FILED U.S. COURT OF AP P EALS E LEV EN T HC IRC U IT JULY 18, 2007 THOMAS K. KAH

N CLERK [ DO NO T P UB L I S H] I N THE UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C IR C U IT

________________________ N o. 07- 10766 N on -A rgum entC al endar

________________________ D . C. D o c k e tN o . 0 5 - 0 1 1 2 0 - CV - O RL- 3 1 - K RS J O H N M C D E V I T T , P la in tif f - A p p e lla n t, v ersu s C O M M I S S I O N E R O F S O C I A L S E C U R I T Y , D e f e n d a n t- A p p e lle e .

________________________ A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f orthe M i ddl e D i s tr i c tof F l or i da

_________________________ ( Ju l y 18, 2007) B efo re B IR C H , C A RN E S an d W IL S O N , C i rcu i tJu d g es. P E R C U R I A M: J ohn M c D e vi tt( “ M c D e vi tt ” ) appe a l s the di s tr i c tc our t ’ s or de ra f f i rm i ng the2

S oc i a l S e c ur i ty C om m i s s i one r ’ s ( “ the C om m i s s i one r ’ s ” ) de ni a l of a pe r i od of d is ab ility , d is ab ility in s u r a n c e b e n e f its , a n d s u p p le m e n ta l s e c u r ity in c o m e . See 42 U . S . C . §§ 405( g) , 1383( c ) ( 3) . O n appe a l , M c D e vi tta r gue s tha tthe A dm i ni s tr a t i ve L aw Judg e ( “ A L J” ) e rr ed by fa i l i ng t o d evel op the re cord w i th regard t o the i m pact of the si de ef

fe ct s f rom the m edi ca t i on s he w as t aki ng . S peci fi ca l l y, he ar gu es that the A L J e rr e d i n f

i ndi ng tha the ha d nott e s t i f i e d tha tthe m e di c a t i ons he w a s t a ki ng c a us e d a n e xtr e m e l a c k of c onc e ntr a t i on. A f

t e rc a r e f ul r e vi e w , w e r e ve r s e the di s tr i c tc our ta nd r e m a nd thi s c a s e w i th i ns truc t i ons tha ti tbe r e turne d t o the C om m i s s i one rf

orf ur the rpr oc e e di ngs c ons i s t e ntw i th thi s opi ni on.

B AC KG RO UN D I n J a n u a ry 2 0 0 2 , M c D e v itt ap p lie d f o ra p e r io d o f

d is ab ility , d is ab ility i nsurance benef

i t s, and sup pl em ent al se curi ty i ncom e. H e a l l eged thata rup tured tho ra ci c di sc , m uscl e s pasm s, l oss of the use of hi s r i gh tarm , and extre m e pai n h ad re nd er ed hi m un abl e t o w ork as of A ug ust8, 20 01 . M cD evi tt ’ s app l i ca t i on w as de ni e d i ni t i a l l y a nd upon r e c ons i de r a t i on. M c D e vi ttr e que s t e d a he a r i ng, a nd on June 2, 20 04 , an A L J heard hi s c as e. A tthe heari ng , M cD evi ttt es t i fi ed thathe w as 50 ye ar s ol d, no tw orki ng at tha tt i m e , a nd r e c e i vi ng f ood s t a m ps . M c D e vi ttt ol d the A L J tha ton m os tda y s he v o m ite din th e m o rn in g , b u t h is s to m a c h u s u a lly s e ttle d b y 1 0 :0 0 a .m . H e w o u ld3

o c c a s io n a lly ta k e B e n a d ry l to s e ttle h is s to m a c h , b u t th is m a d e h im s le e p y . M c D e vi ttt e s t i f

i e d tha the ha d e xtr e m e pa i n i n hi s s houl de r s , r i ghta rm , a nd ri gh tl eg. In addi t i on , three of hi s f i ng er s a nd hi s thu m b w er e num b. H e bl am ed the s e pr obl e m s on a bul gi ng orhe rni a t e d thor a c i c di s c tha tw a s c a us i ng hi s r i ght arm t o shri nk . H e a l so had o cc as i on al pai n i n h i s l ow erback, du ri ng w hi ch he had to lie o n th e f

lo o ra n d c o u ld n o t s ta n d s tr a ig h t. M c D e vi tts t a t e d tha tthr e e orf ourw e e ks pr i ort o the he a r i ng he w e ntt o the e m e r ge nc y r oom due t o a s e i z ur e . T he doc t or s be l i e ve d the s e i z ur e w a s c a us e d by al coho l w i thd ra w al , and they pre sc ri bed h i m L i bri um t o eas e the w i thd ra w al s y m pt om s . M c D e vi ttt ol d the A L J tha tL i br i um c a us e d “ e xtr e m e l a c k of c o n c e n tr a tio n ” a n d m a d e h im u n s te a d y o n h is f e e t. M c D e vi ttt e s t i f

i e d tha ti n 1989 he w orke d i n boa ts a l e s , butw a s run ove rby a b o a ta n d ru p tu r e d a d i s c i n h i s n e c k . He h a d s u r g e ry o n h i s n e c k i n 1 9 9 0 . He k e p t w o rk in g in b o a t s a le s u n til 1 9 9 3 . I n 1 9 9 5 a n d 1 9 9 6 , h e w o rk e d in r e a l e s ta te . In 19 97 , he w orked for a t el em arket i ng com pany thatw entou tof bu si ness . In 19 98 and 1 99 9, he w orked i n res ortm arket i ng , and i n 1 99 9 u nt i l 20 01 , he w orked a ta s a ndw i c h s hop. W he n the A L J a s ke d i f he c oul d do t e l e m a rke t i ng a ga i n, Mc De v i ttr e s p o n d e d th a th e d i d n ’ tk n o w “ b e c a u s e i tr e q u i r e s c o n c e n tr a t i o n . ” He s ta te d th a t h e d e f

in ite ly c o u ld n o t d o b o a t s a le s b e c a u s e it w a s e x tr e m e ly p h y s ic a l,4

a n d a ls o s ta te d th a t h e c o u ld n o t w o rk in a r e s ta u r a n t. M c D e vi ttthoughthe c oul d l i f t20 pounds , s t a nd f

ora n hour , w a l k f

orabout an ho ur, and si ti n a stra i gh t -bac ked chai r f or atl ea sttw o h ou rs . H e had consi dere d a d a t a e n try j o b , b u tw a s i n h i b i t e d b y “ th e l a c k o f c o n c e n tr a t i o n , ” p a i n i n h i s a rm, a n d n a u s e a . N um er ou s m edi ca l re cords docum entM cD evi tt ’ s bac k p robl em s, w hi ch w e r e a ggr a va t e d by a f

a l l i n A ugus t2001. H i s m e di c a l r e c or ds a l s o s how tha the h a d a n o n g o in g p r o b le m w ith a lc o h o l ab u s e . H i s m edi ca l re cords r ef l ec tthati n A pri l 20 02 , M cD evi ttw entt o the ho spi t al com pl ai ni ng of se vere pai n i n h i s r i gh tarm and chestand w as adm i tt ed for f urther e va l ua t i on. T he e xa m i ni ng phy s i c i a n r e c or de d tha t“ he ha [ d] be e n not e d t o dr i nk f r e que nt l y . ” W hi l e i n the hos pi t a l , he s uf f e r e d a s e i z ur e tha tw a s de t e rm i ne d t o be r e l a t e d t o a l c ohol w i thdr a w a l . H e w a s gi ve n m e di c a t i on, i nc l udi ng L i br i um , a nd r e l e a s e d a f

t e rhe w a s s t abi l i z e d. I n M a y 2002, M c D e vi tts t a t e d i n a R eco n si d erat i o n D i sab i l i ty R ep o rtth atan i n crease in p ai n h ad req u i red an i n crease i n m e di c a t i on tha tha d “ s e ve r e l y de c r e a s e d [ hi s ] abi l i ty t o c onc e ntr a t e ” a nd tha the w as curr ent l y “ un abl e t o con ce ntra t e. ” I n S e pt e m be r2002, D r . W i l l i a m P . F r i e de nbe r g, P h. D . , c onduc t e d a p h y s io lo g ic a l e v a lu a tio n o f M c D e v itt a t th e r e q u e s t o f th e S o c ia l S e c u r ity5

A dm i ni stra t i on . M cD evi ttt ol d F ri edenberg thathe w as t aki ng hydrocod on e, N euront i n, P henergan, and S kel axi n. M cD evi ttal so t ol d F ri edenberg thathe w as s uf f e r i ng “ e m ot i ona l pr obl e m s i n the f orm of r e a c t i ve a nxi e ty , pa ni c a tt a c ks , a nd [d ep re ss io n ]. ” B as ed o n th e in terv iew , D r. F ried en b er g co n clu d ed th at M cD ev itt’ s o v e r a ll m e m o ry a n d c o n c e n tr a tio n w e r e m o d e r a te ly im p a ir e d . I n a d d itio n to h is e xi s t i ng phy s i c a l a i l m e nt s , D r . F r i e de nbe r g di a gnos e d M c D e vi ttw i th de pr e s s i ve di s or de r , a dj us tm e ntdi s or de rw i th m i xe d a nxi e ty a nd de pr e s s e d m ood, a nd a l c ohol ab u s e . A ls o in S e p te m b e r2 0 0 2 , M c D e v itt f ille d o u t F lo r id a D e p a r tm e n t o f H e a lth que s t i onna i r e i ndi c a t i ng tha the w a s t a ki ng hy dr oc odone , N e ur ont i n, a nd S ke l a xi n, a n d th a t th is m e d ic a tio n c a u s e d n a u s e a , lo s s o f c o n c e n tr a tio n , a n d d r o w s in e s s . I n O c to b e r2 0 0 2 , D r . V a l J . B e e , P s y .D ., a s ta te a g e n c y c lin ic a l p s y c h o lo g is t, e xa m i ne d M c D e vi ttt o a s s e s s hi s m e nt a l r e s i dua l f unc t i oni ng c apa c i ty . A m ong othe rthi ngs , D r . B e e f

ound tha tM c D e vi tt ’ s abi l i ty t o m a i nt a i n a tt e nt i on a nd concentra t i on for e xt ended p er i od s w as m od er at el y l i m i t ed. D r. B ee concl ud ed tha tM c D e vi tt ’ s “ c ondi t i on m a y c a us e di m i ni s he d c onc e ntr a t i on a nd e f f i c i e nc y , but he appear[ ed] abl e t o m ee tthe m ent al dem ands of w el l structured t as k act i vi ty. ” D r . B e e n o te d th a t M c D e v itt r e p o r te d d r in k in g ab o u t tw o g la s s e s o f w in e a d a y . I n M a r c h 2 0 0 3 , M c D e v itt w a s a d m itte d to th e h o s p ita l f o rin tr a c tab le v o m i t i n g . W h i l e h i s d i sch arg e d i ag n o ses i n cl u d ed ex p o su re t o tu b ercu l o si s,6

es op hagi t i s, gastri t i s w i th h em orrhage, du od eni t i s, cont i nu ou s a l coho l depend ence , a n d a lc o h o l w ith d r a w a l, n o n e o f th e p h y s ic ia n s w h o tr e a te d h im d u r in g th is h o s p ita liz a tio n in d ic a te d th e c a u s e s o f th e s e a ilm e n ts . A ft erre vi ew i ng the m edi ca l evi dence, the A L J f ou nd thatM cD evi tthad

“ pos tc e rvi c a l / l um ba rs ur ge r i e s w i th ba c k, ne c k, a nd bi l a t e r a l uppe re xtr e m i ty pa i n, a nd [ tha t ] he ha [ d] a s ubs t a nc e a ddi c t i on di s or de r , a l l e ge dl y i n r e m i s s i on, hy pe r t e ns i on, a nd a hi s t ory of tube r c ul os i s . ” A f

t e rf i ndi ng tha tM c D e vi ttw a s not en g ag ed i n su b st an t i al g ai n fu l act i v i ty, th e A L J co n cl u d ed th atw h i l e th ese i m pa i rm e nt s w e r e s e ve r e , the y di d notm e e ta ny of the i m pa i rm e nt s i n the re gu l at i on s. A cc ordi ng l y, the A L J proce eded t o con si der w hether M cD evi tthad o n e o r m o re i m p ai rm en t s th atw o u l d p rev en th i m fro m retu rn i n g t o an y o f h i s p ast w o rk ex p eri en ces. T he A L J f

ou nd thatM cD evi tthad the re si du al funct i on al capaci ty ( “ R F C ”) t o p er form pastre l evantw ork, nam el y, t el em arket i ng , and there fore concl ud ed that h e w a s n o t d is ab le d . I n m a k in g th is d e te rm in a tio n , th e A L J n o te d th a t th e s ta te agency psyc ho l og i sthad fou nd thatM cD evi ttw as m od er at el y l i m i t ed w i th regard t o c onc e ntr a t i on. H ow e ve r , the A L J w a s pe r s ua de d tha tM c D e vi tt ’ s c onc e ntr a t i on w a s im p a ir e d b e c a u s e o f h is o n g o in g a lc o h o l ab u s e a t th e tim e o f th e e v a lu a tio n . T he A L J f

ound tha t“ [ l ] a t e re vi de nc e i n the r e c or d doe s nots how s i gni f i c a nt7

m e m o ry o rc o n c e n tr a tio n d e f ic its n o rd o e s it s h o w a n y o n g o in g m e n ta l h e a lth tr e a tm e nt . ” T he A L J s pe c i f i c a l l y f ound tha tM c D e vi tt“ di d notm e nt i on a ny concentra t i on or m em ory di ff i cul t i es atthe heari ng . ” T he A L J s t at ed that M cD evi tthad “ fa i l ed t o add re ss hi s ong oi ng abuse of a l coho l i n the pastw hi ch ha[d] pl ay ed a s i gn i fi ca ntrol e i n h i s hea l th p robl em s. ” M c D e v itt r e q u e s te d r e v ie w o f th e A L J ’s d e c is io n b y th e A p p e a ls C o u n c il, w hi ch w as deni ed. M cD evi ttthen sou gh tre vi ew i n the di stri ctcourt . T he di stri ct c our ta dopt e d the m a gi s tr a t e j udge ’ s r e por ta nd r e c om m e nda t i on a nd a f f i rm e d the A L J ’s d e te rm in a tio n s . STA N D A R D O F R EVI EW W e r e vi e w a s oc i a l s e c ur i ty c a s e t o de t e rm i ne w he the rthe A L J appl i e d the corr ec tl egal st andards and w hether the A L J’ s dec i si on i s s up po rt ed by “ subst ant i al evi dence. ” Se e L e w is v . C al lahan , 12 5 F . 3d 14 36 , 14 39 (11th C i r. 19 97 ). In r e vi e w i ng the A L J ’ s de c i s i on, “ [ w ] e m a y notde c i de f a c t s a ne w , r e w e i gh the e v id e n c e , o rs u b s titu te o u rju d g m e n t f o rth a t o f th e [ A L J ].” P h i l i

p s v. B a rn h a rt , 3 5 7 F .3 d 1 2 3 2 , 1 2 4 0 n .8 ( 1 1 th C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) ( in te rn a l q u o ta tio n m a rk s o m itte d ) . DI S CUS S I ON T he S oc i a l S e c ur i ty r e gul a t i ons pr ovi de a f i ve - s t e p s e que nc e f

orde t e rm i ni ng w h e th e ra c la im a n t is d is ab le d . T h e A L J m u s t a s k w h e th e r : ( 1 ) th e c la im a n t is8

p re se n tl y u n em p lo ye d ; (2 ) th e c laim an t’ s im p airm en t i s s ev er e; (3 ) th e c laim an t’ s i mp a i rme n tme e t s o re q u a l s o n e o f th e s p e c i f

i c i mp a i rme n t s s e tf

o r th i n 2 0 C. F. R. P t . 40 4, S ub pt . P , A pp . 1; (4) the cl ai m anti s unabl e t o p er form hi s or herform er oc c upa t i on; a nd ( 5) the c l a i m a nti s unabl e t o pe r f orm a ny othe rw ork w i thi n the e c o n o m y . McD an i el

v. B ow en , 8 0 0 F .2 d 1 0 2 6 , 1 0 3 0 ( 1 1 th C ir . 1 9 8 6 ) . T he A L J f

ol l ow ed the fi ve-s t ep anal ys i s a nd foun d thatM cD evi ttsa t i sf i ed th e f ir s t a n d s e c o n d p r o n g , b u t n o t th e th ir d p r o n g . A c c o r d in g ly , M c D e v itt h a d to sa t i sf y the fourth p rong by show i ng thathe coul d n otperf orm any of hi s f

orm er j obs . T he A L J de t e rm i ne d tha tM c D e vi tt ’ s R F C w oul d notl i m i thi m f r om p e r f o rm i n g wo rk a s a t e l e m a rk e t e r ; th e r e f o r e , Mc De v i ttwa s n o td i s ab l e d . On appe a l , M c D e vi tta s s e r t s tha tthe A L J f a i l e d t o pr ope r l y de ve l op the r e c or d by not c ons i de r i ng hi s t e s t i m ony a s t o the s i de e f f e c t s of m e di c a t i ons tha the w a s t a ki ng and w hether tho se si de ef fe ct s pre vent ed hi m fr om perf orm i ng the j ob of a te le m a rk e te r . W e a g r e e . I n d e t e rmi n i n g wh e th e ra c l a i ma n tc a n r e tu rn t o p a s tr e l e v a n two rk , th e ALJ m ustdet erm i ne the cl ai m ant ’ s R F C , usi ng al l re l evantm edi ca l and o ther e vi dence in th e r e c o r d . P hi l l i

ps , 3 5 7 F .3 d a t 1 2 3 8 . W e h a v e s ta te d th a t a n A L J h a s a d u ty to in v e s tig a te th e p o s s ib le s id e e f f e c ts o f m e d ic a tio n s ta k e n b y a c la im a n t. See C ow art v. Schw eike r , 66 2 F . 2d 73 1, 73 7 (11 th C i r. 19 81 ). W e have al so st at ed that9

“ [ i ] ti s c onc e i vabl e tha tthe s i de e f f e c t s of m e di c a t i on c oul d r e nde ra c l a i m a nt di sabl ed or atl ea stcontri bu t e t o a di sabi l i ty. ” Id . T he A L J s pe c i f

i c a l l y s t a t e d tha t“ [ t ] he c l a i m a ntdi d notm e nt i on a ny concentra t i on or m em ory di ff i cul t i es atthe heari ng , al tho ug h h e s ai d h e w as de pr e s s e d. ” T hi s i s i na c c ur a t e . M c D e vi tts pe c i f i c a l l y t e s t i f

i e d tha tthe m e di c a t i on h e w a s ta k in g a t th e tim e , L ib r iu m , c a u s e d e x tr e m e la c k o f c o n c e n tr a tio n . M c D e vi tta l s o t e s t i f

i e d tha the t ook B e na dry l , w hi c h m a de hi m s l e e py . W he n the A L J a s k e d M c D e v itt if

h e c o u ld p e r f

o rm th e d u tie s o f

a te le m a rk e te r , M c D e v itt r e p l i e d th a th e d i d n o tk n o w b e c a u s e “ i tr e q u i r e s c o n c e n tr a t i o n . ” W h i l e th e ALJ foun d M cD evi tt ’ s t es t i m on y “ som ew hatexaggerat ed, ” the A L J m ade no fi nd i ng , as t o cre di bi l i ty or otherw i se , re gardi ng M cD evi tt ’ s c l ai m thathi s m edi ca t i on s c ause d s e v e r e c o n c e n tr a tio n p r o b le m s a n d m a d e h im d r o w s y . S in c e th e A L J f a ile d to m a k e a f in d in g a s to th is c la im , th e A L J ’s d e te rm in a tio n th a t M c D e v itt c o u ld pe r f orm the dut i e s of

a t e l e m a rke t e rw a s notba s e d on s ubs t a nt i a l e vi de nc e i n the r e c o r d . A c c o r d in g ly , w e r e v e r s e th e d is tr ic t c o u r t a n d r e m a n d th is c a s e w ith i ns truc t i ons tha ti tbe r e turne d t o the C om m i s s i one rf orf ur the rpr oc e e di ngs c ons i s t e ntw i th thi s opi ni on. R EVER SED A N D R EM A N D ED .