Bipolar disorder decisions — 2020

The Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection of a personality disorder was denied. His original claim for bipolar disorder was also denied, and the effective date for service connection is set at September 30, 2011.,Tinnitus has been granted as a service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, due to inadequate examination and factual findings in a previous decision.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and an alcohol abuse disorder, to include as secondary to a psychiatric disability, need further review due to incomplete records and conflicting opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability is reopened due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including bipolar disorder, PTSD, and major depressive disorder. The claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is remanded, and the TDIU claim remains pending.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for PTSD and bipolar disorder, but denied the underlying claim of service connection.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and secondary service connection for a psychiatric disorder as a result of the Veteran's right knee disability. The diagnoses were not supported by verified stressors or medical evidence linking the conditions to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders other than PTSD, bipolar disorder, and depressive disorder have been reopened. Service connection has been granted for PTSD due to MST. The Board has also found that the Veteran should be scheduled for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his other diagnosed psychiatric conditions.

The Board denied DIC benefits for the Appellant as she was not permanently incapable of self-support prior to her 18th birthday, based on lack of evidence in the claims file demonstrating incapacity before December 1986.

The Veteran's bunions and pseudofolliculitis barbae claims were denied due to lack of evidence connecting the conditions to service. The psychiatric disorder claim was remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection due to unclear diagnoses and potential misclassification of periods of reserve service. Additional development is needed, including verification of all periods of service, examination of the Veteran, and clarification on the etiology of his psychiatric conditions.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a left eye disorder, to include as secondary to the service-connected bipolar disorder with psychotic features.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete records, including a lack of National Guard personnel records from 1985. The Veteran's psychiatric disabilities are being evaluated again with a new examiner.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired mental disorder and for an increased rating for epididymitis, left testicle. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions had onset during active service or were otherwise causally connected to active service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his bilateral hearing loss and etiology of his psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's left knee disability is granted as service-connected, while his acquired psychiatric disorder remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bipolar/depression condition has been reopened, and the appeal is granted to this extent. The Board also remanded the issues of entitlement to a higher rating for peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity and consideration of TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for automobile or adaptive equipment, special monthly compensation based on housebound status or the need for aid and attendance, and service connection for a skin disorder other than dermatophytosis or tinea versicolor have been dismissed.,An effective date earlier than March 12, 2010 for the assignment of a 20 percent rating for residuals of a left foot fracture has not been granted. The Veteran's claim remains on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeals are REMANDED as there is insufficient evidence to decide these claims at this time.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder has been rated at 100 percent since June 8, 2005. The Board remanded the issue of SMC based on aid and attendance due to lack of evidence in the record.