The Veteran's bipolar II disorder, previously characterized as panic disorder and non-rapid eye movement sleep arousal disorder, was granted a 70 percent disability rating effective January 20, 2020. The decision also noted that the Veteran has experienced occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in areas such as work, thinking, and mood due to symptoms like depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks more than once a week, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, including work or a work-like setting, and suicidal ideation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's psychiatric disability resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas due to symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, panic attacks more than once a week, chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss, disturbances of motivation and mood, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, including work or a work-like setting, and suicidal ideation.
- Claimed conditions
- Bipolar II Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- January 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21004261
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 21004261.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's increased rating of 100 percent for bipolar II disorder is granted, effective prior to September 30, 2024. SMC based on housebound criteria is also granted, effective prior to September 30, 2024.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, as evidenced by his part-time employment during the appeals period.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar II Disorder, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not related to his active military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD and Bipolar II Disorder, is rated at 70 percent from June 26, 2023, to present.
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