The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the federal government in a class-action lawsuit over combat-related special compensation, eliminating a six-year time limit on retroactive disability payments for thousands of veterans.
According to Military.com, the 9-0 decision paved the way for an estimated 9,000 retired service members to receive thousands of dollars in back pay that had previously been denied under the government's interpretation of the Barring Act.
The case centered on Marine Corporal Simon Soto, who developed post-traumatic stress disorder after serving two tours in Iraq in mortuary affairs. He medically retired in 2006 and was later approved for combat-related special compensation, but his retroactive payments were limited to six years prior to his application date.
Marine's Legal Victory Opens Payment Floodgates
Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the Court's opinion, writing that the Federal Circuit "erred by imposing undue requirements on Congress' ability to confer settlement authority and by disregarding the [combat-related special compensation] statute's plain text."
The ruling means Soto should receive additional retroactive payments dating back to January 2008, when Congress extended combat compensation eligibility to medically retired members who served fewer than 20 years. This decision affects not only Soto but also thousands of other veterans in similar situations.
Renee Burbank, director of litigation at the National Veterans Legal Services Program, which represented the class alongside Sidley Austin LLP on a pro bono basis, estimated the financial impact could reach approximately $50 million. "It's not huge for the government, but it's meaningful for the class members," she noted.
Unanimous Decision Leaves No Wiggle Room
The unanimous nature of the Supreme Court's ruling sends a powerful message that qualified veterans deserve their full retroactive compensation without bureaucratic barriers or time limitations.
Burbank emphasized the significance of the Court's unified stance, saying, "There is not wiggle room for the government to say, 'Well, actually, here's why these folks don't get paid.' And also, because it's a class action, this relief should be going directly to all of the class members. It's not one case."
This victory for veterans follows other significant Supreme Court rulings on military benefits in recent years, including the Rudisill v. McDonough decision that expanded education benefits for veterans who served under separate GI Bills, potentially affecting up to 1.7 million former service members.
Financial Relief For Thousands Of Veterans
The class-action suit includes at least 9,000 service members divided into two groups: those owed up to $10,000 in back pay (Soto case) and those owed more than $10,000 (Paige v. USA case), which had been placed on hold pending this decision.
While the exact financial impact remains uncertain due to variations in individual cases and application dates, the ruling establishes that no veteran can receive retroactive pay for periods before the passage of the 2008 law that extended the benefit to medically retired service members with fewer than 20 years of service.
The decision effectively invalidates the government's interpretation that the Barring Act's six-year filing deadline should limit combat-related special compensation claims, finding instead that the specific law regarding combat-related compensation supersedes the Barring Act's time restrictions.
Veterans Rights Movement Gains Momentum
This case joins other recent legal victories for veterans, highlighting a judicial trend toward expanding and protecting military benefits against administrative limitations. However, implementation challenges remain, as evidenced by veterans who sued the Department of Veterans Affairs over alleged improper denials and payment delays following the Rudisill decision.
The combat-related special compensation program specifically benefits service members who developed medical conditions directly connected to combat experiences, like Soto's PTSD resulting from his mortuary affairs duties during two Iraq deployments.
With this definitive Supreme Court ruling, thousands of veterans can now anticipate receiving the full retroactive payments they earned through their service-connected disabilities without arbitrary time limitations standing in their way.
