New Supreme Court decision that might benefit you if you were denied benefits in the past.

United States Supreme Court holds that a refusal by the United States Railroad Retirement Board to reopen a prior benefits determination is subject to judicial review. Salinas v. United States Railroad Retirement Board, No. 19-199 decided February 3, 2021.

Disability Advocates represented Salinas in a claim to reopen a prior application for disability benefits which had been previously denied.

Salinas, a former railroad employee, was denied benefits when he applied in 2006, but was later granted benefits when he applied in 2013. Salinas then requested that the Board reopen its decision to deny his 2006 application, but the Board declined.

The Supreme Court held that the refusal of the Board to reopen the 2006 application was subject to judicial review.

If you had a prior application for Railroad Retirement Disability benefits denied, and you did not file a timely appeal of that denial, you now may request that that prior application be reopened regardless of how long ago the denial was issued.