The Board has granted service connection for bipolar disorder on a direct basis and for alcohol abuse disorder as secondary to the service-connected bipolar disorder.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lay reports, internal consistency of his statements, and evidence from service records support the finding that his symptoms in service were consistent with bipolar disorder. The VA examiners provided opinions supporting this nexus, including the October 2021 VA examiner who opined that the Veteran's behaviors listed during service (AWOL charges, criminal charges, gambling, hypersexuality) are consistent with an acquired psychiatric disability and specifically Bipolar Disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- Bipolar Disorder, Alcohol Abuse Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 11, 2023
- Citation
- 23001991
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 23001991.
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 PTSD with bipolar disorder has resulted in total occupational and social impairment, warranting a 100% disability rating effective August 8, 2018.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not attributable to his active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and for a right knee condition are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ must attempt to verify the claimed stressor events and provide a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the Veteran's PTSD and bipolar disorder, as well as a failure to provide an adequate VA examination prior to the rating decision.
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