20 C.F.R. § 410.670b Interim provision for the adjudication of certain claims filed prior to May 19, 1972.
Title 20 - Employees' Benefits
(a) General. Section 6 of the Black Lung Benefits Act of 1972 added a section 431 to title IV of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 which requires the Commissioner to review, under the terms of the 1972 amendments, all claims for benefits which were filed prior to May 19, 1972 (the date of enactment of the 1972 amendments), and which were either pending before the Administration on that date, or which had been previously disallowed. Therefore, notwithstanding any other provision of this subpart, and in keeping with the objective of providing for effective and expeditious processing of the large backlog of claims that have to be reexamined under the 1972 amendments, all such claims for benefits will be adjudicated under the terms of the amended Act in accordance with this section. (b) Cases remanded by the Federal courts. (1) Those claims described in paragraph (a) of this section which are remanded to the Commissioner by the Federal courts are reviewed in the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals. (2) A decision will be rendered by an Administrative Law Judge (formerly called hearing examiner) in all such claims which can be allowed under the 1972 amendments on the evidence then of record. Such decision shall be considered the Administrative Law Judge's decision referred to in §410.654, and a party to the decision may request review thereof by the Appeals Council in accordance with §§410.660 and 410.661. (3) A copy of such Administrative Law Judge's decision shall be mailed to such party at his last known address. The date of mailing of such decision will replace the date of any prior notice of an initial determination for purposes of §410.672. (4) Those claims described in paragraph (a) of this section which are remanded to the Commissioner by the Federal courts and which cannot be allowed in the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals under the 1972 amendments on the evidence then of record, shall be remanded to the Administration's Bureau of Disability Insurance for a new determination. (c) Claims pending in the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals. (1) Those claims described in paragraph (a) of this section which are pending before an Administrative Law Judge or the Appeals Council and which can be allowed under the 1972 amendments on the evidence then of record will be decided by an Administrative Law Judge or the Appeals Council, and this decision will constitute the decision referred to in §410.654 or §410.665(c). (2) A copy of such Administrative Law Judge's decision shall be mailed to such party at his last known address. The date of mailing of such decision will replace the date of any prior notice of an initial determination for purposes of §410.672. Such claims pending before an Administrative Law Judge or the Appeals Council which cannot be allowed under the 1972 amendments on the evidence then of record shall be remanded to the Administration's Bureau of Disability Insurance for a new determination. (d) Claims pending in, or remanded to the Bureau of Disability Insurance. (1) Those claims described in paragraph (a) of this section in which no timely request for hearing has been filed, or in which an Administrative Law Judge or the Appeals Council has previously rendered or affirmed a decision of disallowance, or which have been remanded by the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, shall be reviewed in the Bureau of Disability Insurance and a new determination made. (2) Written notice of such determination shall be mailed to the party at his last known address. If such new determination is adverse to the party in whole or in part, the notice shall explain the basis for the determination. It shall also advise the party of his right to request further consideration of the determination by the Bureau of Disability Insurance if he has additional evidence or contentions as to fact or law to submit. The effective date of such notice shall be a date 30 days later than the date of mailing and shall be expressly indicated in such notice. (3) Before this effective date, the party may request further consideration of the determination by the Bureau of Disability Insurance if he has additional evidence or contentions as to fact or law to submit. If such further consideration is requested timely, the new determination referred to in paragraph (d)(1) of this section shall not go into effect. Rather, his claim will be further considered as requested and a further determination made. Written notice of the latter determination will be mailed to the party at his last known address. If this determination is adverse to the party in whole or in part, the notice shall explain the basis for the determination. The effective date of such notice shall be the date of mailing. (4) The effective date of the determination referred to in paragraph (d)(2) or (d)(3) of this section shall replace the date of any prior notice of an initial determination for purposes of §410.672. (5) A determination made as provided in paragraph (d)(1) or (d)(3) of this section shall be final and binding upon all parties to such determination unless a hearing is requested within 6 months of the effective date of the notice of the determination, except where a previously filed hearing request or request for review by the Appeals Council or by a court is still pending, in which case the claim will be referred to an Administrative Law Judge for a hearing. (6) Those claims described in paragraph (a) of this section in which no initial determination has been made shall be adjudicated under the 1972 amendments in accordance with the other provisions of this part. [37 FR 20653, Sept. 30, 1972, as amended at 62 FR 38453, July 18, 1997]
Title 20: Employees' Benefits
PART 410—FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV—BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969– )
Subpart F—Determinations of Disability, Other Determinations, Administrative Review, Finality of Decisions, and Representation of Parties
§ 410.670b Interim provision for the adjudication of certain claims filed prior to May 19, 1972.
