Bipolar disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder cannot be granted as there is no evidence showing a prior claim was filed before September 28, 2005. The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea secondary to his service-connected disabilities remains pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his failure to appear at a scheduled hearing. He has requested that the hearing be rescheduled for a videoconference.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has any mental health disability related to service.

The Veteran's initial rating of 70 percent for his service-connected PTSD with depression, bipolar disorder and adjustment disorder has been granted. The appeal regarding the low back disability is pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development, including verification of all periods of service and clarification on the etiology of any acquired psychiatric disability diagnosed during the pendency of the appeal. The Veteran also needs to provide VA treatment records prior to February 2007 from the Dallas VA Medical Center.

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, previously characterized as borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder, did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of evidence showing an in-service onset or aggravation.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further development. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased rating for his mood disorder with progression to bipolar disorder remains pending.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability, including bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder, is found to be service-connected. The issue of treatment purposes only under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 17 for a psychiatric disorder has been rendered moot due to the grant of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, and therefore service connection cannot be established.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, as well as a mental health examination to determine if the Veteran has any psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and bipolar disorder. The appeal is being remanded due to incomplete evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA psychiatric examination and an orthopedic examination to assess the severity of his acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder) and right knee osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be manifested by symptoms such as depression, impaired concentration and focus, lack of motivation, and social isolation, which most closely approximated occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The Board granted a 50 percent disability rating for PTSD through May 12, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional information about his claimed stressors and providing him with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any psychiatric disorders.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder), diabetes mellitus type II, tachycardia, atrioventricular nodal re-entry, and degenerative arthrosis of the lumbar spine. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or any other compensable exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a foot disability and an increased rating for bipolar disorder were denied. The claim for TDIU was referred to the AOJ.

The Board found no evidence of a service connection for PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder during the periods of active duty for training in the Florida Army National Guard. The Appellant's current psychiatric disorders are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder with depression is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects the severity of his symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia, organic affective syndrome, bipolar disorder, and depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and additional development of his medical records.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete records and need for clarification of stressor allegations. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is pending.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims due to inconsistencies in her reported history and inconsistent behaviors related to her symptoms of trauma. The case is being returned for further examination and opinion.