The veteran's disabilities, including chronic bronchitis and bipolar disorder, do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes.
The deciding factor: The combined evaluation of the veteran's disabilities is 20 percent, which does not meet the requirement of at least 70 percent with one disability rated at least 40 percent under the new schedular criteria effective October 7, 1996.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic Bronchitis, Bipolar Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 28, 2000
- Citation
- 0002351
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 0002351.
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 an effective date earlier than August 10, 2022, for the grant of a 60 percent rating for sarcoidosis, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and COPD.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for ADHD, finding that it clearly and unmistakably preexisted the Veteran's service but was aggravated by military service. The claim for bipolar disorder was remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis and chronic bronchitis, as well as a 10 percent rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, including bipolar disorder.
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.