Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca10-90-05070/USCOURTS-ca10-90-05070-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 863
Nature of Suit: Social Security - DIWC/DIWW (405(g))
Cause of Action: 

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UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS 

TENTH CIRCUIT 

EARL PENN, 

Plaintiff-Appellant, 

f1 1L E D 

United Stat~~ Col'.tc of Appeals 

Tenrh Circuit 

SEP 1 3 1990 

R.OBERT L. HOECKER 

Clerk 

v. 

LOUIS W. SULLIVAN, M.D., 

Secretary of Health and 

Human Services, 

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No. 90-5070 

(D.C. No. 89-C-323-B) 

( N . D . Okla . ) 

Defendant-Appellee. 

ORDER AND JUDGMENT * 

Before LOGAN, SEYMOUR, and TACHA, Circuit Judges. 

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel 

has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially 

assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 

34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore ordered 

submitted without oral argument. 

This appeal is from an order of the district court affirming 

a determination of the Secretary of Health and Human Services 

(Secretary) that plaintiff is not disabled and can perform other 

work in the national economy. Plaintiff alleges on appeal that 

the Secretary was required to call a vocational expert because of 

the existence of pain, a nonexertional impairment. We disagree. 

* This order and judgment has no precedential value and shall 

not be cited, or used by any court within the Tenth Circuit, 

except for purposes of establishing the doctrines of the law of 

the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. 10th Cir. R. 

36.3. 

Appellate Case: 90-5070 Document: 010110042158 Date Filed: 09/13/1990 Page: 1 
The Secretary is only obligated to call a vocational expert 

if the plaintiff has shown a nonexertional impairment that 

precludes application of the grids. In this case, the Secretary 

found that Penn's subjective allegations of pain were not 

corroborated by the record. In particular, the Secretary relied 

on the fact that Penn had not sought treatment for over a year 

after the onset of the pain, none of Penn's treating physicians 

had mentioned pain as a disabling factor, Penn's continued heavy 

work for a period, his failure to sustain treatment for pain once 

sought, and his determination that Penn's credibility was suspect. 

The Secretary properly considered a broad range of evidence. See 

Luna~ Bowen, 834 F.2d 161, 165 (10th Cir. 1987). We cannot say 

that the Secretary's determination is unsupported by the record. 

See Gossett~ Bowen, 862 F.2d 802, 806-07 (10th Cir. 1988). 

Because the Secretary determined that Penn's pain did not 

constitute a nonexertional impairment, the Secretary was not 

obligated to call a vocational expert and could rely on the grids. 

After examining the record and considering the plaintiff's legal 

arguments, we find that the Secretary's decision is supported by 

substantial evidence in the record and that the proper legal 

standards were applied. We therefore AFFIRM the order of the 

district court. The mandate shall issue forthwith. 

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ENTERED FOR THE COURT 

Deanell Reece Tacha 

Circuit Judge 

Appellate Case: 90-5070 Document: 010110042158 Date Filed: 09/13/1990 Page: 2