Supreme Court Delivers Earth-Shaking 7-2 Decision… I Can’t Believe It

The Supreme Court’s decision was based on the appeals of two veterans, Joshua Bufkin and Norman Thornton, each with unique and challenging medical claims. Bufkin, a former Air Force member, applied for benefits related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but his claim was complicated by conflicting medical evaluations. Thornton, an Army veteran who served during the Gulf War, sought a higher disability rating for PTSD, but also faced mixed medical assessments.

Both cases involved evidence that was considered closely balanced. However, the VA ultimately denied their claims, and those decisions were upheld by the Veterans Court and a federal appeals court without independent re-evaluation of the benefit-of-the-doubt standard.

Supreme Court’s Reasoning and Outcome