Veteran Bipolar Disorder Claim Denial | VA Disability Appeals

Facing a VA denial while coping with Bipolar Disorder can feel overwhelming without the assistance of a veterans disability appeals lawyer to help you secure the VA benefits you need.

Summary

• Veterans diagnosed with bipolar disorder face a difficult process in securing VA disability benefits.
• The VA assigns disability ratings based on the severity of bipolar disorder symptoms, ranging from 10% to 100%.
• Veterans must demonstrate that their bipolar disorder is connected to their active duty service and significantly impacts their daily lives. To avoid a veteran bipolar disorder claim denial, this often requires thorough documentation from medical professionals.
• Skilled VA-accredited attorneys, like those at VetLaw, assist veterans by gathering necessary medical records, explaining legal hurdles, and filing appeals for bipolar disorder claims.

The emotional and mental effects of serving on active duty in the US military can leave a veteran with long-term psychological conditions. If you were diagnosed with bipolar disorder during or after your time in uniform, you may qualify for benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation program.

However, obtaining these benefits involves a difficult process. It may be necessary to appeal your claim to receive full payment. VetLaw’s team of experienced attorneys can help veterans prepare for filing bipolar disorder claims as well as filing a notice of disagreement upon receiving a denial.

To set up a free consultation with a VetLaw VA-accredited lawyer, call (855) 573-1503 or submit a contact form. We will lay out what you can expect to encounter during the VA appeal process and how we will help you through each step. Let us put our experience to work for you after a VA bipolar disorder claim denial.

Understanding Bipolar Disorder VA Ratings for Veterans

Bipolar disorder is generally characterized by chronic, extreme, and uncontrollable mood fluctuations, although a milder form of bipolar, called cyclothymic disorder, also exists.

Veterans may be diagnosed with Bipolar I or Bipolar II, which has less severe manic episodes. However, the VA does not distinguish between the two forms when issuing disability ratings.

Although bipolar disorder does have its own Diagnostic Code, the VA evaluates it under the broader Rating Schedule for Mental Conditions. More severe bipolar disorder symptoms earn higher VA disability ratings.

VA Rating Schedule for Bipolar Disorder

The VA criteria for rating bipolar disorder are as follows:

10% disability rating: Bipolar symptoms that only occur and interfere with the veteran’s job and relationships when they are extremely stressed, or bipolar symptoms that are effectively managed by medication.

30% disability rating: Bipolar symptoms, including depressed mood, only occasionally interfere with the veteran’s work and personal relationships.

50% disability rating: The veteran’s bipolar symptoms regularly impact their job performance and relationships due to their compromised judgment and mood fluctuations.

70% disability rating: The veteran exhibits significant impairment in their personal and professional lives. Their bipolar disorder symptoms have rendered them frequently non-functional, dangerously impulsive, or a threat to themselves or others.

100% disability rating: The vet is completely unable to maintain healthy relationships or a job due to bipolar symptoms. During manic episodes, they may have regular delusions and hallucinations, or even experience psychosis. While suffering a bipolar depressive episode, the vet may be unable to care for their basic needs or become suicidal.

Veterans with 100% VA disability ratings for bipolar disorder may qualify for additional benefits through Special Monthly Compensation claims.

What To Do If You Are a Veteran Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder

Serving in the military comes with many risks. Not least among these are the mental and emotional strains that can impact servicemembers’ minds. However, it can be difficult to connect a specific instance that occurred on active duty to a veteran’s chemical imbalance condition such as bipolar disorder.

Most successful bipolar disorder claims allege that active duty service made the claimant’s existing psychological condition worse. According to the Mayo Clinic, bipolar disorder symptoms can result from exposure to high-stress situations.

Additionally, episodes of mania or depression may become more common because of repetitive stress. It follows that active duty service in the military may cause a veteran’s underlying symptoms to rise to the surface or magnify and negatively affect their civilian life.

Pursuing VA Benefits for Service-Related Bipolar Disorder

The VA’s disability compensation program offers benefits to veterans who sustained debilitating injuries while serving on active duty which now affect their civilian lives. However, obtaining these benefits can be difficult without the professional guidance of a steadfast VA-accredited lawyer.

A successful bipolar disorder claim requires a former servicemember to prove several elements to the VA. The first step to receiving compensation is proving that a veteran’s disabling condition is connected to their active duty service.

They must also demonstrate that their condition hurts their day-to-day life. For most bipolar disorder claims, it is essential to have a doctor and therapist document the frequency and severity of episodes. Additionally, they will need to provide a medical nexus opinion that links the illness to your time in service.

Finally, a former servicemember must establish that they were discharged from the military under honorable conditions. There may be exceptions to this rule for veterans who are later diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, so contact VetLaw to discuss your situation before filing an appeal.

How an Attorney Can Help You Appeal a Veteran Bipolar Disorder Claim Denial

Serving in the military can have a long-lasting effect on your mental health. Veterans whose pre-existing bipolar conditions worsened throughout active duty service and those who have recently had symptoms come to the surface thereafter may be eligible for disability compensation.

A skilled VA-accredited attorney can help you collect benefits through the VA’s disability compensation program. VetLaw’s team can work to gather medical records on your behalf to demonstrate the severity of your mental condition.

Next, our team will explain the legal hurdles that may prevent a successful claim. Additionally, we can help file an appeal for a veteran bipolar disorder claim denial by the VA. Get in touch with our firm today to learn more about your legal options.

Find the Support You Need to Overcome a VA Bipolar Disorder Claim Denial With VetLaw

Given the challenges that bipolar symptoms pose, many veterans with this mental condition struggle to meet the demands of the VA appeals process after being denied disability benefits. At VetLaw, we won’t let these obstacles stand in the way of getting the proper level of VA disability compensation. 

Our veterans disability claims lawyers are confident in our skills and expertise based on our many years of successful outcomes with the VA. We can harness these assets to help you secure VA disability benefits for your veteran bipolar disorder claim. 

Give us a call at (855) 573-1503 or submit a contact form to schedule a free consultation. Our VA disability appeals attorneys can provide the tireless, tailored advocacy you need to obtain fair veterans disability compensation.