Bipolar Disorder — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Bipolar Disorder
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960P-2 (Mental Disorders (Other Than PTSD and Eating Disorders)) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Bipolar Disorder — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Bipolar Disorder, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Bipolar Disorder
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.130, General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders (DC 9432). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms that decrease work efficiency only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.
Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform tasks, though generally functioning satisfactorily.
Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity (for example flattened affect, panic attacks more than once a week, impaired memory and judgment).
Occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood (for example suicidal ideation, near-continuous panic or depression).
Total occupational and social impairment (for example gross impairment in thought processes, persistent danger of hurting self or others, inability to perform activities of daily living).
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Bipolar Disorder raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Bipolar Disorder claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
American Journal of Psychiatry, 2014 · PMID 24322397
Finding: In a Danish nationwide register study of 113,906 people with head injury, head injury was associated with a significantly higher subsequent risk of bipolar disorder (incidence rate ratio 1.28, 95% CI 1.10-1.48), as well as schizophrenia (IRR 1.65) and depression (IRR 1.59), after adjusting for psychiatric family history and other factors. The added risk was not explained by accident-proneness or family history.
Why it helps: Service-connected traumatic brain injury is common in veterans; this large population study supports an association between head injury and later onset of bipolar disorder, which is useful context for a bipolar claim filed secondary to a head-injury or TBI exposure.
Journal of Neurosurgery, 2016 · PMID 26315003
Finding: A meta-analysis of 57 studies (including VA-affiliated authors) found prior TBI, including mild TBI, was significantly associated with subsequent psychiatric illness (pooled OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.50-2.66), with bipolar disorder specifically among the diagnoses showing higher odds after TBI. The association held when restricted to mild TBI alone.
Why it helps: Supports an association between traumatic brain injury (including mild TBI/concussion frequently incurred in service) and later bipolar disorder, helping connect a service-connected TBI to a bipolar diagnosis.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2017 · nexus to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) · PMID 28570791
Finding: A review of 32 studies (VA-affiliated authors) found bipolar disorder and PTSD commonly co-occur: prevalence of bipolar disorder among people with PTSD ranged from 6% to 55%, and PTSD among people with bipolar disorder ranged from 4% to 40%, with each illness associated with the incidence of the other and with greater symptom burden and lower quality of life.
Why it helps: PTSD is one of the most common service-connected conditions; this review supports a strong association and bidirectional relationship between PTSD and bipolar disorder, relevant to a bipolar claim raised secondary to service-connected PTSD.
Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 2019 · nexus to cardiovascular disease · PMID 31547692
Finding: In a national VA cohort of about 1.52 million male and over 94,000 female veterans, bipolar disorder independently predicted both cardiovascular disease events and CVD mortality over 5 years in both men and women, after adjusting for conventional CVD risk factors and psychotropic medications.
Why it helps: A veteran-specific study supporting an association between bipolar disorder and later cardiovascular disease and death, relevant when claiming heart or vascular conditions as secondary to service-connected bipolar disorder.
World Psychiatry, 2015 · nexus to metabolic syndrome / obesity / diabetes · PMID 26407790
Finding: Across 198 studies (n=52,678), the pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome in severe mental illness including bipolar disorder was 32.6%, and people with severe mental illness had a significantly elevated metabolic syndrome risk versus matched controls (RR 1.58, 95% CI 1.35-1.86). Risk was significantly higher with antipsychotic medications such as clozapine and olanzapine.
Why it helps: Supports an association between bipolar disorder and its treatment with metabolic syndrome (obesity, high blood sugar, dyslipidemia), useful when claiming metabolic or related conditions as secondary to service-connected bipolar disorder or its required medications.
Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 2025 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea · PMID 39867763
Finding: A meta-analysis of 14 studies found the pooled prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with bipolar disorder was 24.55% (95% CI 17.25-32.63%), substantially higher than general-population estimates, with male gender associated with higher OSA prevalence.
Why it helps: Supports an association between bipolar disorder and obstructive sleep apnea, relevant when OSA is claimed as secondary to service-connected bipolar disorder (often via weight gain and sedating psychiatric medications).
- Widening the Spectrum of Risk Factors, Comorbidities, and Prodromal Features of Parkinson DiseaseSecondary
JAMA Neurology, 2023 · nexus to Parkinson disease · PMID 36342675
Finding: In a case-control study of 138,345 patients with incident Parkinson disease and 276,690 matched controls, a prior diagnosis of bipolar disorder was strongly associated with later Parkinson disease (OR 3.81, 95% CI 3.11-4.67), among the largest associations identified alongside schizophrenia and restless legs syndrome.
Why it helps: Supports an association between bipolar disorder and subsequent Parkinson disease, useful context when a neurological condition such as Parkinson is claimed as secondary to service-connected bipolar disorder.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Bipolar Disorder
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Bipolar Disorder. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Related Guides
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Draft your Bipolar Disorder personal statement
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Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Bipolar Disorder.
Bipolar Disorder Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.