The Board found that the veteran's spondylolisthesis at L5-S1 with spina bifida occulta and bilateral pes cavus were congenital defects that pre-existed his military service, and there was no evidence of additional disability due to aggravation during service.
The deciding factor: The competent medical evidence clearly and unmistakably established the veteran had no additional disability from a permanent worsening of these pre-existing conditions during service by superimposed disease or injury.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolisthesis at L5-S1 with spina bifida occulta, bilateral pes cavus
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 22, 2008
- Citation
- 0816930
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,669 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0816930.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) and bilateral pes cavus, finding that the Veteran's conditions first manifested during active duty service and were not aggravated by such service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes cavus and bilateral plantar fasciitis, finding that the Veteran's conditions were aggravated by his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's bilateral knee strain, lumbosacral strain, and migraine and tension headaches are found to have had their onset during service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.,The Veteran's preexisting bilateral pes cavus was aggravated by active duty service. Service connection is granted for this condition.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for payment of non-VA care provided at Mercy Health Saint Ritas Medical Center LLC on May 14, 2021 is granted due to the timely filing and eligibility under 38 U.S.C. § 1728.
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