Bipolar disorder Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as bipolar disorder. The decision also grants the Veteran's request to establish status as a veteran in order to receive VA compensation benefits due to his discharge under other than honorable conditions.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for depression, bipolar disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right hip disability, left hip disability, and right knee disability as new and relevant evidence was not received.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating due to incomplete medical records, lack of nexus opinions, and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date to the award of service connection for bipolar disorder (now rated as schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type) is dismissed as a matter of law due to the finality of the November 1998 rating decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and duty-to-assist issues.

The Veteran's claim for separate ratings for additional psychiatric conditions other than mood disorder due to known psychological condition with other specified trauma and stressor related disorder and unspecified bipolar disorder, as well as a rating in excess of 30 percent for his mood disorder, has been denied. The Board found that the symptoms overlap and do not warrant separate ratings.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of VA examinations and incomplete evidence. The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, psychiatric disabilities, hypertension, cardiovascular disability, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss are all being reviewed.

The Board found that the Appellant's discharge from service on November 19, 1973, under Other Than Honorable (OTH) conditions was due to unauthorized absence for a continuous period of at least 180 days. This constitutes a regulatory bar to VA compensation and health benefits.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a higher rating for migraine headaches.,The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of PTSD with alcohol use disorder is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and bipolar disorder, is being remanded due to the need for a new medical opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, is rated at a 100 percent disability rating. The issue of entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) has been dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100 percent disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA examination for the claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, and the need to determine its nature and etiology.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and substance/medication-induced bipolar and related disorder with use disorder, is being remanded due to the need to obtain VA outpatient treatment records from Fairview Southdale and Tripler Army hospital.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar II disorder, a left elbow disorder, and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for TDIU is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 17, 2009, for the grant of service connection for bipolar disorder with cannabis use disorder is denied as there are no unadjudicated petitions to reopen the claim and the March 2000, December 2004, and October 2008 rating decisions became final.

The Board has found that the Veteran requires personal care services for a minimum of six continuous months based on her need for supervision or protection due to symptoms or residuals of neurological or other impairment or injury. The VA will now consider whether participation in the PCAFC program is in her best interest.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and a higher rating has been withdrawn by the appellant before any decision was made.