Bipolar disorder decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The claim is therefore granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee Osgood-Schlatter disease and an acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder and depressive disorder) as there was no clear and unmistakable evidence that these conditions preexisted service or were aggravated by service, and the medical evidence did not support a finding of a direct relationship to service.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is assigned a maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and no higher. The issues of entitlement to service connection for TBI, dental trauma, asthma, PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disability (other than PTSD), and hearing loss in the right ear are remanded for additional development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for bipolar disorder. The Veteran's bipolar disorder is found to be causally related to active duty service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bipolar disorder clearly existed prior to his entry into active duty in February 1990 and did not undergo an increase in severity beyond its natural progression during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for additional examinations. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the Veteran's incarceration and unavailability, including scheduling VA examinations and obtaining medical records. The appeal is currently in abeyance.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service personnel records and a need for a new medical opinion. The Veteran's psychiatric disorders are being reviewed again.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including an impulse control disorder. The claim of secondary drug addiction is remanded to obtain a VA examination and determine if the current condition was caused or aggravated by the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder, claimed as depression and bipolar disorder, was not incurred in service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including an examination to determine the etiology of his psychiatric disabilities and issuance of a Statement of the Case on the earlier effective date claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence and development needs, including a VA examination for clarification of the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and the Board denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining relevant private medical records. The Veteran's claim for service connection for dementia is dependent on his claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and depression, is not related to service. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board finds that the evidence is in relative equipoise with respect to whether the Veteran's current bipolar disorder first manifested during service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected major depressive disorder is now rated at 70 percent, effective May 16, 2014. Prior to this date, the rating was 50 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of PTSD and his acquired psychiatric disorders (depression and bipolar disorder) are not related to service. The claim is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims, including obtaining relevant medical records and conducting appropriate examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and new evidence is needed for a determination on the Veteran's claims.