The Board denied benefits for a child born with spina bifida, as the Appellant does not have a form or manifestation of spina bifida other than spina bifida occulta.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not indicate that the Appellant has spina bifida and therefore does not meet the criteria for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805.
- Claimed conditions
- spina bifida occulta
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 9, 2025
- Citation
- A25032596
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claims for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805 and § 1815, finding that she does not have a form or manifestation of spina bifida other than spina bifida occulta, and her mother is not a Vietnam Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805 for spina bifida, as he does not have a diagnosis of spina bifida other than spina bifida occulta.
- Partly granted
The Board denied benefits for a child born with birth defects and spina bifida, but granted service connection for spina bifida occulta.
- Denied
The Board denied benefits for spina bifida occulta as the Appellant does not meet the criteria for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.