Bipolar disorder decisions — 2023

Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including diagnosed as bipolar disorder. A rating in excess of 10 percent for endometriosis is remanded.

The Veteran's right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome is granted a 30 percent rating prior to March 30, 2018 and a 50 percent rating from that date.,The Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty-to-assist error and for an etiology opinion regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disability, including depression and bipolar disorder, is granted as new and material evidence has been received. The issue of secondary service connection for the psychiatric disability due to a service-connected low back disability is remanded.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is granted as service connected because the evidence shows it began during her active duty and has persisted since.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD with other specified bipolar disorder, alcohol use disorder, and other specified personality disorder with mixed personality features due to insufficient evidence linking his current symptoms to an in-service stressor.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and alcohol use disorder is granted. Service connection is also granted for high blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes mellitus type II. However, the claims for secondary service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and depressive disorder.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, bipolar disorder, and intermittent explosive disorder due to a lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed in-service stressors.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder was aggravated by an in-service fall, warranting service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of private treatment records and concerns about the qualifications of the VA examiner who conducted the November 2019 examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, persistent depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, and bipolar disorder per history, is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bipolar disorder and seizure disability due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's bipolar disorder may be related to her in-service military sexual trauma, but the examiner needs to clarify whether it is caused by or aggravated by PTSD. For the seizure disability, the examiner should determine if it was caused by a physical trauma during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened, and the Board is remanding cases related to kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and bipolar disorder.

The Board has decided to reconsider the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, bipolar disorder, and PTSD due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for loss of the left testicle is also remanded.

The Veteran's hypertension is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied a compensable rating.,The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol use disorder did not meet the criteria for an effective period under 38 C.F.R. § 4.29 prior to July 13, 2018, or subsequent to August 31, 2018.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent from April 29, 2010 to March 29, 2020. He also received a TDIU rating during this period.

The Board has remanded four issues for further development: PTSD with major depression, bipolar disorder, left knee condition, and kidney condition. The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need to verify in-service stressors, clarify whether he has a current diagnosis of bipolar disorder, obtain VA treatment records, and provide an opinion on the relationship between his service and these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Appellant is a proper substitute claimant for the claims pending at the time of the Veteran's death. As such, the service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and bipolar disorder with psychotic episodes are remanded for further adjudication.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified bipolar and related disorder and other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder have been rated at 30 percent since March 26, 2018. The Board found that the evidence did not show symptoms warranting a higher rating.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified bipolar disorder with insomnia renders him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment since September 27, 2016. The Board grants a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the entire rating period.