The Board denied service connection for spondylolysis and multiple Schmorl’s nodes, finding that the conditions preexisted service and were not aggravated by military service. The Veteran's current diagnoses of these conditions are presumed to have existed prior to his entry into active duty.
The deciding factor: Clear and unmistakable evidence established that the Veteran's spondylolysis and multiple Schmorl’s nodes preexisted service, and there was no aggravation during service beyond natural progression.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolysis, multiple Schmorl’s nodes
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19122357
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,374 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 19122357.
What this means for you
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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The Veteran's attorney has withdrawn the appeal, and thus the claims for increased ratings are dismissed.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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