{"id":32001,"date":"2018-08-24T20:19:55","date_gmt":"2018-08-24T20:19:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/24\/court-ruling-allows-class-action-lawsuits-against-va\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:59:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:59:54","slug":"court-ruling-allows-class-action-lawsuits-against-va","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/2018\/08\/24\/court-ruling-allows-class-action-lawsuits-against-va\/","title":{"rendered":"Veterans can now file class-action lawsuits against VA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 A federal court ruling<\/a> this week opened the possibility for veterans to file suit against the Department of Veterans Affairs as a class rather than individuals, a move that advocates say could dramatically shift how legal cases against the bureaucracy are handled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ruling, Monk v. Wilkie<\/a>, came from the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims<\/a>. The eight-justice panel ultimately ruled against the plaintiff\u2019s claim that their case should proceed as a class-action suit, arguing it failed to meet previously established standards for such legal consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But they did say that in \u201cappropriate cases\u201d in the future, class-action lawsuits would be entertained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a watershed decision, and its importance should not be diminished merely because the court declined to certify this proposed class,\u201d Chief Judge Robert Davis wrote in the opinion. \u201cOn the contrary, the court’s decision will shape our jurisprudence for years to come and, I hope, bring about positive change for our nation’s veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t