Bipolar disorder decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal regarding the issues of bilateral hearing loss, bilateral wrist disability, sleep apnea, and residuals of meningitis has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's bilateral pes planus clearly and unmistakably pre-existed active duty service and was not incurred or aggravated by such service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder and depression are related to his service-connected spinal meningitis, thus granting service connection for a neuropsychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the November 2009 Compensation and Pension (C&P) examination. The Board requires an addendum opinion from the examiner regarding the Veteran's in-service incidents and whether they indicated an in-service onset of a psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is related to his period of active military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically bipolar disorder, is being remanded due to the need for a new medical opinion regarding whether his current condition is related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for depression and bipolar disorder, finding that the May 2000 and December 2006 decisions were not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The effective dates for these determinations are considered final.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder (previously characterized as psychotic disorder) prior to May 30, 2007 was denied. The Board found that entitlement to service connection had already arisen by the time she filed her petition to reopen in May 2007.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were all denied. The claim for the psychiatric disability was granted as it met the criteria of direct service connection due to in-service noise exposure. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were both denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, is being remanded due to the failure of the Veteran to appear at her scheduled VA examination. Additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination and medical nexus opinion, is required.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and requesting Social Security Administration (SSA) disability decision and related records. The Veteran will also undergo a VA psychiatric examination to determine the current nature of her psychiatric disorders and their relation, if any, to her service-connected fibromyalgia.

The Board has combined and recharacterized the Veteran's multiple service connection claims for psychiatric disorders as a claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and bipolar disorder. The case is REMANDED for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and a VA examination to determine the relationship between her psychiatric disorders and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to her permanent and total disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records, proper notification regarding PTSD claims based on personal assault, and an appropriate psychiatric examination.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial rating and earlier effective date for her service-connected mixed bipolar disorder with PTSD is being remanded due to the need for additional development of medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an addendum opinion from the VA clinical neuropsychologist to address whether a diagnosis of any acquired psychiatric disorder besides PTSD is warranted under DSM-IV and if such disorders are caused by or the result of service.

The Board found that the current psychiatric disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his inability to attend the scheduled hearing. A new hearing opportunity should be scheduled for him.