The Veteran's bipolar disorder was initially rated at 30 percent prior to March 26, 2014 and increased to 70 percent thereafter. The Board found the symptoms more closely approximated reduced reliability and productivity for the period before March 26, 2014, but deficiencies in most areas from that date forward.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms prior to March 26, 2014 were less severe than those required for a higher rating (70 percent), while her symptoms after that date more closely matched the criteria for a 70 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- bipolar disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- December 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20080982
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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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