The veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes as his combined schedular evaluation is less than 100 percent.
The deciding factor: The veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities, but their combined schedular evaluations are below the threshold required for a permanent and total disability rating under VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Postoperative Bilateral Spontaneous Pneumothorax, Depression and Dysthymic Disorder, Degenerative Disc Disease of the Cervical Spine, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Ulnar Neuropathy of the Right Arm, Ulnar Neuropathy of the Left Arm, Scars of the Lower Lip and Nose, Scars of the Back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 2, 2000
- Citation
- 0020305
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 0020305.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, disability manifested by skin rash and lesions on feet and hands, respiratory disability manifested by difficulty breathing, disability manifested by muscle pain and cramping, and joint pain in arms and legs, and chronic headaches, all due to an undiagnosed illness.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, including diabetes, erectile dysfunction, bilateral shoulder disability, hemorrhoids, and knee and ankle disabilities, was dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's PTSD, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with IVDS and spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, right upper extremity radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected left hip, left shoulder, and cervical spine disabilities are being remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations.
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