Opinion ID: 776104
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: remand request based on new evidence.

Text: 45
46 Mayes requests a remand of her case to the ALJ for consideration of the herniated disc diagnosis. There has been some confusion about what standard applies to this court's review of a district court's ruling on a request to remand a case to an ALJ for consideration of new evidence. See Harman, 211 F.3d at 1176 n.5) (recognizing that different panels of the Ninth Circuit have applied an abuse of discretion standard and a de novo standard in reviewing district court remand decisions). We now clarify the standard. 3 47 In 1990, the Ninth Circuit held that a district court's refusal to remand a case to the ALJ for consideration of new evidence is reviewed for abuse of discretion. Clem , 894 F.2d at 332 (We review a district court's refusal to remand to the Secretary on the basis of extra-record evidence for abuse of discretion). However, Clem did not expressly overrule Booz v. Secretary of Health & Human Serv., 734 F.2d 1378, 1380 (9th Cir. 1983), which applied a de novo standard in reviewing a remand request. Booz involved an analysis of whether new evidence proffered by a claimant was material to a disability determination. 48 Booz and Clem are consistent with each other, but applicable to different portions of the remand analysis. Under 42 U.S.C. §§ 405(g) (Supp. 2001), in determining whether to remand a case in light of new evidence, the court examines both whether the new evidence is material to a disability determination and whether a claimant has shown good cause for having failed to present the new evidence to the ALJ earlier. Booz governs the materiality inquiry, applying a de novo standard to this question of law. On the other hand, Clem governs the good cause inquiry, applying an abuse of discretion standard to this question of fact. Under the abuse of discretion standard, the decision of the district court is reversed only when the appellate court is firmly convinced that the reviewed decision lies beyond the pale of reasonable justification under the circumstances. Harman, 211 F.3d at 1175. 49 B. The District Court Did Not Err in Refusing to Remand the Case to the ALJ. 50 To justify a remand, Mayes must show that the herniated disc diagnosis is material to determining her disability, and that she had good cause for having failed to produce that evidence earlier. See 42 U.S.C. §§ 405(g) (2001). 51 To be material under section 405(g), the new evidence must bear directly and substantially on the matter in dispute. Ward v. Schweiker, 686 F.2d 762, 764 (9th Cir. 1982). Mayes must additionally demonstrate that there is a reasonable possibility that the new evidence would have changed the outcome of the administrative hearing. See Booz, 734 F.2d at 1380-81. Mayes has not shown that the new evidence was material, as the record lacks evidence that she had herniated discs at and before the ALJ Hearing. At most, Mayes points to Dr. Buehler's statement that, when he saw Mayes in 1994, he felt she was suffering from some degeneration at L4-5. The condition diagnosed in 1997 may or may not be the same as or related to the 1994 degeneration at L4-5. 4 Reviewing the matter de novo, we agree with the district court's refusal to remand the matter to the ALJ, as Mayes does not demonstrate the reasonable possibility that the condition diagnosed in November 1997 even existed when the ALJ Hearing was held in May 1997. See Booz, 734 F.2d at 1380-81. 52 Although Mayes testified at the hearing that her back hurt and that she had experienced some symptoms that she now asserts were associated with back injuries, Mayes' back problems were not significantly at issue at the ALJ Hearing. 5 Mayes' arguments would be more persuasive if her back problems had indeed been at issue in the ALJ Hearing, even though not diagnosed until later. See, e.g., Lisa v. Secretary of Health & Human Serv., 940 F.2d 40 (2d Cir. 1991). However, while Mayes' past medical history indicated that she had had some back problems, none of the disabilities Mayes claimed before the ALJ was a back problem. 53 Even assuming that Mayes' back problems were in dispute at the ALJ Hearing and that she meets the materiality requirement, the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Mayes' remand request because Mayes failed to show good cause for not having offered the evidence in issue earlier. A claimant does not meet the good cause requirement by merely obtaining a more favorable report once his or her claim has been denied. To demonstrate good cause, the claimant must demonstrate that the new evidence was unavailable earlier. Key v. Heckler, 754 F.2d 1545, 1551 (9th Cir. 1985) (If new information surfaces after the Secretary's final decision and the claimant could not have obtained that evidence at the time of the administrative proceeding, the good cause requirement is satisfied); see also Sanchez v. Secretary of Health & Human Serv., 812 F.2d 509, 512 (9th Cir. 1987) (holding that the applicant lacked good cause to remand for consideration of two psychological examinations prepared after the applicant's disability determination when his attorney knew of the applicant's memory loss but failed to explain why the applicant had not requested a mental evaluation or pressed his mental impairment claim at the hearing before the ALJ). The claimant must also establish good cause for not having sought the expert's opinion earlier. Clem, 894 F.2d at 332. 54 Mayes fails to explain why she did not seek or could not have obtained an evaluation of her back before the ALJ Hearing. 6 Mayes mentioned Spinal Problems on her initial application for disability benefits in 1988. When the Social Security Administration was reviewing her eligibility for benefits in 1996, Mayes complained of rheumatoid arthritis in her spine. At the ALJ Hearing, Mayes only mentioned that her back hurt. If Mayes' back problems were disabling, she should have sought a diagnosis of or treatment for her back problems earlier. At the ALJ Hearing, Mayes chiefly complained about other medical problems. An ALJ cannot be responsible for diagnosing a problem that a claimant decides not to pursue. Given this background, we conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in finding that Mayes' November 1997 diagnosis of herniated discs did not provide good cause for the remand of the case to the ALJ for a new determination in light of that subsequent diagnosis. 55