Bipolar disorder decisions — 2006

The veteran's bipolar disorder is service-connected, and he was granted a 20% evaluation for his right shoulder disorder. The veteran has been granted higher evaluations for his gastrointestinal disorder (10%) and stress fracture of the left foot (10%). Service connection for residuals of heat stroke and hemorrhoids were denied.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of a 100% rating for bipolar disorder was denied because there were no pending claims prior to May 4, 2001. The veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder had not been shown to have increased in severity during the one-year period preceding his claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a psychiatric disability that is attributable to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's appeals regarding effective dates for service connection and disability ratings, as these issues are not within its jurisdiction due to the finality of previous RO decisions.

The Board denied reopening the claim of service connection for a nervous condition, to include depression, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for PTSD. However, it is not granted as there is no credible supporting evidence to corroborate the veteran's reported in-service stressors. Service connection is also denied for depression and/or bipolar disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bipolar disorder warrants a 50 percent evaluation, effective May 24, 2002. The claim for an earlier effective date is denied as there was no prior final denial of service connection. The TDIU claim is also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder did not cause or contribute to his death from pneumonia, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred in April 2004 at a non-VA hospital is denied as the services were not rendered in a medical emergency and VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Board has increased the evaluation for bipolar disorder from 30 percent to 50 percent, effective as of the date of the decision.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, depression, and bipolar disorder due to a lack of credible supporting evidence that the claimed stressors occurred during his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bipolar disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's bipolar disorder did not originate during his active military service and denied the claim for service connection. The issue of PTSD is addressed in the REMAND portion.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder as of October 11, 1975 and the veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date are addressed in the REMAND portion.

The veteran's claimed conditions were not incurred or aggravated by military service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder associated with urethral stricture should be March 14, 2000.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for bipolar disorder and low back disorder, as well as denied the claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The veteran's claimed stressors are not verifiable due to inconsistencies in his stories.

The veteran's GI condition with bipolar affective disorder has been rated at 100 percent since June 27, 2005 due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased disability evaluation for his service-connected major affective disorder and a TDIU, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or TDIU.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and psychotic disorder, were incurred during his military service.