Bipolar disorder decisions — 2011

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including macules on the tongue, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, a heart murmur, hypertension (HTN), right and left carpal tunnel syndromes, bilateral pes planus, low back disability, residuals of salpingo-oophorectomy, and psychiatric disorders have been granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and other psychiatric disorders were denied as the evidence did not support a diagnosis of PTSD, and there was no credible evidence linking his current symptoms to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and likely etiology of any acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and chronic depression. The Veteran's service records do not show a diagnosis or symptoms of such disorders during his military service, but he reports having experienced them since discharge.

The Veteran seeks service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including bipolar disorder, depression, and PTSD. The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete personnel records and the need for a VA examination to determine if her current psychiatric disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's PTSD claim was denied. His bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and cervical spine disability claims were also denied, but his thoracolumbar spine disability claim resulted in a grant of an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, is being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for reopening his PTSD claim and service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, finding that new and material evidence was not presented to reopen the PTSD claim and there is no competent medical evidence linking any current psychiatric disability to active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and depression, is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and provide the Veteran with a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for his service-connected bipolar disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity and manifestations of his bipolar disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional information and evidence regarding his claimed PTSD and bipolar disorder, including the alleged military sexual assault and a reported bomb explosion. The VA will also provide an updated psychiatric examination to determine if these conditions are service-connected.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder, is attributable to active duty service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include bipolar disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim to reopen for an acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as bipolar disorder, was denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received since the May 2005 denial of service connection for a personality disorder.,Service connection for bipolar disorder could not be established because there is no medical evidence showing symptoms or diagnosis during service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a psychiatric disorder, specifically bipolar disorder. The Board finds that additional development is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of his current disability.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, the highest available rating under Diagnostic Code 9411. The decision grants an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for service-connected PTSD and denies service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's hepatitis C, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder have been granted increased ratings. The hepatitis C is rated at 40 percent disabling, the psychiatric disorders are rated at 30 percent each.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including diagnoses of bipolar and depressive disorders, is not due to disease or injury incurred in his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to scheduling a hearing for the appellant, who is incarcerated. The appeal will be returned to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to concerns about the sufficiency of evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed stressors and psychiatric diagnoses, as well as the need for a medical opinion on the etiology of any diagnosed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's temporal lobe epilepsy, finding that it began in service. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and etiology.