The Board denied benefits for spina bifida and other covered birth defects as the appellant's mother is not a Vietnam Veteran, and she does not meet the criteria for spina bifida other than spina bifida occulta.
The deciding factor: The claim was denied due to the absence of legal merit or entitlement under the law, as the appellant's father did not serve in Vietnam and her mother is not a Vietnam Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- spina bifida occulta, degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), spinal fusion, residuals of a decompression and stabilization of the lumbar spine, degeneration of the lumbosacral intervertebral disc, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25022668
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 785 · Granted: 34% (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 A25022668.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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- Remanded (sent back)
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