The Board has remanded the case for further development and medical opinions to address whether the Veteran's spondylolysis at L5 and S1 clearly and unmistakably preexisted service, if it was aggravated by service, and its relationship with spina bifida occulta. The Veteran's claim is pending.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the VA examination did not provide sufficient information to determine whether spondylolysis at L5 and S1 clearly and unmistakably preexisted service or if it was aggravated by service, nor did it address its relationship with spina bifida occulta.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolysis L5, S1, degenerative arthritis of the spine, vertebral fracture, spina bifida occulta
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 8, 2021
- Citation
- 21007057
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 21007057.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, lumbar retrolisthesis, a vertebral fracture, and DDD (back disability), as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the back disability. The decision is based on evidence showing an in-service fall causing a back injury that led to current diagnoses.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for earlier effective date for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) prior to August 8, 2024, and dependency benefits from June 1, 2025, to August 8, 2025, for the school-aged child are both denied.
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