The Veteran's claim for service connection for bipolar affective disorder was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board found that his diagnosed bipolar affective disorder is at least as likely as not incurred during active service.
The deciding factor: New medical opinion supports finding that the Veteran’s bipolar affective disorder was incurred during service.
- Claimed conditions
- bipolar affective disorder, chronic paranoid schizophrenia
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20068780
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,092 · Granted: 42% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20068780.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's chronic paranoid schizophrenia is manifested by symptoms associated with a 100 percent rating such as persistent delusions and suicidal ideation, resulting in total social and occupational impairment. The maximum 100 percent rating is granted for the period after September 25, 2015.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 70 percent for bipolar affective disorder and PTSD, finding that the evidence did not support an increase in the current rating.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for bipolar affective disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her Notice of Disagreement before a final decision was issued.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case for further development, including verification of service dates and a new medical opinion on direct service connection.
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