38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Neuralgia, sciatic nerve — VA Diagnostic Code 8720

Peripheral nerves

Diagnostic code

8720

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38 CFR § 4.124a lists “Sciatic nerve,” then Diagnostic Code 8720 as “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 8520. That scale has one Rating column. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Neuralgia, sciatic nerve.” The catalog slug is dc-8720-neuralgia-sciatic-nerve.

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

8720 Neuralgia — the row under the sciatic nerve

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Neuralgia.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Neuralgia.

8520 Paralysis of the sciatic nerve — the scale § 4.124 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 8720 prints the word “Neuralgia.” and no number. 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 § 4.124 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 8520 scale, moderate is 20. That is the neuralgia maximum. Moderately severe is 40. Severe, with marked muscular atrophy, is 60. Complete is 80. Those three lines are above the neuralgia maximum. The sciatic clause in § 4.123 that raises a neuritis maximum to moderately severe is a neuritis rule. It is not the neuralgia rule. DC 8620 is neuritis of this nerve. DC 8520 is the paralysis row. The public page is the radiculopathy guide. The tic douloureux sentence is not the sciatic nerve. 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 § 4.31 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.

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “sciatic” or “8720.” This page does not add DC 8720 to a presumptive row.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.124a and 38 CFR § 4.124, Diagnostic Code 8720, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Moderate is 20

Section 4.124 stops neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. DC 8520 prints “Moderate” at 20. “Moderately severe” is 40 and is above that cap.

The foot dangles and drops

That sentence is the complete cell, at 80. It is the paralysis type picture. It is above the neuralgia maximum.

Neuritis is a different cap

Section 4.123 names sciatic nerve involvement for a moderately severe neuritis maximum. Section 4.124 does not repeat that clause for neuralgia.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 8720 row

What the rater needs to see. Neuralgia of the sciatic nerve, of typical distribution so as to identify the nerve.

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

Moderate — 20

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. Moderately severe, 40, is above the neuralgia maximum. Mild is 10.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 8720 row	Neuralgia of the sciatic nerve, of typical distribution so as to identify the nerve.	The neurological examination that identifies the sciatic nerve.
Moderate — 20	The moderate incomplete line. Section 4.124 stops neuralgia at that line.	The same examination. Moderately severe, 40, is above the neuralgia maximum. Mild is 10.

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

The exam form

DC 8720 prints no percentage. Section 4.124 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. Neuritis is DC 8620. Neuralgia stops at moderate, which is 20 on this scale.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

Section 3.309 does not contain “sciatic” or “8720.” This page does not add DC 8720 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 sciatic nerve?

Under 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8720 prints “Neuralgia.” and no percentage. Section 4.124 caps that neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. On Diagnostic Code 8520, moderate is 20 percent. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Is mild a neuralgia level?

The mild line on DC 8520 is 10. The peripheral-nerve sentence says wholly sensory involvement should be mild, or at most the moderate degree. Moderate remains the maximum § 4.124 names for neuralgia.

FAQ

How does VA rate sciatic neuralgia under DC 8720?

The DC 8720 row prints “Neuralgia.” and no percentage. Section 4.124 caps neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. On DC 8520 that line is 20 percent. Education only.

Does the sciatic moderately severe clause apply to neuralgia?

No. That clause is in § 4.123, and it is about neuritis that is not characterized by the organic changes that section names. Section 4.124 caps neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. On this scale moderately severe is 40, which is above moderate.

What does the complete cell say about the foot?

The foot dangles and drops, no active movement possible of muscles below the knee, flexion of knee weakened or (very rarely) lost. That cell is 80. It is the DC 8520 complete line.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 8720 or DC 8520, 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. The sciatic paralysis page is the radiculopathy guide.

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 8720 • 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.