Thirty-seven years ago, James Kisor filed a claim for disability benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from a deadly combat mission in the Vietnam War. The next year, his claim was denied.

In 2006, Kisor reopened his claim, arguing that the Department of Veterans Affairs failed to consider all relevant records. The department eventually granted him benefits, but only from the date of the new claim, citing its interpretation of the regulation governing retroactive benefits.