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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.
Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the majority, explained that appellate courts should not substitute their own judgments for the VA’s when it comes to evaluating medical and factual determinations—unless a clear error has been made. While legal issues must be rev
