Bipolar disorder decisions — 2026

The Veteran's left breast scar and status post fibroadenoma surgical excision are rated at the maximum allowed. The bipolar disorder with psychotic features remains at a 100% rating, but service connection for shoulder and ankle disorders is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, was denied in previous decisions. The effective date of the grant of service connection is set at April 11, 2025.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA examination for service connection of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, which is considered a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder and insomnia due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran needs to undergo a VA examination to determine if his psychiatric disorders are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for PTSD and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, as well as TDIU due to procedural errors in previous decisions. The appellant is required to provide additional evidence or argument.

The Veteran's employment during the appeal period was full-time and his income exceeded the poverty threshold, making him unable to establish marginal employment. Therefore, he is not entitled to a TDIU.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, finding that his current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to outstanding records and the need for further review of his claims, including a TDIU claim.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to presumptive exposure to herbicide agents. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD with bipolar depression), residuals of a stroke, and heart disability are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation based on housebound status and aid and attendance was denied as he does not meet the eligibility criteria due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, bipolar disorder II, and alcohol abuse disorder, are not service-connected as they did not onset during service or due to a service-connected condition.,The Veteran's low back pain is not service-connected as it did not onset during service or due to a service-connected condition. The claim for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy was denied as there were no secondary service connection issues addressed.,The Veteran's right knee disorder, which includes meniscal tear with joint osteoarthritis and instability, is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board found that the Veteran does not require personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months due to his pituitary adenoma, bipolar disorder, hernia, and low back pain. The evidence did not support finding significant impairments requiring hands-on assistance or supervision.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of June 13, 2013 for the grant of service connection for unspecified bipolar related disorder with borderline personality disorder. The issues of increased rating, TDIU, SMC at the housebound rate, and DEA benefits are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset and relationship of the claimed disabilities to active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 28, 2010, to August 26, 2016. The Board granted the TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to entitlement to an effective date earlier than October 27, 2019 for the assignment of a 100 percent evaluation of bipolar disorder type II and total disability due to individual unemployability prior to that date.

The appeal for an increased evaluation in excess of 70 percent for service-connected PTSD, bipolar I disorder, alcohol use disorder, and traumatic brain injury with vertigo, diplopia, and convergence insufficiency is dismissed due to a procedural defect.

The Veteran's service-connected bipolar depressive type schizoaffective disorder has prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since January 13, 2009. An effective date of January 13, 2009 is granted for the award of an extraschedular total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim regarding the rejection of a VA Form 20-0996, Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review, received in July 2020, is dismissed as it does not address any issues that are eligible for review by the RO.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and bipolar disorder, finding that new evidence submitted since the final June 2014 rating decision supports the claim. The Board also found that the Veteran's current psychiatric disability is related to his in-service physical assault.