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VA rating schedule, diagnostic code 9432
Bipolar disorder is a recognized mental health condition that the VA rates under its schedule for mental disorders. The VA bases its mental-health diagnoses on the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5, and by rule, if an examiner's diagnosis does not conform to DSM-5 or isn't supported by the exam findings, the VA sends the report back to be corrected. To be "service-connected," the evidence generally must show the condition began during service (or a pre-existing condition got worse in service), or that a legal presumption applies. The VA looks at the facts and the places, types, and circumstances of your service.
Bipolar disorder has its own diagnostic code, 9432, and it is rated using the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders. Under that formula, the rating level is driven by how much the condition impairs your work and social life, not by the diagnosis label alone. The levels are 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 100 percent. For example, 30 percent reflects occupational and social impairment with an occasional decrease in work efficiency due to symptoms like depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks (weekly or less), and chronic sleep problems; 70 percent reflects deficiencies in most areas such as work, family, judgment, and mood, with symptoms like suicidal ideation, impaired impulse control, or trouble adapting to stress; and 100 percent reflects total occupational and social impairment, with symptoms such as grossly inappropriate behavior or persistent danger of hurting oneself or others. Higher percentages go with more severe and more frequent symptoms.
As for toxic-exposure or "presumptive" pathways, bipolar disorder is not on the VA's special lists that remove the nexus (link-to-service) burden. The VA's one-year presumptive for a "psychosis" covers a specific set of DSM-5 disorders—such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and delusional disorder—and bipolar disorder is not included in that psychosis list. That means a bipolar claim usually rests on the standard service-connection rules rather than on Agent Orange, burn pit, Camp Lejeune, or PACT Act presumptions. If a claim is denied, that is a starting point, not the end—there are review and appeal options.
This is educational information about how the VA's rules work in general; it is not legal advice or a VA decision.
Grounded in federal regulations and VA guidance, independently reviewed June 2026. Educational information, not legal advice or a VA determination.
Across 9,815 real Board appeals for Bipolar disorder
A denial is often not the end either — remands (shown below) are sent back for more development and can still end in a grant. These are historical outcomes, not a prediction of your case.
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Among the appeals that were granted or partly granted, the most common ways Bipolar disorder was linked to service:
In appeals where Bipolar disorder was the only condition decided and the Board granted it, the rating most often assigned was:
These appeals involved a recognized exposure — which can mean the link to service is presumed, with no nexus to prove:
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.
The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas from November 15, 2016, to August 10, 2021.,Beginning August 11, 2021, the disability caused total occupational and social impairment.
The Veteran's PTSD with bipolar disorder has resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100% disability rating effective August 8, 2018.
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not attributable to his active duty service.
The Veteran's service connection claim for bipolar disorder, type II is granted as the evidence does not clearly and unmistakably show that his condition existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service.
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in loss of use of both feet, which qualifies her for an allowance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.
Jump to the decisions from a specific year.
New decisions are added every week, and older years are actively being backfilled — a year that looks thin or missing here (especially 2011–2017) is a gap in our library, not in the Board’s decisions.
Veterans appealing Bipolar disorder often look at outcomes for these too:
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.