Bipolar disorder decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claims for increased disability rating, TDIU prior to August 20, 2020, and DEA benefits prior to that date are being remanded due to the failure to obtain his private psychiatric treatment records.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is granted as service-connected due to its preexistence and aggravation during active duty.,PTSD was not shown during the appeal period, but the claim for PTSD secondary to bipolar disorder is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for sleep apnea service connection is denied. An initial 70 percent rating, but not higher, for bipolar disorder with other unspecified stressor related disorder is granted.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for bipolar disorder, TDIU, and DEA benefits were granted. As a result, the issues are dismissed as moot.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea but has remanded the issue of service connection for bipolar disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for temporary total evaluations due to hospital treatment from October 2018 and October 31, 2019 were denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions required hospitalization.

The Veteran's PTSD with Bipolar Disorder, Anxious Distress, and Alcohol Use Disorder was restored to a 50% rating effective February 1, 2020.,An initial 10% rating for the service-connected low back disability is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 5, 2021, for a 100% rating for PTSD with bipolar disorder. The Board found that the increase in disability first manifested on this date and thus determined that the effective date was appropriate.

The Board has granted service connection for treatment purposes only under Chapter 17 for a psychotic disability, finding new and relevant evidence since the June 2020 rating decision. Service connection was also granted for neck and back scars in January 2021, rendering this appeal moot.

The Board has found that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, bipolar, and personality disorder, may be related to his service. However, due to a lack of VA examination and medical nexus opinion, the claim is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and bipolar disorder, finding no evidence of a nexus between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including verifying the Veteran's reported in-service stressors and obtaining an addendum opinion clarifying the diagnoses.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent prior to July 12, 2019 for bipolar disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding SSA records.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 70% rating for service-connected bipolar disorder is denied because the evidence does not show that he was entitled to this rating prior to February 18, 2021.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder and secondary substance abuse, was denied. The effective date cannot be earlier than June 28, 2017.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a psychiatric disability, left shoulder disability, hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and right lower extremity disability was dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD).,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for lumbosacral strain was denied as her symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to September 22, 2020, for the grant of a 100 percent rating for bipolar disorder is dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's current back disorder is granted as service connected, with the Board finding that it began during active service.,Service connection for a mental health disability (including bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression) is denied. The Board found no evidence of aggravation in-service.

The appeals for service connection for TBI and bipolar disorder have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.