VA BENEFITS REFERENCE
DC 8515: Median Nerve, Paralysis
Read VA diagnostic code 8515 for Median nerve, paralysis: published criteria, regulatory notes, related codes and official sources checked October 25, 2026.
Published criteria from 38 CFR 4.124a, current through 2026-10-22. Historical decisions may require a different version. This reference does not diagnose a condition or determine an evaluation.
Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders · All Diagnostic Codes
DC 8515: Median Nerve, Paralysis
Diagnostic code 8515 addresses Median nerve, paralysis. Read its specific instructions together with any shared formula, notes and linked provisions. These criteria describe evaluation after the applicable entitlement requirements are met; this reference does not diagnose a condition or determine a claim.
| Schedule of ratings | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Minor | |
| 8515 Paralysis of: | ||
| Complete; the hand inclined to the ulnar side, the index and middle fingers more extended than normally, considerable atrophy of the muscles of the thenar eminence, the thumb in the plane of the hand (ape hand); pronation incomplete and defective, absence of flexion of index finger and feeble flexion of middle finger, cannot make a fist, index and middle fingers remain extended; cannot flex distal phalanx of thumb, defective opposition and abduction of the thumb, at right angles to palm; flexion of wrist weakened; pain with trophic disturbances | 70 | 60 |
| Incomplete: | ||
| Severe | 50 | 40 |
| Moderate | 30 | 20 |
| Mild | 10 | 10 |
What The Criteria Measure
- Does the decision identify diagnostic code 8515, and does the medical record describe the condition named by this code?
- If the table distinguishes sides, does the record identify the affected side and the dominant extremity?
- Do the examination findings record the relevant movement measurements and explain functional limitations, flare-ups and repeated use where applicable?
- Have the code-specific notes and cross-references been read before comparing any listed evaluation?
Related Public DBQs
Editorial subject matches, not official VA code-to-form assignments. Read the form scope and clinician instructions.
Shared Rules And Regulatory Context
Context provisions do not create an additional evaluation automatically assigned to every condition.
Related Guides
Official Sources
Last verified 2026-10-25. Source publication or legal effective dates are shown separately where available.
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