Bipolar disorder decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder, were not related to his active service. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type has resulted in total social and occupational impairment since the effective date of the award of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a valid claim for service connection for PTSD or any other psychiatric disability, as her allegations of sexual assault in service are not credible and she did not serve under combat conditions. The medical evidence does not support a diagnosis of PTSD based on an alleged stressor event.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is rated at 70 percent since May 16, 2007. The rating will be reviewed again in the future.

The Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and PTSD, resulted in significant occupational and social impairment prior to May 31, 2011. The VA found that the condition warranted a disability rating of 70 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including a VA examination to reassess the severity of his lumbar spine disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining additional medical records. The Veteran's claims for service connection for various psychiatric disorders are inextricably intertwined with her TDIU claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam and, therefore, is not entitled to presumptive service connection for any conditions based on herbicide exposure. The claims of service connection for various disabilities are denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination reports and incomplete evidence. The Veteran's psychiatric history includes multiple diagnoses since service separation, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and atypical psychosis.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and an addendum opinion is required. Additional VA treatment records are also needed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and therefore grants service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and providing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including psychosis, is found to be related to his active service. His sinusitis disability is granted a rating of 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant requested withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and bipolar disorder do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating due to their chronic nature and improvement with treatment.

The Board found that the reduction of the rating for bipolar disorder from 70 percent to 50 percent was improper and restored the original 70 percent rating. The Veteran's left forearm scar, hemorrhoids, and pinguecula were not rated higher than zero percent due to lack of disabling effects.

The Veteran's claims for an effective date prior to June 3, 2011 for service connection of schizoaffective disorder bipolar type with PTSD and prior to January 31, 2012 for service connection of tardive dyskinesia were denied.,The RO assigned a 100% evaluation for the psychiatric disability effective June 3, 2011. A noncompensable (zero percent) rating was assigned for the tardive dyskinesia effective January 31, 2012.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a videoconference hearing at the RO. The issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and bipolar affective disorder are not addressed as they have been remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, were not incurred during his military service. The examiner concluded that the diagnoses of PTSD and bipolar disorder are not supported by evidence in the record.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is currently rated at 50 percent, effective February 23, 2009. Her right foot Lisfranc sprain remains at a 10 percent rating.