Bipolar disorder decisions — 2018

The Board has granted the reopening of a previously denied claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but has remanded the issue to obtain additional information and adjudicate the referred PTSD claim.

The appeal for service connection for bipolar disorder claimed as memory loss is dismissed. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cataracts of both eyes, obstructive sleep apnea with CPAP (claimed as sleep apnea), arthritis of knees, bilateral, arthritis of shoulders, bilateral, DDD at C4-5, C5-6, and C6-7, spondylosis with foraminal impingement at C5-6 and C6-7, claimed as arthritis of the neck, right shoulder tendonitis, tendonitis of both wrists, and spurs in fingers of both hands is dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, specifically bipolar disorder and dysthymic disorder, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected residuals of right pelvis fracture. The claim for PTSD remains remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder, but dismissed the appeal regarding cervical spine disorder. The TDIU claim is remanded.

The Board denied the claims of service connection for hepatitis C and bipolar disorder in April 2008, which became final. The Veteran's new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate his claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and need for further development of records, including verification of in-service stressors.

An effective date of February 16, 1994, but no earlier, for service connection for bipolar disorder is granted.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder has been rated at 70 percent since March 24, 2014. The Board finds that an updated VA examination is needed to determine the current severity of her symptoms and a Statement of the Case should be issued for the earlier effective date issue.

The Veteran is granted an initial rating of 70 percent for bipolar disorder prior to February 6, 2009. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise that her disability was no more than 70 percent disabling during this period.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for various psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, dysthymic disorder, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder. The case is being reviewed de novo due to new evidence added in October 2012. A VA psychiatric examination is needed to determine if any of these conditions are related to service, particularly the sexual assault claimed during service.

The Board has reopened the claims for bipolar disorder and cervical spine disorder with associated neurological disorder of the upper extremities, but denied service connection for weight problems. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and to schedule VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bipolar disorder and panic disorder without agoraphobia, alopecia, migraine headaches, and gastrointestinal disability have been granted. The rating for migraine headaches has been increased to 30 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the issues on appeal can be adjudicated. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and bipolar disorder, as well as her back and neck disabilities, are being remanded for further examination and consideration.

The Veteran's psychotic disorder is found to be related to his active duty service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including anxiety, bipolar disorder, insomnia, eye disability (including blurred vision), PTSD, and migraine headaches. The VA is instructed to provide a new examination for assessing these conditions and their relationship to service-connected disabilities, as well as to consider additional evidence received since the last SSOC.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for sinusitis, bipolar disorder reopening, and PTSD rating were denied. The claim for TDIU was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of PTSD and bipolar disorder are related to his service, with significant probative weight given to private medical opinions. Service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 70% rating for service-connected acquired psychiatric disability is granted, with the effective date set at February 22, 2012.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service records and the need for a VA examination to determine if any of the Veteran's diagnosed psychiatric disorders are related to his active service.