Bipolar disorder decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including personality disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. The claim is now re-characterized to include these conditions.

The Veteran's neurobehavioral disorder, including ADHD, bipolar disorder, OCD, depression, anxiety, and insomnia, is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. Her cardiac disability, including tachycardia and arrhythmias, is also granted as service connected based on the same exposure.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure compliance with previous remand directives and proper development for the Veteran's claims.

Service connection for IBS is granted, while service connection for PTSD and Personality Disorder is denied. The Veteran's anxiety disorder with depression and bipolar disorder remains at a 70% rating.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of bipolar disorder was denied as the claim was received after the one-year deadline from the previous denial.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder began during her active duty service and is granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorders, TMJ, and various musculoskeletal conditions have been denied. The effective dates for the grants of service connection for these conditions are also denied.,Additionally, the Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied.

The Board has granted the petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. The case is remanded for further development regarding the nature and etiology of any sleep disorder and whether it is related to or aggravated by the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, as it was aggravated by military sexual trauma during service. The Board also found that the service-connected PTSD aggravates other acquired psychiatric disabilities such as bipolar disorder and OCD.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bipolar disorder was granted, and his claim for service connection for PTSD was denied. The Veteran is already service-connected for bipolar disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development of in-service stressor verification and the need for additional VA medical opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD and Bipolar Disorder.

The Board denied service connection for back pain, neck pain, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. Service connection was granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder) but only if the condition manifested during active-duty service.

The Board denied service connection for left knee disability, bipolar disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), and coronary occlusion resulting in acute angina with respiratory problems (heart disability).,There is no current evidence of a diagnosed condition related to the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence that a pre-existing psychiatric disorder existed at entry into service. The Veteran's stressors were not verified, and his current diagnoses do not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including bipolar disorder and depression with anxious distress, sleep disturbances, stimulant use disorder in remission, and alcohol use disorder in remission, was granted on May 17, 2007. The effective date is set to the date of receipt of the claim (May 17, 2007).

The Veteran's TBI with bipolar disorder and tension headaches are both rated at their highest levels, but the Board has determined that further development is needed to ensure proper evaluation of these conditions.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) beginning August 1, 2008, due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for left knee disabilities due to new evidence provided by the Veteran during her hearings, and because of the need for further examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's psychiatric conditions and their relationship to service.