Plain-English summary
Court rules VA’s one-year effective-date rule for disability benefits cannot be equitably tolled
The Court unanimously held that the VA’s statute setting the effective date for disability compensation (38 U.S.C. §5110(b)(1)) does not allow equitable tolling. Veterans who file disability claims more than one year after discharge cannot get an earlier effective date under that provision.
Why this matters
The ruling determines who can get retroactive payments from the VA for service-connected disabilities when claims are not filed promptly. It limits the ability of courts to use equitable principles to extend statutory deadlines for the effective date of benefits, which affects veterans’ backpay and financial planning.
Who may feel it
- Veterans seeking VA disability compensation
- Veterans’ families and beneficiaries relying on retroactive payments
- VA regional offices and benefits adjudicators
- Lawyers and advocates who represent veterans
Key questions
- Whether the one-year effective-date provision in 38 U.S.C. §5110(b)(1) is subject to equitable tolling so a veteran who files after one year can obtain the earlier effective date.
- How the text and structure of §5110 relate to courts’ authority to apply equitable doctrines to statutory deadlines for veterans’ benefits.