Bipolar disorder decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in handling of the Veteran's Social Security Administration (SSA) records and other procedural issues. The Veteran's claims for service connection, a higher rating for her right shoulder disorder, and TDIU are being reviewed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder has been reopened, while his claims for left knee and right knee disorders have both been granted. The decision is mixed as some issues are granted and others are pending.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, specifically bipolar affective disorder with psychosis, was not present during his active service and is not etiologically related to his military service. The Board finds the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current condition is linked to his time in the military.

The Board has determined that there is a need to verify the Veteran's periods of service and obtain additional records, including mental health clinic records. A new VA examination is also required to determine if any current psychiatric disorders are related to her military service.

The Veteran's psychiatric, cognitive, respiratory, and joint symptoms are manifestations of his diagnosed service-connected bipolar disorder and fibromyalgia and are not otherwise etiologically related to service or to an unidentified illness or chronic unidentified multisystem disease.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is related to service and the claim for service connection has been granted. The issue of TDIU will be remanded for further adjudication.

The Board has ordered additional development to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for various psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD. The case will be remanded for further examination and determination of whether any stressor events are corroborated and if a diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder is related to her service.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but has denied the underlying claim as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The appellant's service-connected bipolar disorder renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has determined that this meets the criteria for TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining evidence to corroborate the appellant's claimed stressor and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorders, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder was previously remanded by the Board in July 2010. The case is now being remanded again due to failure to notify the Veteran of a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA medical records and for further examinations to determine the etiology of his claimed psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and Social Security Administration (SSA) disability determination records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further evidentiary development, including a VA psychiatric examination and consideration of an extraschedular evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed psychiatric disorders and hypertension.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected pension claim was denied because he did not meet the criteria for permanent and total disability due to his nonservice-connected disabilities, despite having multiple service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding no credible evidence of in-service personal assault or hostile environment stressors. The pre-existing conditions were not shown to be aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as major depression with psychotic features and schizoaffective disorder, clearly and unmistakably pre-existed his second period of active duty service and was not aggravated therein. Therefore, service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing due to his failure to report for an earlier scheduled hearing and the undeliverable address issue. The claims of service connection for psychiatric disabilities and for a low back disability are currently in a status of 'unknown' as they do not pertain to service connection issues.