Bipolar disorder Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression and anxiety, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, is related to his military service and has granted service connection for these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional medical inquiry due to the presence of a second psychiatric disorder (Bipolar Disorder) and the need to differentiate its symptoms from those associated with service-connected Specific Phobia of Water.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has any current psychiatric disabilities and whether they are related to service. The claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disability is also remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD and schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type are granted. The case is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding the service connection of the schizoaffective disorder.

The Board has determined that the January 21, 2000 rating decision granting a TDIU and assigning an effective date of July 14, 1998 was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The issues of increased disability rating for bipolar disorder in excess of 50 percent and entitlement to special monthly compensation by reason of being housebound are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a left wrist and/or hand disorder, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety, memory loss, bipolar disorder, depression, attention deficit disorder), and hypertension. The Veteran's complete service treatment records must be obtained to determine if he had any active duty or training service that could affect his claims.

The Board has granted service connection for a schizoaffective disorder with a bipolar disorder, finding that the Veteran's in-service stress and breakdown led to his current mental health conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including bipolar and depression) and hypertension, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board also found that there was no causal relationship between the Veteran's current diagnoses of bipolar disorder, depression, and hypertension and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for broken jaw residuals was denied. For bipolar disorder, the Veteran received a 10 percent rating prior to October 18, 2011, and a 70 percent rating between October 18, 2011 and February 13, 2018. A 100 percent rating was granted as of February 14, 2018.

The Board has granted the Veteran's appeals to reopen claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a psychiatric disability (to include bipolar disorder and schizophrenia), and PTSD. The appeals for service connection for gout, myositis, various musculoskeletal disabilities, sleep apnea, heart disease, ED, neuropathies, and depression are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are not related to his active duty service and are more likely due to post-military depression.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including depression, anxiety, bipolar II disorder, and borderline personality disorder, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing conditions were not aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder was reopened, but the issue of a compensable rating for chronic bronchitis prior to May 7, 2009 remains denied. The Veteran is now rated at 10% for his chronic bronchitis from May 7, 2009 onwards.,The effective date for service connection of chronic bronchitis was dismissed as the Veteran did not file a timely appeal regarding this issue.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed conditions. The issues include left knee disorder, right knee disorder, type 2 diabetes mellitus, stroke, and a psychiatric disorder (Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depression).

The Board has decided to remand the claim for service connection for bipolar disorder, as it is related to in-service Agent Orange exposure. However, due to missing private medical records and treatment histories, a thorough examination and review of all available evidence are required before a final decision can be made.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed because his service-connected bipolar disorder alone grants him a 100% disability rating, rendering the issue moot.

The Veteran's depression, bipolar disability, and prostate cancer are service connected. The Veteran is also granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for diabetes mellitus, type II and its complications, as well as various eye disabilities, heart conditions, peripheral neuropathy, and psychiatric disorders. The remand is due to the need to verify the Veteran’s reported exposure to herbicides while in Panama.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back disorder, schizoaffective disorder with bipolar I disorder, and migraine headaches on a secondary basis to her service-connected frostbite residuals of the feet. The lumbar spinal stenosis is also considered as being related to her service-connected disabilities.