Bipolar disorder decisions — 2022

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depression and bipolar disorder, finding that there is no persuasive evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his active military service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding service treatment records and VA treatment records.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent, effective September 6, 2013. The appeal for TDIU was dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD from August 1, 2015 to April 28, 2016 was granted at the 70 percent level. The claim for TDIU during this period was also granted.

The Board has determined that additional examinations and opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, IBS, anxiety, TDIU, and temporary total disability rating based on hospitalization due to the complexity of his medical history and recent evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions and missing records, particularly regarding the Veteran's schizophrenia. The case will be reviewed again with new evidence and a more thorough examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder and PTSD have been reopened, and the Board has granted these claims. The TDIU issue is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inconsistencies in the VA examiner's rationale and the need for further medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining mental status examinations and determining the severity of his service-connected PTSD with bipolar disorder from July 28, 2002 to November 26, 2007. The issue of entitlement to SMC based on loss of a creative organ will also be addressed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder have been reopened. The acquired psychiatric disorders are found to be related to his service-connected TBI and leg disabilities. His rating for the status post excision, xanthofibroma, left proximal fibula with old ununited proximal fracture with scar has been restored from 10% to 20%. Other issues remain pending.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, should be remanded due to incomplete records from Social Security Administration (SSA).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disabilities, including depression, bipolar disorder, and paranoid schizophrenia, are related to service. A VA examination is needed.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for further examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, is now pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, leading to a TDIU rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions due to new evidence being added to the file.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need for new and material evidence regarding his psychiatric disorder, as well as for VA examinations to assess his bilateral knee disabilities, sciatic nerve disabilities, and low back disability.,VA has also been instructed to schedule the Veteran for an examination to confirm any current ankle disabilities and provide opinions on their etiology.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development, including a lack of VA examinations and medical opinions addressing the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The examiner is requested to provide a comprehensive opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any currently-diagnosed psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a mental health disorder, finding that the new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a right shoulder condition due to new evidence received since previous decisions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a previous decision improperly relying on an examiner's opinion that did not consider the Veteran's statements about in-service symptoms and post-service diagnosis. The Veteran is advised to provide updated medical records and undergo a new VA examination.