The Veteran's spondylolysis resulted in limited thoracolumbar spinal flexion, which was granted a 40% disability rating effective November 14, 2016. The claim for an increased rating prior to this date is denied.
The deciding factor: The November 2016 VA examination showed that the Veteran's spondylolysis resulted in limited thoracolumbar flexion of 30 degrees, which meets the criteria for a 40% disability rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolysis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- August 28, 2018
- Citation
- 18129532
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 18129532.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's spondylolysis was granted a 40 percent rating from November 25, 2013 to October 26, 2023. The condition resulted in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine being limited to 20 degrees during use over time.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn the appeal, and thus the claims for increased ratings are dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a VA examination and additional evidence development to determine if there is a nexus between any lower back disability and the Veteran's active service.
- Denied
Service connection for sleep apnea was denied because the evidence did not show a relationship to service. An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for spondylolysis was also denied.
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