What does the term “on the record decision” mean?
An On the Record decision is one in which the Administrative Law Judge grants an approval to a claimant without having held a hearing face-to-face with him. Some ALJs rarely grant an approval without having first seen the claimant; others feel they are able to make a decision based upon the evidence provided. A claimant can request an on-the-record view, and on-the-record decisions are almost always favorable to the claimant. However, if a case is not favorable, a claimant must then be given the opportunity to have the case presented before an Administrative Law Judge.