Opinion ID: 2778513
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: New Evidence Before the Appeals Council

Text: Finally, Thornton argues that the Appeals Council erred in refusing to add Gayer’s December 2010 psychiatric evaluation of Thornton to the administrative record. A claimant is generally permitted to “present new evidence at each stage of [the] administrative process.” Ingram, 496 F.3d at 1261 (citation omitted). The Appeals Council is required under the relevant regulations to consider evidence 19 Case: 13-15165 Date Filed: 02/11/2015 Page: 20 of 23 that relates to the period on or before the date of the ALJ decision. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.976(b)(1), 416.1476(b)(1). Evidence that postdates that period, however, is to be returned to the claimant. Id. We review de novo a district court’s decision regarding the necessity of a remand to the Commissioner based on new evidence. Vega v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., 265 F.3d 1214, 1218 (11th Cir. 2001). Gayer evaluated Thornton on December 6, 2010, six months after the ALJ issued his decision. Gayer found, among other things, that Thornton was suffering from a major depressive disorder, that her IQ score was borderline, and that her GAF score was 50. Thornton argues that Gayer’s evaluation indicates that the ALJ erred in concluding that Thornton had improved between January 2010, when Hubbard found Thornton to be unable to work, and April 2010, when Huthwaite examined Thornton. Where a claimant seeks review of the Commissioner’s final decision, the district court has two methods—each addressing a different problem—for remanding a case back to the Commissioner under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). Ingram, 496 F.3d at 1261. The first method, known as a sentence-four remand, is “based upon a determination that the Commissioner erred in some respect in reaching the decision to deny benefits.” Jackson v. Chater, 99 F.3d 1086, 1095 (11th Cir. 1996). A sentence-four remand is applicable when evidence was properly before the Commissioner, but “the Appeals Council did not adequately consider the 20 Case: 13-15165 Date Filed: 02/11/2015 Page: 21 of 23 additional evidence.” Ingram, 496 F.3d at 1268 (citation omitted). A sentence four remand is warranted only where the Commissioner’s decision was not supported by substantial evidence or where the Commissioner or ALJ incorrectly applied the relevant law. Moore v. Barnhart, 405 F.3d 1208, 1210 n.2 (11th Cir.