Bipolar disorder decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of PTSD with bipolar disorder and alcohol dependence are related to his in-service physical and sexual assault, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD and bipolar disorder have been granted service connection, but his claim for a compensable rating for herpes progenitalis is remanded.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for schizoaffective disorder. On de novo review, the Board finds that service connection is warranted for a variety of psychiatric disabilities including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and schizoaffective disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain medical records, arrange for examinations, and provide an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's bipolar affective disorder was not caused by his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found insufficient credible supporting evidence to corroborate the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor of military sexual trauma and concluded that her current psychiatric disorders are not causally or etiologically related to active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was denied, but his acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD (Bipolar Disorder) was granted. The decision is mixed as one issue was granted and the other was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, were not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's service-connected bipolar II disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder (also claimed as depression) resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity during the period from October 29, 1999, through June 1, 2010.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's renal insufficiency and denied increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the need for a VA examination and remanded the case for compliance with previous directives.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right knee disability was denied because there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service or an applicable presumption period. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim, as the Veteran did not have a right knee disability in service and it has not been related to any incident therein. For his bipolar disorder claim, the Veteran's claim was denied because there was no evidence showing that the condition existed prior to service or was permanently aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability other than persistent depressive disorder. The initial rating of 40% for degenerative disc disease and arthritis of the lumbar spine was granted, effective July 31, 2006. Service connection for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and PTSD are related to his military service. The appeal is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disorders are not etiologically related to service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder is related to his service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for substance abuse, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and back injury residuals. The claim for TDIU was also denied as there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's other specified bipolar and related disorder was found to have its onset during his active service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and medical opinions to address the nature and etiology of his claimed psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected PTSD and any other psychiatric disabilities. The TDIU claim will be deferred until after the development is completed.