Bipolar disorder decisions — 2003

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, concluding that his condition existed prior to military service and was not aggravated by it.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues and will remand the case back to the RO for additional consideration.

The Board has determined that the effective date for a permanent and total disability rating for non-service-connected pension purposes should be January 8, 1992, based on evidence showing the veteran was permanently and totally disabled from conditions not due to his own willful misconduct as of this date.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development of the record, including consideration of new VA clinical documentation. The veteran and his representative will be given an opportunity to respond to a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board has granted a 30 percent disability rating for the veteran's mood disorder, effective from October 1, 2002. The issues of PTSD and labyrinthitis were not addressed in this decision.

The Board is remanding the case to determine if there was a relationship between the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disabilities and his alcohol abuse, which could affect whether he suffered from an alcohol-related disability that was due to or aggravated by his service-connected psychiatric disability.

The Board denied increased ratings for left shoulder dislocations with neuropathy and lumbosacral strain with L5 spondylolysis, and did not reopen the claim seeking service connection for bipolar disorder.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for bipolar disorder was denied as a matter of law due to his failure to report for three scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional development being required under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA). The veteran is given one year to respond with any additional evidence.

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation and entitlement to individual unemployability due to service-connected disability have been granted. The effective date of the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder has also been corrected to November 10, 1997.

The Board has determined that the appellant's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, was not incurred during or aggravated by military service. The congenital and developmental defects are not subject to service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder. The RO previously denied this claim in September 1999 due to a lack of medical evidence showing a relationship between his current bipolar disorder and events in service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disability, including bipolar affective disorder, Type I with psychotic features and substance induced mood disorders due to alcohol and cannabis dependence, is related to his military service.

The veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to missing active duty medical records and the need for additional examinations. The RO will attempt to locate these records, including from the Alabama Army National Guard and NPRC.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to new and material evidence, and determined that his bipolar disorder was incurred during active service.

The Board has granted a 100 percent disability rating for bipolar disorder with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) effective August 3, 2000.

The VA granted a 70 percent disability evaluation for the veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder (previously dysthymia), effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including manic depression, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder. The decision is based on evidence that these conditions first manifested during service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for bipolar disorder. The Board has determined that there was sufficient evidence to reopen the claim, but it needs further development including obtaining his service medical records from 1980-1981.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected bipolar disorder were denied. The current rating of 50 percent is maintained.