Bipolar disorder decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a traumatic brain injury and bipolar disorder have been denied. The right ankle disability has been granted with evaluations of 20% prior to May 17, 2016, and 30% beginning May 17, 2016.,The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence provided.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for any of the claimed conditions, including right foot pain, left leg pain, inability to walk fast, inability to put pressure on fingers, right ankle disability, back disability, tendonitis of the left elbow, bilateral hearing loss disorder, psychiatric disability (claimed as bipolar disorder), diabetes mellitus, visual acuity disorder (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus), peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus), and kidney failure (claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus).

The Veteran is eligible for VA educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill due to his service-connected bipolar disorder, but not under Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, vocational rehabilitation records, and a VA examination to assess the severity of his bipolar disorder.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for bipolar disorder, finding that the new evidence submitted was not material and did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, left knee sprain, Crohn's disease, and bipolar disorder. The evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection under direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, cyclothymia, and personality disorder, is being remanded due to the need for an adequate medical examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his current psychiatric conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical records and an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's bipolar affective disorder type I mixed has resulted in significant occupational and social impairment, warranting a 70% rating.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was denied prior to May 3, 2007. The evidence did not meet the criteria for an extraschedular TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, confirming the Veteran's current address, scheduling a VA examination, and asking the Veteran to identify any additional relevant medical evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including an acquired psychiatric disorder, were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between her current symptoms and in-service stressors or other incidents.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Board found that the criteria for a 70 percent rating were met.

For the period from July 13, 2007 to August 13, 2012, the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability has been rated at 100 percent due to total occupational and social impairment.,For the period from August 14, 2012 to October 4, 2015, the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability has been rated at 100 percent due to total occupational and social impairment.

The Board granted service connection for schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type with an effective date of July 31, 1990. This decision was based on the reopening of a previously denied claim due to new evidence obtained from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, disability of the trigger finger, thumb, and little finger of the left hand as secondary to residuals of a fracture of the proximal phalanx of the left ring finger, neurological condition of the right arm, fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis of the arms, low back, and feet.,The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened but remain denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depression, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of all relevant evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's psychiatric disorder is not related to service and denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as depression, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, is proximately due to or the result of his right shoulder joint replacement. The Board finds that service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder, and her symptoms are more likely related to her pre-existing personality disorder rather than service connection.