Bipolar disorder Board decisions

The Veteran died during the appeal process, and as a result, all claims for service connection are dismissed.

The Veteran's migraine headaches were rated at 50% effective December 6, 2019. Her bipolar disorder with mild alcohol use disorder was rated at 70% effective April 9, 2020.

The Board has denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date prior to July 14, 2021, for his grant of service connection for PTSD with bipolar disorder. The Board also found that a remand is necessary for the Veteran's claim of erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's service-connected unspecified bipolar disorder prevents her from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with her education, training, and work history.

The Veteran died during the appeal process, and as a result, all claims for service connection are dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete opinions regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and total disability rating based on unemployability (TDIU). The issues will be reviewed again with additional development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim of service connection for bipolar disorder due to insufficient evidence in the VA examiner's opinion. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further review and consideration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for unspecified depressive disorder with bipolar disorder and cyclothymic disorder was denied as the evidence did not show an event, disease, or injury in service that caused his disability.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is aggravated by his service-connected other specified bipolar disorder with alcohol use disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition as secondary to his primary disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to in-service stressors or MST.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed as he has withdrawn his claim for bipolar disorder and the issues of COPD, hypertension, left knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, and left elbow disability are being remanded due to procedural errors.

The Veteran's bipolar disorder is rated at 100% and he is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance. The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's PTSD with bipolar disorder is granted an initial 70 percent rating effective August 26, 2020. The earlier effective dates for the increased rating and TDIU are also granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the lack of private psychiatric treatment records, which may affect his claim for a higher rating and related benefits.

The Board has remanded the case due to errors in duty to assist, including failure to verify the Veteran's reported stressors and obtain a VA examination. The case will be further developed to address these issues.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied as there is not sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran was unemployable due to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities prior to February 26, 2020.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and/or unspecified bipolar disorder due to a lack of adequate medical opinions addressing the etiology of his conditions. The case is being returned for further development.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including MDD, anxiety, unspecified anxiety disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and cannabis use disorder, are found to have started during his active service and continue since. Service connection is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for separate disability ratings for posttraumatic stress disorder and bipolar I disorder, finding that awarding a separate rating would constitute impermissible pyramiding.

The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type was granted a disability rating of 70 percent effective August 24, 1998. The claim for individual unemployability (TDIU) is also granted with an effective date of August 24, 1998.