Bipolar disorder decisions — 2022

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, has been granted a 70 percent disability rating since November 30, 2011. The effective date for service connection remains unresolved as the claim is pending. Additionally, the Veteran was granted entitlement to TDIU due to his service-connected psychiatric disorder starting from November 30, 2011.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, was reopened and granted due to new and material evidence. The Board found that the Veteran's current mental health symptoms are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for asthma, bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including ADHD, MDD, PTSD, GAD, and bipolar disorder), alcohol abuse disorder, and substance abuse disorder. The Veteran's claims are now pending with VA for further examination and review.

The Veteran's PTSD and bipolar disorder have been rated at a 100 percent disability rating since September 30, 2014. The issue of an earlier effective date for TDIU is dismissed as the Veteran now receives a 100 percent rating.

The Veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder and dysthymic disorder have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment since May 18, 2010.

The Veteran's bilateral pes planus and acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted. The increased rating for bilateral pes planus has also been granted, but only up to a certain point in time. Service connection for the psychiatric condition is established, with some issues related to TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the criteria for a TDIU prior to December 1, 2015. The issue of entitlement to a 10 percent rating under 38 C.F.R. � 3.324 is also REMANDED as additional development is needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressor for PTSD, and a new opinion is needed.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including bilateral hearing loss disability, hemorrhoids, hypertension, PTSD and bipolar disorder, right elbow lateral epicondylitis, left elbow lateral epicondylitis, lower extremity radiculopathy, lumbosacral strain, knee strains, and pes cavus. The issues are remanded due to the need for additional development of records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, other than PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to inadequate VA examination. The issue of service connection for major depressive disorder has been granted in full.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, residuals of a head injury, and bone spurs, left heel due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and alcohol abuse, are not related to his service. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's psychiatric disorder clearly and unmistakably preexisted service.

The Veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder and PTSD were granted an effective date of September 29, 2012 for a 100% disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, major depression, schizoaffective disorder bipolar type, schizoaffective personality disorder, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder NOS, paranoid schizophrenia, and adjustment disorder with depressive features, is remanded due to the failure to provide a VA examination as per the Board's February 2022 remand directives.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including psychotic disorder and bipolar disorder, is remanded due to the need for a VA medical examination to clarify the relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional evidence and a new VA examination. The Veteran's claim includes diagnoses of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, disorganized type, and atypical psychosis.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to January 19, 2011. The Board found insufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran is unemployable by reason of his service-connected disabilities.

Service connection for schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, and PTSD is granted. Service connection for right and left foot disabilities (plantar fasciitis) is remanded.

The Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder and schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, continuous are granted as secondary to his service-connected left thigh muscular strain.,The Veteran's lower back disability is remanded for additional examination.