that paragraph.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 8620 or DC 8520, and whether the evaluation stopped at severe or at moderately severe.
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 8620 • 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.