Bipolar disorder decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case to obtain additional service and mental health records, as well as to give the Veteran another opportunity to provide information about his psychiatric treatment during service. The claim will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and residuals of surgery to correct Poland's syndrome. This includes obtaining Social Security Administration records, VA treatment records, and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination and the need for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and PTSD, is attributable to his service-connected spontaneous pneumothorax. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether this condition is secondary to a service-connected disability.

The Board has found that the Veteran's psychiatric disability, currently diagnosed as PTSD and bipolar disorder, was incurred in active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability, diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, is due to symptoms manifesting within one year of discharge from active service and meets the criteria for a 10% rating.

The Board has determined that the appellant's conscientious objector discharge may create a statutory bar to VA benefits, and thus remands for further development including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected acne vulgaris with scarring caused or aggravated his diagnosed bipolar disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy, right lower extremity. The Veteran's claim for bipolar disorder was denied as it is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claimed psychiatric disabilities, including bipolar disorder and PTSD, were not incurred or aggravated during his active service. The Board found that the evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD with bipolar disorder was granted effective July 29, 2004. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date is July 29, 1998, when the Veteran filed his initial claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and requesting a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's psychiatric disorders are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran's diagnoses included toxic psychosis, schizophrenia in different forms, personality disorders, bipolar disorder, and psychotic disorder NOS, none of which were found to be related to service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and remanded her claims for psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and mood disorder. Additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a psychiatric examination to determine if any of the veteran's current psychiatric diagnoses are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for a Travel Board hearing due to the Veteran's request, and will not make a decision on the merits until this is done.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have PTSD and his acquired psychiatric disorder is unrelated to service. Hypertension was also found to be unrelated to service or a disease of service origin.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder and major depression with psychotic features pre-existed service, but were aggravated by service. As such, service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA outpatient treatment records and attempting to corroborate claimed stressors.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, mood disorder, adjustment disorder, personality disorder and bipolar disorder, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim was denied.