The Board found that the Veteran's T7-8 discectomy and fusion was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected L5-S1 spondylolisthesis with fusion, thus denying the claim.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner provided a rationale indicating that there is no medical evidence linking the lumbar spine disability to the thoracic spine disability either as causation or aggravation.
- Claimed conditions
- T7-8 discectomy and fusion, L5-S1 spondylolisthesis with fusion
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 8, 2015
- Citation
- 1543359
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 1543359.
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: Denied
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability has been rated at 40 percent since April 29, 2005. His right and left lower extremity radiculopathy have each been rated at 20 percent since that date.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new or supplemental VA medical opinion is needed regarding whether the Veteran's T7-8 discectomy and fusion was aggravated by his service-connected L5-S1 spondylolisthesis with fusion.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's T7-8 discectomy and fusion did not begin in service or due to a service-connected disability, thus denying his claim for service connection.
- Whole decision: 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.
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