The veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder is manifested by some depression and anxiety, impulsivity, some disturbance of sleep patterns, anger and irritability, resulting in no more than occupational and social impairment with occasional decreases in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks. The criteria for entitlement to a disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder have not been met.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the veteran generally functions satisfactorily, despite some psychiatric symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. His impairment does not meet the criteria for higher ratings under any applicable diagnostic code.
- Claimed conditions
- bipolar disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 31, 2001
- Citation
- 0115182
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0115182.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of December 12, 2023, for a 50 percent evaluation of bipolar disorder and remanded the other issues for further development.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired mental health condition, to include major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, based on new evidence.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bipolar disorder and denied increased ratings for the lumbar disability, left and right sciatica, and chronic sinusitis. However, it granted an increased rating of 40 percent from March 7, 2022, for left and right sciatic radiculopathy and restored a 30 percent rating for chronic sinusitis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed alternatively as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder, due to an inadequate VA examiner's opinion and a failure to fulfill the duty to assist in obtaining relevant medical records.
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