The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical disc degeneration and spondylolisthesis as there was no evidence of an in-service injury, disease, or event, nor any continuity of symptomatology since service. The VA examiner opined that the conditions were less likely than not related to the veteran's military service.
The deciding factor: The Board found the Veteran's reports of chronic low back and neck pain since service not credible due to a lack of evidence in his medical records from primary care physicians, and the VA examiner's opinion was more persuasive given its thorough review of the record.
- Claimed conditions
- cervical disc degeneration, spondylolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2025
- Citation
- A25008665
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,036 · Granted: 27% (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 A25008665.
What this means for you
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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 back disability and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and the need for additional medical evidence. The Veteran's lower back disability, including lumbar strain and spondylolisthesis, is being reviewed again.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a back condition, including spondylolisthesis, as the evidence did not show permanent aggravation of the preexisting condition during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and a need for further examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for his back disability is being reviewed.
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