Bipolar disorder decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder, is reopened. The case is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to address whether her psychiatric conditions are related to stressors in service, specifically sexual harassment, as well as her bilateral knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case to determine if there were any periods of active duty service for training or military purposes that occurred between December 1982 and June 1998, as these could affect the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder, and therefore service connection for bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder bipolar type, unstable, and schizoaffective disorder is denied.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed PTSD, Bipolar II Disorder, and Substance Abuse Disorders as there was no evidence showing these conditions were incurred in or related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 2003 for a 70% rating for bipolar disorder is denied. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date, January 12, 2009, was assigned due to factual ascertainability within one year prior to her increased rating claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive episode without psychotic features and other conditions, as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability. The evidence submitted was not new and material.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date of August 13, 1991, for the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder is granted. The Board also remanded the claims for TDIU and SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's request to reopen the issue of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and PTSD is granted. The case is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for asthma, erectile dysfunction, tremors, muscle tension headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and depression have been granted. The Board found new and material evidence to reopen these claims.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if it is proximately due to or has been aggravated by his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depression and bipolar disorder was granted retroactively effective from December 14, 1992. The Board denied an earlier effective date as the earliest possible effective date is November 7, 1991.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder with substance abuse was rated at 30 percent from December 18, 2000 to January 16, 2006. The Board found the severity of his symptoms and their effects on his occupational and social functioning did not warrant a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including bipolar mood disorder, depression, and anxiety, as these conditions are found to have been incurred during service.

The Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, major depression, anxiety disorder and adjustment disorder, is granted. The effective date for the TDIU is August 16, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of the decision. The rating reflects significant occupational and social impairment.

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased ratings and reduction of disability ratings, as well as a special monthly compensation claim due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar and posttraumatic stress disorders, was denied. Additionally, his claims for various right hand conditions were also denied.

The Veteran's Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was found to have restricted daily activities by less than 25% prior to April 17, 2014 and resulted in periods of incapacitation of at least six weeks per year thereafter. The Bipolar Disorder claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, as the evidence does not support a diagnosis of any other condition beyond alcohol use disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed with respect to the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 50 percent for bipolar disorder and entitlement to an effective date of May 15, 2015 for the grant of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea. The issue of an effective date of August 6, 2014 for the grant of a 50 percent rating for bipolar disorder is remanded.