The Veteran's bipolar disorder is rated at 100 percent, and his back condition is granted a rating of 100 percent. The right thumb condition and left knee condition are both denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bipolar disorder consistently met the criteria for a 100 percent disability rating due to total occupational and social impairment caused by symptoms such as suicidal ideation, near-continuous panic or depression affecting ability to function independently, intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living, disorientation to time or place, and memory loss.
- Claimed conditions
- Bipolar Disorder, Thoracolumbar Spondylosis (Back Condition), Right Thumb Repair with Cortical Deformity (Thumb Condition), Status Post Operative Left Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair with Degenerative Joint Disease (Left Knee Condition)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- April 18, 2023
- Citation
- 23022703
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 23022703.
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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