Cliggett v. Barnhart - ED Pa. - September 20, 2005
http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/05D1150P.pdf
Claimant suffered several spinal-related severe impairments, including epidural fibrosis. In court, claimant alleged that she met new Listing 1.08, which was promulgated during the course of the case, more than one and one-half years after the ALJ decision, but before the Appeals Council decision.
The court cited an SSA statement about a different rule change, in which it said that "as is our usual practice when we make changes to our regulations, we will apply these final rules to the claims of applicants for benefits that are pending at any stage of our administrative process." The court also cited an unreported 3d Circuit case holding that "[i[f it is determined that the new regulations is more favorable to the claimant that the original version, she should be entitled to rely on the more expansive construction." Coppola v. Barnhart, 99 Fed. Appx. 365, 2004 WL 1088368 (2004), noting that while not precedential, the court "finds it instructive."
The court noted that new Listing 1.08 had been adopted at the time of Appeals Council review and summarized by saying that "when final changes to Social Security regulations are made, the new regulations should be applied to claims of applicants for benefits that are pending at any stage of the administrative review process. If a new regulation is more favorable to a claimant than the original version, the claimant should be entitled to rely on the new regulation."
The court remanded that case "so as to give the Commissioner an opportunity to set forth her position on the applicability of Listing 1.08 to epidural fibrosis."
Donald Marritz, staff attorney
MidPenn Legal Services - Gettysburg
