(a) General. (1) We may hold a consolidated hearing if--
(1) We may hold a consolidated hearing if--
(i) You have requested a hearing to decide your disability claim, and
(ii) One or more of the issues to be considered at your hearing is the same as an issue involved in another claim you have pending before us.
(2) If the administrative law judge consolidates the claims, he or she will decide both claims, even if we have not yet made an initial determination or a reconsidered determination on the other claim.
(b) Record, evidence, and decision. There will be a single record at a consolidated hearing. This means that the evidence introduced at the hearing becomes the evidence of record in each claim adjudicated. The administrative law judge may issue either a consolidated decision or separate decisions for each claim. [71 FR 16446, Mar. 31, 2006, as amended at 76 FR 24809, May 3, 2011]