On March 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 7-2 ruling that the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is not obligated to give veterans the benefit of the doubt in cases challenging denied disability benefits. The decision came in the case of Bufkin v. McDonough (23-713), where two veterans sought to revive their claims for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) benefits after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) denied them. The ruling allows the appeals court to rely on VA decisions without necessarily applying the 'tie-goes-to-the-veteran' standard. Justices Jackson and Gorsuch dissented, indicating a division in the Court regarding the treatment of veterans' claims. The implications of this ruling could affect numerous veterans seeking benefits, as it establishes a precedent for how appeals are evaluated.