38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Neuritis, musculocutaneous (superficial peroneal) nerve — VA Diagnostic Code 8622

Peripheral nerves

Diagnostic code

8622

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38 CFR § 4.124a lists “Musculocutaneous nerve (superficial peroneal),” then Diagnostic Code 8622 as “Neuritis.” The row prints no percentage. The block has one Rating column. Section 4.123 says neuritis is rated on the scale for the nerve involved. The paralysis scale for this nerve is DC 8522. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Neuritis, musculocutaneous (superficial peroneal) 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 version date do not print a Federal Register source note.

The rating criteria at each level

8622 Neuritis — the row under the superficial peroneal nerve

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Neuritis.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Neuritis.

8522 Paralysis of the musculocutaneous nerve (superficial peroneal) — the scale § 4.123 names

Rating %: 30

Criteria (verbatim). Complete; eversion of foot weakened

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Incomplete:

Rating %: 20

Criteria (verbatim). Severe

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Moderate

Rating %: 0

Criteria (verbatim). Mild

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
30	Complete; eversion of foot weakened
—	Incomplete:
20	Severe
10	Moderate
0	Mild

DC 8622 prints the word “Neuritis.” and no number. DC 8722 prints “Neuralgia.” and no number. The percentages above are the DC 8522 column. There is no Major or Minor column.

The complete cell does not end with a period. It says “eversion of foot weakened.” It does not say “of the foot.”

Mild on this scale is 0. That is a printed zero. It is not supplied by § 4.31.

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. This block is in the lower-extremity table, which has one Rating column. 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 caps neuritis characterized by the organic changes named in that section at severe, incomplete, paralysis. On the DC 8522 scale, severe is 20. Neuritis not characterized by those organic changes is capped at moderate, 10, unless the sciatic-nerve clause applies. The sciatic clause is not this nerve. Complete is 30, and that line is above the neuritis maximum. 38 CFR § 4.124 caps neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. DC 8722 prints “Neuralgia.” and no percentage. Moderate on this scale is 10.

DC 8523 is the next heading, the anterior tibial nerve (deep peroneal). Its complete cell is “Complete; dorsal flexion of foot lost,” also at 30, and its mild line is also 0. DC 8521 is the external popliteal nerve (common peroneal). Its complete rating is 40. 38 CFR § 4.63(b) names complete paralysis of the external popliteal nerve (common peroneal) and consequent, footdrop. It does not name the superficial peroneal nerve and it does not name DC 8622. DC 8517 is an earlier heading, “Musculocutaneous nerve,” without the superficial-peroneal parenthetical. Its complete cell is “Complete; weakness but not loss of flexion of elbow and supination of forearm,” at 30 major and 20 minor.

A note printed after DC 8719, before this lower-extremity table, says: “Combined nerve injuries should be rated by reference to the major involvement, or if sufficient in extent, consider radicular group ratings.” That note is not printed under DC 8622.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.124a and 38 CFR § 4.123, Diagnostic Code 8622, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Severe is 20 on this scale

Section 4.123’s higher neuritis maximum is severe incomplete paralysis when the organic changes it names are present. DC 8522 prints severe as 20. Moderate is 10. Mild is 0. Complete is 30, and that line is above the neuritis maximum.

Eversion of foot weakened

Those are the complete-cell words. The deep peroneal complete cell says dorsal flexion of the foot is lost. The common peroneal complete cell is a different sentence, at 40.

One rating column

The superficial-peroneal block prints 30, 20, 10, and 0. The upper-extremity musculocutaneous nerve, DC 8517, uses Major and Minor. Those columns are not on DC 8522.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 8622 row

What the rater needs to see. Neuritis of the musculocutaneous nerve, also called the superficial peroneal, and whether the organic changes § 4.123 names are present.

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

Severe — 20, or moderate — 10

What the rater needs to see. The severe incomplete line when those organic changes are present. Otherwise the maximum is moderate, because the sciatic clause is a different nerve.

Where that usually lives. The same examination. Complete, 30, is the DC 8522 paralysis line and is above the neuritis maximum. Mild is the printed 0.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 8622 row	Neuritis of the musculocutaneous nerve, also called the superficial peroneal, and whether the organic changes § 4.123 names are present.	The neurological examination that identifies this nerve.
Severe — 20, or moderate — 10	The severe incomplete line when those organic changes are present. Otherwise the maximum is moderate, because the sciatic clause is a different nerve.	The same examination. Complete, 30, is the DC 8522 paralysis line and is above the neuritis maximum. Mild is the printed 0.

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

The exam form

DC 8622 prints no percentage. Section 4.123 and DC 8522 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 8522.

That row prints 30, 20, 10, and 0. DC 8722 is neuralgia and stops at the moderate line under § 4.124. The deep peroneal nerve and the common peroneal nerve are different complete sentences.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “peroneal.” Section 3.309(a) lists “Other organic diseases of the nervous system.” That family name is not assigned to DC 8622.

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 superficial peroneal nerve?

Under 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8622 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 8522, severe is 20 percent. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Does this nerve use major and minor ratings?

The superficial-peroneal block does not. It has one Rating column. Mild is a printed 0. The upper-extremity musculocutaneous nerve uses Major and Minor.

FAQ

How does VA rate superficial-peroneal neuritis under DC 8622?

The DC 8622 row prints no percentage. Section 4.123 rates neuritis on the DC 8522 scale. When the organic changes that section names are present, the maximum is severe, 20 percent. Otherwise the maximum is moderate, 10 percent. The sciatic moderately-severe clause is not this nerve. Mild on this scale is 0. Education only.

Is the 30 percent complete line a neuritis rating?

That 30 percent line is the complete paralysis cell on DC 8522: eversion of the foot weakened. Section 4.123 sets the neuritis maximum at severe incomplete paralysis when the named organic changes are present. Complete is above that maximum.

Is this the nerve in the arm?

The arm heading is DC 8517, “Musculocutaneous nerve,” without the superficial-peroneal words. Its complete cell is weakness but not loss of flexion of the elbow and supination of the forearm, at 30 major and 20 minor. DC 8622 is the foot nerve.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 8622 or DC 8522, 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 8622 • va.gov

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