⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

The Federal Circuit hears Gill versus Collins, a veterans-benefits dispute over whether an old letter counted as an appeal. VA had turned down Gill’s request for benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, in 2008. In 2009, he wrote asking for benefits for depression, the condition identified at a VA examination. VA treated that letter as a new claim, rather than an appeal of the earlier decision. Under the older rules, an appeal began with a notice of disagreement—a written expression of disagreement and a request for review. The Veterans Court upheld the finding that the letter did not count, considering his earlier filings as evidence of what he intended. Gill will argue that this approach unfairly holds experienced veterans to a higher standard. The government will defend the use of context and say his challenge simply asks the court to reweigh evidence. Listen for the difference between interpreting a veteran’s letter and interpreting the rule that governs it, and why that distinction may determine whether this court can review his case.

Gill v. Collins (No. 25-1413) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, argued November 9, 2026.