Bipolar disorder Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating on obstructive sleep apnea is dismissed. His right ear hearing loss is granted, but his lumbar spine and cervical spine conditions are partially granted with restrictions. Other claims remain pending.

The Veteran's petition to reopen the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability is denied. The claim for entitlement to total disability rating for individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is also denied.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and effective date prior to July 17, 2017 was remanded due to insufficient evidence of a worsening within one year of the initial rating decision. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on her symptoms before July 17, 2017, and denied entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed stressors and a need for further examination to determine the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disorders.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is manifested by symptoms of a severity that result in total social and occupational impairment, warranting an initial 100 percent disability rating.

The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD has been reopened and is remanded. The claim for TDIU is also remanded due to the inextricability of the issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether the Veteran's bipolar disorder clearly and unmistakably preexisted service, and whether it is related to his in-service experiences. The examiner must also provide an opinion on whether the bipolar disorder was caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for asthma, left knee disorder, acquired psychiatric disorders (including PTSD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder), sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and headaches are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability has been reopened, but the Board is remanding it due to lack of evidence. The psychiatric claims are also being remanded as new medical opinions are needed.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient development of records and need for further medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, specifically bipolar disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional records and further development.

The Board has found that the Veteran's son, D.F.B., was permanently incapable of self-support prior to attaining the age of 18 due to psychiatric and behavioral disabilities. The case involving J.W.B. is remanded as his length of incarceration and sentence details are unclear.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder is related to her service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as PTSD and other than bipolar disorder, is related to his active service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current psychiatric disorders are related to his service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for mood disorder, bipolar disorder, and depression.

The Veteran's PTSD with Bipolar II disorder is rated at 30 percent prior to December 1, 2017 and denied for a higher rating. Effective December 1, 2017, the Veteran's condition is rated at 50 percent.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including chronic tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess, psychotic disorder and bipolar disorder, diabetes mellitus, beta thalassemia minor, chronic fatigue syndrome as due to an undiagnosed illness, asthma, migratory joint pain as due to an undiagnosed illness, and elevated cholesterol. The effective dates for the service connection claims were not earlier than December 29, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate addendum opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorders, including dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and unspecified mood disorder. Additional development is needed, including obtaining private treatment records and preparing an addendum opinion by a VA examiner.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder and psychotic disorder, finding no clear and unmistakable error in the August 1989 rating decision that initially denied the claim. The evidence at the time did not provide clear and unmistakable proof of a preexisting condition.