Bipolar disorder decisions — 2020

The Board dismissed the claim for an earlier effective date of March 5, 1971, for a 100 percent disability rating for affective disorder, bipolar disorder.

The Board has reopened the claim due to new and material evidence, but the case is remanded for further development including obtaining missing service records and mental health treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development, including a lack of an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's current symptomatology and whether his psychiatric disorders are related to service. The VA must provide an addendum medical opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions. The claim will be returned for further development and consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorders, including adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression, PTSD, and anxiety disorder, are at least as likely as not related to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Veteran's death is being remanded for further development to verify his in-service stressor and determine if he had an acquired psychiatric disorder during service that contributed to his cause of death.

The Board has ordered the case remanded due to issues related to the Veteran's vocational rehabilitation and employment services, including his current limitations from service-connected disabilities and feasibility of changing his career goal.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations did not fully address the Veteran's claims for service connection, and thus the case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and insufficient follow-up. The Veteran's inpatient treatment at Bamberg Army Hospital in 1976 needs to be obtained, as well as VA treatment records from Dallas VAMC.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to extend her delimiting date for educational assistance benefits under Chapter 30, finding that her service-connected psychiatric disability did not prevent her from initiating or completing her chosen program of education during the eligibility period.

The Veteran's breast condition (claimed as breast cancer) is not service-connected due to the evidence showing it was fibrocystic breast disease at entry and did not increase in severity beyond its natural progression during active duty.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder, is denied because there is no credible evidence of such conditions prior to or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, finding that it is due to service. The decision replaces the April 1989 Board decision and will result in a new effective date assigned by the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ).

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and secondary substance abuse, is related to service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, other than PTSD, to include bipolar disorder, has been granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for bipolar disorder has been granted, and they have also been awarded TDIU due to their service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability other than PTSD, specifically her claims of military sexual trauma (MST). The case is being returned for further development and evaluation.

The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder and chronic kidney disease, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder. The claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted since the final denial in February 1977.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to lack of a current diagnosis. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including unspecified depressive disorder and/or bipolar disorder, related to his left shoulder disability is remanded.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is granted as secondary to service-connected disabilities.,A rating in excess of 30 percent for the right foot disability is denied.,An earlier effective date for a 30 percent rating for the right foot disability is denied.,Effective dates prior to February 13, 2018, for noncompensable ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection and rating for various conditions, including chest pain, sleep apnea, bilateral knee disorder, upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome, right shoulder disorder, acne, facial scars, flatfoot, hypertension, memory loss, bipolar disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including panic disorder with agoraphobia and depressive disorder), and migraines. The remand requires obtaining relevant VA treatment records, conducting additional examinations to determine the etiology of diagnosed conditions, and scheduling a new examination for migraines.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to uncertainty in the diagnosis of the Veteran's mental disorders and the need for further examination.