Bipolar disorder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and recurrent depressive disorder, are found to have had their onset during his first period of active duty service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder and insomnia, both of which are found to have onset during active service. The issue of a psychiatric disability for purposes of establishing eligibility for VA treatment is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is rated at 70 percent for the entire appeal period, effective February 20, 2004. An earlier effective date of February 20, 2004 is granted for TDIU and eligibility to Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen her service connection for bipolar disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, finding that new evidence supports these claims.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence from Social Security Administration (SSA) records and a need for further examination.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA benefits were granted effective August 31, 2015. The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to issues with the effective dates.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including back condition, cataracts, hearing loss, tinnitus, sinus disability, hypertension, stomach condition (including dysmenorrhea), sickle cell anemia, thyroid disease, and psychiatric disabilities. The Veteran's claims are pending further development.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his depressive disorder with anxiety and PTSD is remanded due to the inadequacy of the September 2014 VA examination, which did not consider the Veteran's March 2014 hospitalizations or his diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding records and the need for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and SSA disability records.

The Board has determined that the claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder) are inextricably intertwined due to their interrelated nature. The Veteran's service connection claims have been remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder and a higher rating for his right knee condition, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the existence and etiology of any current psychiatric disability, including PTSD. The Veteran's reported stressors events during his eligible period of service from August 1982 to June 2, 1986 need to be evaluated for their impact on his acquired psychiatric disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar and PTSD. The right knee disability was remanded due to the Court's decision on the presumption of soundness standard. The left knee disability secondary to a right knee disability is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was denied. Additionally, his TDIU claim due to service-connected disabilities was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders and the need for a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraines, recurring syncope, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder) due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to her active duty service.

The Veteran's TDIU and DEA eligibility are granted with effective dates of April 19, 1995 due to her service-connected bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and depressive disorder preventing her from securing gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder does not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, and mood disorder. This includes obtaining STRs, VA treatment records, and private mental health treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected collapsing pes planovalgus deformity and an evaluation for any acquired psychiatric disorder. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the rating issue.