Bipolar disorder decisions — 2005

The Board denied service connection for the claimed conditions, including dental disorder, back disorder, pneumonia residuals, neurogenic bowel, neurogenic bladder, and bipolar disorder, all of which were deemed to be not related to active service. The effective dates for service connection were also denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a ganglion cyst of the left wrist, hypertension, bipolar disorder with depression, PTSD, and joint pain, have been denied. The appeals are pending on remand.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for myopia, left arm twitching, gingivitis and stomatitis (claimed as bleeding gums), a psychiatric disability including PTSD, depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder with mood swings, sleep disturbance, memory loss, night sweats, and concentration problems, sexual dysfunction, and staph and strep infections. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred in service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Board found that the appellant's son, EC, was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to his eighteenth birthday and thus could not be recognized as a helpless child.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder with PTSD traits or alternatively PTSD, requires additional development of evidence. Specifically, the RO must obtain medical records from his service and any other relevant sources, clarify diagnoses, and determine if stressors occurred during service.

The VA granted a 100 percent disability rating for the veteran's bipolar disorder effective April 15, 1992, due to his demonstrated inability to retain employment.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a personality disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder has been denied as the Board finds that these conditions are not diseases or injuries within the meaning of applicable legislation, and therefore may not be service connected.

The VA granted a 50 percent evaluation for PTSD with bipolar disorder, effective March 11, 2005. The skin disorder claim is still pending and has not been resolved.

The veteran's PTSD with bipolar mood disorder has been rated at 70 percent disabling, effective April 14, 1999. The earlier effective date for the TDIU rating is granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder, bilateral knee disability, and residuals of a low back injury. The claim for residuals of ankle sprains was reopened but not granted.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability other than PTSD and PTSD due to sexual harassment have been reopened. Recurrent bipolar disorder was found to be incurred in active military service, while the claim for PTSD was denied as there is no credible evidence supporting the claimed stressor.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran's psychiatric conditions are related to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a psychiatric disability, finding that the new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of establishing that his pre-existing pyschiatric disability was aggravated by military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral eye disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, claimed as bipolar disorder. The Board found no evidence of chronic conditions in service or post-service that could be linked to military service.

The veteran's psychiatric disability, diagnosed as bipolar disorder, is currently manifested by occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks. The Board finds that the current evaluation of 30 percent for bipolar disorder adequately reflects this level of impairment.

The Board has granted the appellant's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for anxiety and bipolar disorder, finding new and material evidence. The issue of whether he is entitled to service connection for PTSD secondary to sexual assault during service remains pending.

The Board found that the appellant's psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, existed prior to service and were not aggravated by military service.

The veteran's mixed bipolar disorder is manifested by total occupational impairment, and the Board has granted a 100 percent rating for this condition.

The VA denied the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and Bipolar Disorder. The Board found that the current diagnosis of bipolar disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claims of service connection for bipolar disorder, sleep apnea, fractures and degenerative changes of the hips, knees, feet and arms, and fractures and degenerative changes of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine and a venous insufficiency. The claims were previously denied in July 1993 but reopened due to new evidence submitted by the appellant.