Bipolar disorder Board decisions

The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, due to military sexual trauma (MST) for a comprehensive VA medical opinion.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than adjustment disorder with depression, anxiety, and ADHD; to include PTSD and bipolar disorder.

The Board denied service connection for Grave's disease and denied revisions to prior rating decisions on the basis of clear and unmistakable error, as well as denying increased ratings and earlier effective dates for various conditions.

The Veteran was granted a rating of 70 for schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, prior to April 27, 2016, and the claim for a higher rating after that date was denied. The Veteran also received an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits.

The Board granted service connection for bipolar disorder, finding that it was aggravated by the Veteran's military service.

The Board remands the matter for an addendum opinion to address conflicting evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric condition, including whether it is related to service or aggravated by a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent for bipolar I disorder, finding that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for bipolar II disorder, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not more nearly approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas or total occupational and social impairment.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of April 1, 2023, for the grant of service connection for temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and remanded claims for service connection for bipolar disorder, diabetes, and sleep apnea.

The Board remands the claims for a new VA examination to address the full range of symptoms and history, as the previous examinations did not adequately consider all evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent rating for PTSD with bipolar disorder, DEA benefits, and TDIU.

The Board remands the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's bipolar and mood disorders are secondary to her service-connected PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and bipolar disorder, finding that the evidence supports a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board granted an effective date of April 28, 1989, for the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder.

The appeal of the finding of a duty to assist (DTA) error during higher-level review (HLR) for an acquired psychiatric disorder and the February 26, 2024 VA letter informing the Veteran that he must use the proper Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) form for readjudication of his claim of entitlement to service connection for sinusitis were dismissed. The appeal of service connection for sinusitis and spine-related paresthesia was denied, while claims for other conditions were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability, claimed as bipolar disorder with alcohol use disorder and an inguinal hernia with post-operative residuals, finding that the disabilities existed prior to active duty and were not aggravated during service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for the Veteran's acquired mental disorder but granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from March 26, 2019.

The Board denied service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability and PTSD, but granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including posttraumatic stress disorder and other specified bipolar and related disorder, due to an inadequate medical opinion that fails to consider the Veteran's lay statements.

The Board granted service connection for unspecified bipolar and related disorder, finding that the Veteran's condition had its onset during service or is otherwise related to active-duty service. The claim for headaches was remanded due to an inadequate VA examination.