Bipolar disorder decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his left ear hearing loss and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder have been remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding an earlier effective date for his right hip disability rating. The claims of service connection for hypertension, heart disability, sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder, and acid reflux have been reopened due to new evidence received since previous decisions.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds due to ongoing substance abuse and psychiatric issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The case is sent back for an examination to determine if any current diagnosed disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied because he did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. The Veteran's bipolar I disorder with anxiety disorder is currently rated at 70 percent, but his TDIU claim was granted due to his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions, including bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has not yet decided whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen each individual claim.,Service connection was granted for tinnitus. The other claims remain pending.

The Veteran's low back disability, intervertebral disc syndrome and herniated disc, and obstructive sleep apnea are all found to be related to service. The bipolar disorder is also considered a progression of the previously diagnosed depression.,A rating higher than 70 percent for bipolar disorder (previously characterized as depression) is remanded due to outstanding records.

The Board has dismissed the issue of service connection for a back disability and denied service connection for PTSD and a psychiatric disability, to include bipolar disorder.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds due to his mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and depression.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds due to his mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and depression.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds due to his mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and depression.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a claim prior to September 17, 2016.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for lordosis, a psychiatric disability other than generalized anxiety disorder (including PTSD and bipolar disorder), and an increased rating for generalized anxiety disorder. The Veteran is to be scheduled for VA examinations to assess his current level of severity for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the appellant's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar I disorder with mood congruent psychotic features and PTSD. The decision resolves doubt in favor of the appellant regarding her pre-existing psychiatric disability being aggravated by military sexual trauma (MST) and MST serving as a stressor for PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, manic-depressive disorder, and major depressive disorder, finding that there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and review due to unclear service dates and potential issues with service connection.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. The issues of secondary service connection for lumbosacral strain, service connection for fibroids, and hypertension are remanded.,An effective date prior to September 30, 2013, for the increase in ratings for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and headaches is denied.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, as the evidence did not show a nexus to service. The Veteran's in-service symptoms were linked to alcohol abuse and withdrawal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and/or bipolar disorder (claimed as cyclothymia), was withdrawn by his attorney in April 2020. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.