38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Neuralgia, musculospiral nerve (radial) — VA Diagnostic Code 8714

Peripheral nerves

Diagnostic code

8714

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38 CFR § 4.124a heads this block “The musculospiral nerve (radial nerve).” Diagnostic Code 8714 is “Neuralgia.” The row prints no percentage. Section 4.124 rates neuralgia on the same scale, with a maximum equal to moderate incomplete paralysis. The paralysis scale is DC 8514. The columns are Major and Minor. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Neuralgia, musculospiral nerve (radial).” The catalog slug is dc-8714-neuralgia-musculospiral-nerve-radial.

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

8714 Neuralgia — the row under the musculospiral nerve

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Neuralgia.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Neuralgia.

8514 Paralysis of the musculospiral nerve (radial nerve) — the scale § 4.124 names

Rating %: 70 major, 60 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Complete; drop of hand and fingers, wrist and fingers perpetually flexed, the thumb adducted falling within the line of the outer border of the index finger; can not extend hand at wrist, extend proximal phalanges of fingers, extend thumb, or make lateral movement of wrist; supination of hand, extension and flexion of elbow weakened, the loss of synergic motion of extensors impairs the hand grip seriously; total paralysis of the triceps occurs only as the greatest rarity

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Incomplete:

Rating %: 50 major, 40 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Severe

Rating %: 30 major, 20 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Moderate

Rating %: 20 major, 20 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Mild

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
70 major, 60 minor	Complete; drop of hand and fingers, wrist and fingers perpetually flexed, the thumb adducted falling within the line of the outer border of the index finger; can not extend hand at wrist, extend proximal phalanges of fingers, extend thumb, or make lateral movement of wrist; supination of hand, extension and flexion of elbow weakened, the loss of synergic motion of extensors impairs the hand grip seriously; total paralysis of the triceps occurs only as the greatest rarity
—	Incomplete:
50 major, 40 minor	Severe
30 major, 20 minor	Moderate
20 major, 20 minor	Mild

DC 8714 prints the word “Neuralgia.” and no number. The percentages above are the DC 8514 columns.

Note: Lesions involving only “dissociation of extensor communis digitorum” and “paralysis below the extensor communis digitorum,” will not exceed the moderate rating under code 8514.

The comma after digitorum is inside the closing quotation mark. The note ends with a period. Moderate on this scale is 30 major and 20 minor. The complete cell spells “can not” as two words.

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 § 4.124 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.” On the DC 8514 scale, moderate is 30 major and 20 minor. That is the neuralgia maximum. Severe is 50 and 40. Complete is 70 and 60. Both are above that maximum. The tic douloureux sentence is not this nerve. DC 8514 is the paralysis row. 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 8514’s lowest printed line is mild, 20 and 20.

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “8714,” “musculospiral,” or “radial nerve.” This page does not add DC 8714 to a presumptive row.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.124a and 38 CFR § 4.124, Diagnostic Code 8714, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Moderate is the cap

Section 4.124 stops neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. DC 8514 prints Moderate at 30 major and 20 minor. The extensor-communis note also stops the lesions it names at that moderate rating.

can not

The complete cell spells “can not extend hand at wrist” as two words. That complete line is 70 and 60, above the neuralgia maximum.

Mild is 20 and 20

Wholly sensory involvement is mild, or at most moderate. Mild is 20 in both columns.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 8714 row

What the rater needs to see. Neuralgia of the musculospiral (radial) nerve, of typical distribution so as to identify the nerve.

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

Moderate — 30 major, 20 minor

What the rater needs to see. The moderate incomplete line. Section 4.124 stops neuralgia at that line.

Where that usually lives. The same examination. Severe, 50 and 40, and complete, 70 and 60, are DC 8514 paralysis lines above the neuralgia maximum.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 8714 row	Neuralgia of the musculospiral (radial) nerve, of typical distribution so as to identify the nerve.	The neurological examination that identifies this nerve, and which hand is dominant.
Moderate — 30 major, 20 minor	The moderate incomplete line. Section 4.124 stops neuralgia at that line.	The same examination. Severe, 50 and 40, and complete, 70 and 60, are DC 8514 paralysis lines above the neuralgia maximum.

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

The exam form

DC 8714 prints no percentage. Section 4.124 and DC 8514 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 8514.

That row prints 70 and 60, 50 and 40, 30 and 20, and 20 and 20, and the note about dissociation of extensor communis digitorum. Neuralgia does not reprint those percentages on its own row.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

Section 3.309 does not contain “8714,” “musculospiral,” or “radial nerve.” This page does not add DC 8714 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 neuralgia of the radial nerve?

Under 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8714 prints “Neuralgia.” and no percentage. Section 4.124 caps that neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. On Diagnostic Code 8514, moderate is 30 percent major and 20 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 radial neuralgia under DC 8714?

The DC 8714 row prints “Neuralgia.” and no percentage. Section 4.124 caps neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. On DC 8514 that line is 30 percent major and 20 percent minor. Education only.

What is the extensor communis note?

Lesions involving only “dissociation of extensor communis digitorum” and “paralysis below the extensor communis digitorum,” will not exceed the moderate rating under code 8514. The comma sits inside the closing quotation mark.

Is tic douloureux this code?

No. Section 4.124’s complete-paralysis exception is tic douloureux, or trifacial neuralgia. It is not the musculospiral nerve.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 8714 or DC 8514, which column was used, and whether the evaluation stopped 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 8714 • 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.