Bipolar disorder decisions — 2009

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder is not related to service and denied her claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's bipolar disorder is not related to active service and denied his claim.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's currently diagnosed Bipolar Disorder began in service. The VA psychologist who conducted the March 2009 examination is asked to review the claims folder and provide an opinion on this issue.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder was not incurred during service and is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected peptic ulcers.

The Veteran does not have a psychiatric disability that is related to her military service, except for manic depressive psychosis. The Board has characterized the issues on appeal as styled on the title page.

The Board has granted service connection for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and remanded the issue of service connection for Bipolar Disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have post-traumatic stress disorder and denied her claim for service connection. The case is remanded to obtain a VA examination regarding whether her pre-existing lumbar spine condition was aggravated during active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder is likely to have had its onset during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service records and verifying National Guard and Reserve service. The Veteran's claim will be adjudicated again after this additional development.

The November 1994 Board decision denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on unemployability due to service-connected disability (TDIU) and found that his service-connected manic-depressive psychosis was productive of considerable social and industrial impairment, but did not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder is granted, as it was found to be directly related to events or injuries in military service.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and mental handicap. The Board finds that VA has not completed its duty to assist in obtaining the Veteran's STRs from his reserve service period.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, now diagnosed as anxiety-depression reaction with bipolar disorder. The issue of whether he had such a condition in service and if it is related to military service remains under consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating beyond the currently assigned 50 percent.

The appellant withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for bipolar disorder and entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left inguinal hernia, post-operation residuals, scar. The appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to service connection for a digestive system disorder is dismissed due to lack of evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and mood disorder not otherwise specified, was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's bipolar-2 disorder is rated at 70 percent, and his knees are each rated at 10 percent. The Veteran has a torn meniscus in both knees which warrants separate ratings of 20 percent for each knee.

The Veteran is seeking to have the May 20, 1983 rating decision that awarded a 70 percent schedular evaluation for bipolar disorder reversed due to alleged clear and unmistakable error (CUE). The issue is whether there was CUE in this rating decision. If found, it could affect the effective date of service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for paranoid personality disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim for paranoid personality disorder. The Board also found that a psychosis was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, but the Board finds that she does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as her symptoms do not warrant total occupational and social impairment.