Bipolar disorder decisions — 2020

The Board has denied service connection for right knee osteoarthritis and remanded the claim of an initial rating higher than 70 percent for TBI with bipolar disorder, manic episode with mixed features. The Veteran's petition to reopen his right knee osteoarthritis claim was denied due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder with depressed mood is at least as likely as not related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened and granted. The Board also ordered a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current psychiatric disability, including whether it is related to service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for duodenal and gastric ulcers, chronic B-12 deficiency with liver enzyme disorder, diabetes mellitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD, schizoaffective mood disorder, bipolar type, and pain disorder due to psychological and general medical conditions), a skin disorder (recurring back cysts), fibromyalgia, hyperlipidemia, a neurological disorder (to include waist-down paralysis, seizures, blackouts, neuropathy, and Morton’s neuroma), arthritis, hypertension, a thyroglossal duct cyst, and T10-11 spinal osteophyte and degenerative disc disease with muscle pain spasm and lower back-leg weakness (thoracolumbar spine disorder).

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disability including bipolar disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, claimed as symptoms of fatigue and sleep impairment, is denied. The Board finds that there is no current diagnosis of the disorder.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and Bipolar Disorder, is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions considering newly received VA treatment records.

The Veteran's death from a motor vehicle accident was not caused or related to his service-connected conditions, including bipolar disorder and other medical issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left flatfoot, and bipolar disorder are denied as they are not related to his first period of service. His discharge from the second period of service is under dishonorable conditions, which constitutes a bar to VA benefits.

The Board denied service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and active military service.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, manic depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, mood disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and antisocial disorder due to incomplete development of evidence.

The Veteran's initial 70 percent evaluation for bipolar disorder from October 6, 2008 to December 16, 2015 was granted. An evaluation in excess of 70 percent for bipolar disorder is denied throughout the appeal period.

The Board denied service connection for bipolar disorder as the Veteran's current diagnosis is not related to her military service, including active duty and Reserve training. The onset of her bipolar disorder occurred after she was discharged from active duty.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of bipolar disorder and finds that it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active duty service. The decision grants this claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates, finding that the date of claim is the later of the two dates and thus the appropriate effective date.

The Board found that the appellant was insane at the time of his in-service misconduct, which allowed him to receive VA benefits despite his discharge under other than honorable conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of PTSD with rapid cycling bipolar disorder is denied as the earliest possible effective date assigned is June 22, 2001.

The Board has granted service connection for unspecified bipolar disorder, but denied service connection for PTSD and a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD due to lack of evidence supporting the claims.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with bipolar I disorder is granted a total schedular rating of 100 percent prior to July 31, 2019. The appeal for Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to the service-connected disability has been rendered moot by the grant of a 100 percent schedular rating.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than April 28, 2014 for the award of service connection for bipolar disorder is denied as there was no prior communication or document indicating a claim for this condition.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective November 21, 2014. His RLE radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve is rated at 20 percent since that date.