The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spondylolisthesis, finding that there is no evidence linking the current disability to service.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinions found no link between the Veteran's in-service back pain and her current degenerative arthritis and spondylolisthesis, attributing the onset of symptoms to weight gain after separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spondylolisthesis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 26, 2026
- Citation
- A26017385
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26017385.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an adequate VA examination for assessing the severity of the Veteran's lumbar spine condition. The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for his service-connected lumbar spine condition.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's back disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been granted effective July 1, 2011.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine with spondylolisthesis is currently rated at 40 percent, and a higher rating is denied.,The Veteran's left lower extremity radiculopathy has been rated at 40 percent since March 16, 2011, and 20 percent from January 27, 2015. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.,The Veteran's right lower extremity radiculopathy has been rated at 10 percent since May 23, 2013, and 20 percent from January 27, 2015. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating for this condition.,The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral foot disorder (secondary to service-connected left knee disorder and/or service-connected lumbar spine disorder) and right knee disorder (secondary to service-connected left knee disorder) are remanded.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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