The Board has determined that the June 2004 rating decision denying service connection for a low back disability was not final, and thus the claim is pending. The Veteran's current lumbar spine disability may be related to service, including his December 1968 low back strain and fainting spells in service. However, the bilateral spondylolisis with Grade I spondylolisthesis of L-5 diagnosed in January 1970 is not considered a form of arthritis for VA purposes.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's current lumbar spine disability may be related to service due to his December 1968 low back strain and fainting spells, but the bilateral spondylolisis with Grade I spondylolisthesis of L-5 is not considered a form of arthritis.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine disability, bilateral spondylolisis with Grade I spondylolisthesis of L-5
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 7, 2022
- Citation
- 22012873
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 22012873.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for miscarriage, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right elbow disability due to insufficient examination opinions and incomplete service history verification.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability, right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as these issues have been addressed in a separate docket.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. Service connection is being remanded for the lumbar spine disability and right knee and calf disabilities.
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