The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7–2 in Bufkin v. Collins that federal appellate courts do not have to independently reassess how the Department of Veterans Affairs applies the “benefit-of-the-doubt” rule in disability claims. This rule says that when evidence for and against a claim is evenly balanced, the decision should favor the veteran.
The case involved veterans Joshua Bufkin and Norman Thornton, whose PTSD-related claims were denied despite closely balanced medical evidence. Lower courts upheld those denials without re-evaluating how the VA applied the rule.
Writing for the majority, Justice Clarence Thomas said appellate courts should defer to the VA’s factual findings unless there is a clear error. Legal questions still receive independent review, but medical and factual determinations get limited oversight.
The decision means veterans appealing VA rulings must now show significant mistakes, not just balanced evidence, potentially making successful appeals more difficult.
