The Board has determined that the Veteran's retrolisthesis of L5 on S1, diagnosed during his separation from service, is related to his military service and grants the claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran had a pre-existing condition (retrolisthesis of L5 on S1) at the time of his separation from service, but continued to experience chronic back pain. The Board found this to be sufficient to establish service connection as it is presumed sound upon entry into service.
- Claimed conditions
- retrolisthesis of L5 on S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2012
- Citation
- 1242946
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1242946.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's back disability, including scoliosis and degenerative disc disease, is related to his service. However, there are conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's other back disabilities were aggravated by service or if they pre-existed service.
- Denied
The Board found that the veteran's low back disabilities, including scoliosis and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, are not related to service. The evidence clearly shows that his scoliosis preexisted service and was not aggravated by service. As for other low back conditions diagnosed post-service, there is no medical nexus between these conditions and service.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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