The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously rejected arguments by a disabled veteran that he and other individuals who missed filing deadlines for disability benefits should still be eligible for retroactive payouts if they could show compelling reasons for the late submissions.

The case — Arellano v. McDonough — had been closely watched by veterans groups because of its potential to award tens of thousands of dollars to some veterans who failed to submit paperwork for military injuries within a year of separation from the service. …

In October 2022, lawyers for Arellano argued that the one-year deadline was unfair, given that Arellano’s injuries made it impossible for him to apply for benefits on his own.

But the Supreme Court on Monday unanimously rejected that assertion. Justice Amy Coney Barrett in the court’s decision wrote that federal rules are clear on the one-year time frame.

(via Conservative Brief)

[Seems pretty straightforward to me, and with plenty of rational basis. Arellano wanted to reach back almost 40 years and collect all of that pay in one fell swoop. Congress clearly wanted to limit such claims so that the VA could administer them effectively and efficiently. It may not be a great outcome for this and other vets, but they will need to go to Congress for relief. — Ed]