The Board granted service connection for spondylolisthesis with bilateral pars defect based on new and relevant evidence submitted by the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The private medical opinion from Dr. B.H., a chiropractor, supported that the Veteran's condition was likely caused by recurrent mechanical stress during his service as a carrier-based pilot, while the VA examination report was found to be inadequate due to its reliance on the absence of in-service evidence without considering the Veteran's lay statements.
- Claimed conditions
- spondylolisthesis with bilateral pars defect
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2025
- Citation
- A25101433
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,432 · Granted: 29% (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 A25101433.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board found that the veteran's spondylolisthesis with bilateral pars defect and degenerative joint disease of the spine are not proximately due to, caused by, or aggravated by his service-connected knee disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions, including whether they are related to military service or to a service-connected condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeal is granted as his PTSD is now considered service-connected.
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