Conditions / Neurological
38 CFR 4.124a, diagnostic code 8521 · checked 2026-10-20
VA rating for Common peroneal nerve (foot drop)
VA rates Common peroneal nerve (foot drop) under diagnostic code 8521 (Paralysis of the external popliteal (common peroneal) nerve) at 4 levels from 10% to 40%. The lowest paid level, 10%, is worth $180.42 a month and the highest, 40%, $795.84 to a veteran alone at the rates effective December 1, 2025.
- 1Diagnostic code DC 8521
- 2Highest level 40% · $795.84
- 3Lowest paid level 10% · $180.42
Rating criteria for DC 8521
| Rating | What the schedule requires |
|---|---|
| 40% | Complete paralysis: foot drop and slight droop of first phalanges of all toes, cannot dorsiflex the foot, loss of extension of proximal phalanges of toes, anesthesia covering the entire dorsum of foot and toes. |
| 30% | Incomplete paralysis, severe. |
| 20% | Incomplete paralysis, moderate. |
| 10% | Incomplete paralysis, mild. |
Summarized from eCFR, 38 CFR 4.124a Schedule of ratings, neurological conditions and convulsive disorders, diagnostic code 8521, checked 2026-10-20. The regulation's own wording governs.
Notes in the schedule
- When the involvement is wholly sensory, the rating should be for the mild, or at most the moderate, degree.
What each level pays
| Level | Alone | With spouse | With tinnitus 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | 46 → 50% |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | 37 → 40% |
| 20% | $356.66 | $356.66 | 28 → 30% |
| 10% | $180.42 | $180.42 | 19 → 20% |
2 of the 4 compensable levels are 30% or higher, where dependents raise the payment; below that the rate is flat. The spread from the lowest paid level to the highest is $615.42 a month. The last column shows the combined rating if this condition is joined by a 10% tinnitus rating.
Both sides: the bilateral factor
Common peroneal nerve (foot drop) affects a leg or foot, so when both sides are rated, 38 CFR 4.26 applies. Two ratings of 10% combine to 19; the bilateral factor adds 10% of that, giving 21, rated 20%. With 40% on one side and 10% on the other, the paired value is 51, rated 50%. Other ratings on paired limbs join the same bilateral group; the bilateral factor guide shows how.
How this rating fits a claim
This code reaches 40% or more, the level one disability needs under 38 CFR 4.16(a) when several disabilities together reach 70% for unemployability. A rating under DC 8521 is combined with every other rating by Table I, never added; the calculator shows the result with your other ratings and dependents.
The rating is set from the evidence at the time of the decision, usually including a VA examination. If the condition has worsened since, VA accepts a claim for an increase on VA Form 21-526EZ; see how to request an increase.
Related conditions
- Migraines (DC 8100)
- Sciatic nerve (radiculopathy) (DC 8520)
- Carpal tunnel (median nerve) (DC 8515)
- Upper radicular group (C5-C6 nerves) (DC 8510)
- Epilepsy (seizures) (DC 8910)
Pay at the top level: 40% VA pay. At the lowest paid level: 10% VA pay.
Rating Ledger is not part of VA and does not file or decide claims. Amounts are VA's published monthly rates effective December 1, 2025 for a veteran, before any deduction or special monthly compensation; ratings follow 38 CFR 4.25 and 38 CFR 4.26 and 38 CFR 4.124a, diagnostic code 8521. Last checked 2026-10-20. Only a VA rating decision sets a rating or a payment. See the methodology.