§ 416.1435 - Submitting written evidence to an administrative law judge.

§ 416.1435 Submitting written evidence prior to a hearing before an administrative law judge.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 81 FR 90995, December 16, 2016.

You should

(a) When you submit your request for hearing, you should also submit information or evidence as required by § 416.912 or any summary of the evidence to the administrative law judge

with the request for hearing or within 10 days after filing the request, if possible

. Each party

shall

must make every effort to ensure that the administrative law judge receives all of the evidence

(see

and must inform us about or submit any written evidence, as required in § 416.912, no later than 5 business days before the date of the scheduled hearing. If you do not comply with this requirement, the administrative law judge may decline to consider or obtain the evidence unless the circumstances described in paragraph (b) of this section apply.

(b) If you have evidence required under § 416.912

) or all of the evidence is available at the time and place set for the hearing.

[80 FR 14838, Mar. 20, 2015]

but you have missed the deadline described in paragraph (a) of this section, the administrative law judge will accept the evidence if he or she has not yet issued a decision and you did not inform us about or submit the evidence before the deadline because:

(1) Our action misled you;

(2) You had a physical, mental, educational, or linguistic limitation(s) that prevented you from informing us about or submitting the evidence earlier; or

(3) Some other unusual, unexpected, or unavoidable circumstance beyond your control prevented you from informing us about or submitting the evidence earlier. Examples include, but are not limited to:

(i) You were seriously ill, and your illness prevented you from contacting us in person, in writing, or through a friend, relative, or other person;

(ii) There was a death or serious illness in your immediate family;

(iii) Important records were destroyed or damaged by fire or other accidental cause; or

(iv) You actively and diligently sought evidence from a source and the evidence was not received or was received less than 5 business days prior to the hearing.

(c) Claims Not Based on an Application For Benefits. Notwithstanding the requirements in paragraphs (a)–(b) of this section, for claims that are not based on an application for benefits, the evidentiary requirement to inform us about or submit evidence no later than 5 business days before the date of the scheduled hearing will not apply if our other regulations allow you to submit evidence after the date of an administrative law judge decision.

[81 FR 90994, Dec. 16, 2016