Bipolar disorder decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claim for service connection for bipolar disorder to obtain a medical opinion on whether the Veteran's condition pre-existed his military service and, if so, whether it was aggravated by service.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for PTSD, BPPV with perforated tympanic membrane, and hallux valgus due to a lack of formal or informal claims prior to August 13, 2012.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of January 30, 2020, for the grant of service connection for posttraumatic arthritis of the left-hand long finger but denied earlier effective dates for other claims.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder with psychotic features and polysubstance abuse disorder was granted a 100 percent disability rating as of January 23, 2020, and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was also granted.

The Board granted service connection for left and right middle digit dysfunction, tinnitus, but denied an increased rating for bipolar disorder and a disability rating for stress fractures of the tibia. The Board also denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his medical conditions to his active service.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type due to an incomplete record of the appellant's National Guard service from July 2000 to November 2002.

The Board remands the matter for an additional examination to confirm all diagnoses of current psychiatric disorders and obtain etiology opinions that consider the Veteran's personality disorder.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), agoraphobia, and bipolar I disorder, based on the Veteran's credible lay statements and supporting evidence.

The Board granted an effective date of September 17, 2021, for a 70 percent rating for unspecified bipolar disorder.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, based on the probative evidence supporting a causal relationship to military service.

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include bipolar disorder and PTSD, for further development, including obtaining SSA records.

The appeal concerning service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, is dismissed due to the Veteran's death while the appeal was pending.

The Board denied increased ratings for several conditions, granted an initial rating of 70 percent for bipolar disorder, and remanded other issues.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include bipolar disorder, due to pre-decisional errors in considering all of the Veteran's psychiatric diagnoses and failing to obtain an adequate medical opinion.

The Board granted service connection for unspecified bipolar and related disorder, chronic fatigue (including hypogonadism), joint and muscle pain, all as secondary to stimulant abuse disorder and alcohol abuse disorder.

The Board denied the claim for a higher disability rating for bipolar disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to December 6, 2017, and did not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 70 percent thereafter.

The Board remands the claims for a higher rating and an earlier effective date for an acquired psychiatric condition due to the failure to provide an informal conference as required by regulation.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including adjustment disorder with depressed mood, schizoaffective disorder of the bipolar type, and alcohol use disorder, as there is no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service or caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected duodenal gastritis with ulceration.

The Board granted service connection for bipolar disorder, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.