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Social Security

Every decision we've filed under Social Security.

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Apr 30 2026
5th Cir. 25-60500 Per Curiam

GIS Holdings, L.L.C., (Avondale Operations); The Gray Insurance Company v. Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, United States Department of Labor; Walter B. Crews...

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the Benefits Review Board's award of permanent total disability benefits to a longshoreman, finding substantial evidence supported the lower tribunal's conclusion that the worker reached maximum medical improvement and could not return to the workforce. The court rejected the employer's arguments regarding alternative employment and job retraining, noting the employer failed to meet its burden of proof and forfeited the retraining argument.

Civil Social Security
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Apr 30 2026
Fed. Cir. 26-1199 Panel Decision

Smiler v. SSA

The Federal Circuit transferred an appeal involving federal employment discrimination to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania because district courts hold exclusive jurisdiction over such claims. The court relied on the prohibition against bifurcating discrimination allegations from other employment actions.

Civil Social Security
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Apr 29 2026
Fed. Cir. 25-1915 Panel Decision

TRULSON v. COLLINS

The Federal Circuit affirmed the denial of special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r) for a veteran with schizophrenia, holding that the statute requires specific anatomical losses or sensory impairments. The court clarified that the need for a higher level of care alone does not qualify a veteran for the enhanced rate without first meeting the predicate disability requirements.

Civil Social Security
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Apr 28 2026
4th Cir. 25-1303 Panel Decision

Goddard v. Burnett

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed a bankruptcy court's rejection of a Chapter thirteen plan that technically complied with the means test but retained luxury vehicles while paying unsecured creditors minimally. The court held that technical compliance with the disposable income requirement does not immunize a debtor from the separate statutory requirement to propose a plan in good faith.

Bankruptcy Civil Social Security
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Apr 28 2026
4th Cir. 25-1303 Panel Decision

Goddard v. Burnett

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the rejection of a debtor's Chapter 13 plan, ruling that technical compliance with the disposable income test does not immunize a proposal from the independent good faith requirement. The court held that a debtor's attempt to retain three luxury vehicles while paying unsecured creditors less than eight cents on the dollar demonstrated a lack of honest effort to repay debts.

Bankruptcy Civil Social Security
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Apr 23 2026
7th Cir. 24-2668 Panel Decision

Michael Lincoln v. Frank Bisignano, Commissioner of Social Security

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the denial of Social Security disability benefits, ruling that substantial evidence supported the ALJ's assessment of the claimant's residual functional capacity. The court held that the ALJ properly weighed the claimant's subjective complaints of fatigue and cane use against inconsistent medical records and daily activities.

Civil Social Security
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Apr 22 2026
5th Cir. 25-60111 Panel Decision

Battieste v. United States

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a medical negligence claim against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The court held that Mississippi's seven-year statute of repose bars suits filed more than seven years after the alleged negligent act, regardless of when the injury was discovered.

Civil Social Security
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Apr 22 2026
9th Cir. 3:24-cv-05112-SKV Unpublished

POST V. BISIGNANO

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of Social Security disability benefits, ruling that the Administrative Law Judge's findings were supported by substantial evidence. The court held that the claimant failed to meet the medical listing requirements because he was unmedicated during a critical lung function test.

Civil Social Security
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Apr 22 2026
9th Cir. 3:23-cv-05065-SK Unpublished

NAVARRO V. BISIGNANO

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of Social Security disability benefits, holding that the Administrative Law Judge's decision was supported by substantial evidence. The court found the ALJ provided specific and legitimate reasons for weighing medical opinions and correctly excluded asthma-related work restrictions based on uncontradicted record evidence.

Civil Social Security
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Apr 21 2026
Fed. Cir. 26-1269 Panel Decision

HOOPER v. COLLINS

The Federal Circuit affirmed the Veterans Court's denial of a writ of mandamus, holding that extraordinary relief is unavailable when the Board has already issued a final decision on remand. The court reasoned that because the Board adjudicated the claim and resolved the underlying dispute, there was no longer a duty to compel action or a jurisdictional frustration warranting such intervention.

Civil Social Security
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