The veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for a 100 percent evaluation for bipolar disorder with major depression, which was granted in July 1999. The Board has remanded the case to ensure compliance with VCAA requirements.
The deciding factor: The claimant's informal claim for increase occurred on December 17, 1996, and he contends that he should have been entitled to a higher evaluation prior to this date due to his disability status in the one-year period preceding it.
- Claimed conditions
- bipolar disorder with major depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 30, 2004
- Citation
- 0424212
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 0424212.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that her preexisting condition worsened during active duty.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bipolar disorder with major depression was granted an initial disability evaluation of 70 percent, effective from October 8, 2015 to December 12, 2019. From December 13, 2019 forward, the claim for a higher rating remains pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding service treatment records and VA treatment records, as well as workman's compensation records. The Veteran is asked to provide information about her psychiatric history and any related claims.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bipolar disorder with major depression, currently diagnosed as cyclothymic disorder, is at least as likely as not related to her military service and grants service connection for this condition.
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