Bipolar disorder decisions — 2014

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. However, the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is not considered related to his military service as there was no evidence of a nexus between in-service noise exposure and post-service hearing problems.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any currently diagnosed psychiatric disability, and whether it is at least as likely as not that his service-connected cervical spine disability aggravated any identified psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Veteran is receiving the maximum schedular rating for residuals of status post right partial lateral meniscectomy.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating for compensation based on individual unemployability before January 24, 2007 is being remanded to the AOJ for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder has not rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation during any time subject to this appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to assess his current psychiatric and orthopedic conditions.

The Veteran's initial rating for bipolar disorder was granted at a 100 percent effective from June 16, 2011. Prior to that date, the disability picture more nearly approximated total occupational and social impairment.

The Board has remanded the case for a clarification of whether any acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was related to service and if so, whether it is at least as likely as not that any pre-existing condition was aggravated by service. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The Veteran experienced combat-related stressors during his deployment in Saudi Arabia and is presumed to have incurred PTSD as a result of these events.

The Board has ordered additional VA treatment records to be obtained and the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a gynecological disorder are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, and depression, are not related to service.,The criteria for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a seizure disorder due to medical care from April 23-25, 2006, are not met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations and issuance of a statement of the case regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a sleep disability, and degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine are denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or illness that would support a finding of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Headache Disorder is related to service, but his Residuals of a Head Injury and Acquired Psychiatric Disability (to include PTSD or Bipolar Disorder) are not related to service.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder, associated with a seizure disorder temporal lobe type, resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The Board found that the disability warranted a 70 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the necessary regulatory impairments to qualify for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and schizophrenia, are related to his in-service motor vehicle accident. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has determined that the September 2010 VA medical opinion is inadequate and remands the case for an addendum to clarify whether the Veteran's bipolar disorder had its clinical onset in service, was manifested within the first post-service year or is otherwise related to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for major depression, bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.