NOT PRECE DENTIAL

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR T HE THIRD CIRCUIT

___________

No. 2 0

- 1 8 8 4

_ _________

A N D R E A C H I N M E S S I N A

,

Appellant

v.

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

______ ___ ___________________________

On Appeal from the United Stat es District Court

for the District of N e w J e r s e y

(D.C. Civil Action No. 2

- 17

- cv

- 02315 )

M a g i s t r a t e Judge: Ho norable P a u l A

. Z o s s ( b y c o n s e n t )

____________________________________

Submitted Purs uan t to Third Circuit LAR 34.1(a)

F e b r u a r y 2

, 2 0 2 1

Before: J O R D A

N

, M A T E Y

, a n d N Y G A A R D

, Circuit Judges

(Opinion filed : February 8, 2021 )

_ __________

OPINION *

___________

PER CURIAM

Andrea C h i n Messina appeals from the order of the United States District Cour t

for the District of New Jersey u p h o l d i n g t h e 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 ’ s d e n i a l o f

d i s a b i l i t y i n s u r a n c e b e n e f i t s

. F o r t h e f

o l l o w i n g r e a s o n s

, w e w i l l a f f i r m

.

* This dispos ition i s not an opinion of the full C ourt and p ursuant to I .O.P. 5.7 does not2

I n 2 0 1 2

, M e s s i n a a p p l i e d f o r d i s a b i l i t y i n s u r a n c e b e n e f i t s

, al l e g i n g a d i s a b i l i t y

o n s e t d a t e o f J u l y 3 0

, 2 0 0 2

, a t a g e 3 1

. S h e b a s e d h e r c l a i m o n a b a c k i n j u r y

, i r r i t a b l e

b o w e l s y n d r o m e ( I B S )

, h e a d a c h e s

, a n d me n t a l h e a l t h i s s u e s

. O n i n i t i a l r e v i e w a n d o n

r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n

, t h e a g e n c y d e n i e d M e s s i n a ’ s a p p l i c a t i o n

. T h r o u g h c o u n s e l

, M e s s i n a

p r e s e n t e d h e r c l a i m s t o a n A d m i n i s t r a t i v e L a w J u d g e ( A L J )

.

I n s u p p o r t o f h e r c l a i m

, M e s s i n a p r o v i d e d m e d i c a l r e c o r d s

— i n c l u d i n g 2 0 0 7 a n d

2 0 0 8 i m a g i n g r e p o r t s

, D r

. S p i e l m a n ’ s n o t e s c o n c e r n i n g M e s s i n a ’ s d e g e n e r a t i v e d i s c

d i s e a s e an d M a r c h 2 0 0 8 b a c k s u r g e r y

, a n d D r

. S p i e l m a n ’ s n o t e s i n d i c a t i n g t h a t M e s s i n a

w a s d o i n g w e l l d

u r i n g t h e 1 8

- m o n t h f

o l l o w

- u p p e r i o d

. F o r e x a m p l e

, M e s s i n a h a d t o l d

D r

. S p i e l m a n t h a t a t s i x w e e k s

, s h e h a d per f o r m e d s o m e y a r d w o r k

, i n c l u d i n g m o v i n g

l a r g e s t o n e s ; a t 1 8 m o n t h s

, D r

. S p i e l m a n n o t e d t h a t M e s s i n a ’ s x

- r a y s s h o w e d s a t i s f a c t o r y

h a r d w a r e p o s i t i o n

, a n d t h a t t h e f u s i o n a p p e a r e d s o l i d

. I n 2 0 1 2

, h o w e v e r

, D r

. S p i e l m a n

e x p r e s s e d c o n c e r n o v e r M e s s i n a ’ s w o r s e n i n g s y m p t o m s

. M e s s i n a ’ s m e d i c a l r e c o r d s a l s o

include D r

. D o v e r ’ s n o t e s f r o m 2 0 1 3

- 2 0 1 4 r e g a r d i n g M e s s i n a ’ s m i g r a i n e h e a d a c h e s

,

w h i c h h a d o c c u r r e d a s o f t e n a s e v e r y o t h e r d a y b u t b y S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 4 h a d d e c r e a s e d

e n o u g h t o a l l o w h e r t o f

u n c t i o n

. F u r t h e r

, t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e c o r d c o n t a i n s M e s s i n a ’ s

2 0 1 2 F u n c t i o n R e p o r t

. A m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s

, M e s s i n a r e p o r t e d t h a t s h e a t t e n d s t o

h o u s e h o l d c h o r e s

, w i t h s o m e a s s i s t a n c e ( l a u n d r y

, f o o d s h o p p i n g

, b i l l s

, m e a l p r e p a r a t i o n

,

m o w i n g t h e l a w n o n a t r a c t o r )

, c h i l d c a r e d u t i e s ( h e l p i n g h e r c h i l d r e n g e t d r e s s e d

, t a k i n g

t h e m s h o p p i n g

, p u t t i n g t h e m t o b e d )

, a n d h o b b i e s ( r e c r e a t i o n a l s h o p p i n g

, v i s i t i n g w i t h

constitute b inding precedent.3

f r i e n d s

, p h o t o g r a p h y )

. M e s s i n a a l s o r e p o r t e d t h a t s h e h a s d i f

f i c u l t y s l e e p i n g a n d

c h a l l e n g e s w i t h c o n c e n t r a t i o n

, m o t i v a t i o n

, a n d a n x i e t y ; a t t i m e s s h e g o e s f o r d a y s

w i t h o u t g e t t i n g d r e s s e d a n d f o r g e t s h er m e d i c a t i o n

.

I n 2 0 1 5

, t h e A L J h e l d a h e a r i n g o n M e s s i n a ’ s a p p l i c a t i o n

. M e s s i n a t e s t i f i e d t h a t

s h e t o r e a d i s c i n h e r b a c k o n D e c e m b e r 1 5

, 2 0 0 1

, w h i l e ha n d l i n g l u g g a g e a s a

C o n t i n e n t a l A i r l i n e s a i r

p o r t s a l e s a g e n t

. F o r a f

e w m o n t h s i n 2 0 0 2

, M e s s i n a w o rk e d

“ l i g h t d u t y ” b u t s h e h a d t o u s e t h e b a t h r o o m f r e q u e n t l y ; s h e s t o p p e d w o r k i n g w h e n h e r

j o b w a s a d m i n i s t r a t i v e l y t e r m i n a t e d

. M e s s i n a de s c r i b e d h e r s e v e r e b a c k p a i n

, m i g r a i n e

h e a d a c h e s

, p a i n f

r o m I B S w i t h c o n s t i p a t i o n

, a n d d i f f i c u l t i e s w i t h h o u s e h o l d c h o r e s a n d

c h i l d c a r e f

o r h e r t h r e e c h i l d r e n ( i n c l u d i n g a t h e n

- n e w b o r n a n d t h e n

- 1 4

- m o n t h o l d )

. S h e

st a t e d t h a t s h e b e c a m e d e p r e s s e d s h o r t l y a f t e r h e r w o r k

p l a c e i n j u r y

, a n d s h e w a s

p r e s c r i b e d C y m b a l t a i n 2 0 0 5 o r 2 0 0 6

, w h i c h h e l p e d h e r

. A s o f t h e 2 0 1 5 h e a r i n g

,

M e s s i n a s t a t e d t h a t s h e h a d a n x i e t y a t t a c k s o n c e o r t w i c e a w e e k a n d s t a y e d i n b e d f r o m

d e p r e s s i o n s e v e r a l t i m e s p e r m o n t h

. A v o c a t i o n a l e x p e r t t e s t i f i e d c o n c e r n i n g M e s s i n a ’ s

p a s t w o r k i n t h e l i g h t e x e r t i o n a l r a n g e ; t h e p r e c l u s i o n o f h e r p a s t w o r k d u e t o h e r p a i n

,

d e p r e s s i o n

, a n d n e e d f

o r u n r e s t r i c t e d a c c e s s t o a t o i l e t ; a n d t h e n u m b e r s o f j o b s i n t h e

n a t i o n a l e c o n o m y f

o r w o r k i n t h e s e d e n t a r y r a n g e

, a s s u m i n g c e r t a i n s c e n a r i o s o f

M e s s i n a ’ s r e s i d

u a l f u n c t i o n a l c a p a c i t y

.

T h e A L J f

o u n d t h a t a l t h o u g h M e s s i n a h a d a s e v e r e b a c k i n j u r y d u r i n g t h e r e l e v a n t

p e r i o d

, M e s s i n a w a s n o t d i s a b l e d

. T h e A L J d e n i e d h e r a p p l i c a t i o n

, a n d t h e S o c i a l

S e c u r i t y A p p e a l s C o u n c i l d e n i e d h e r r e q u e s t f o r r e v i e w

. T h r o u g h c o u n s e l

, M e s s i n a4

p u r s u e d j u d i c i a l r e v i e w u n d e r 4 2 U

. S

. C

. § 4 0 5 ( g )

. T h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t 1 a f f i r m e d the

C o m m i s s i o n e r ’ s d e n i a l o f disability b e n e f i t s f o r t h e r e l e v a n t p e r i o d

. 2 M e s s i n a ’ s p r o s e

a p p e a l f o l l o w e d

.

We have juris diction u n d e r 28 U.S.C. § 12 91. We exerc ise plenary re view over

an y legal conc lusions b y t h e ag e n c y b u t rev iew the A LJ’s factual fin dings to de ter mine

whether they are su

pported by su bstantial evidence. S e e Allen v. Barnhart , 417 F.3d 396,

398 (3d Cir . 2005). I n t h i s c o n t e x t

, “ s ubsta ntial evidenc e” d o e s n o t r e f e r t o t h e q u a n t i t y

o f e v i d e n c e

. I n s t e a d

, i t r e f e r s t o s u f f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e

. S e e Biest ek v. Berryhill , 139 S. Ct.

1 14 8, 11 54 (2019) ( “ w h a t e v e r t h e m e a n i n g o f ‘ s ub s t a n t i a l ’ i n o t h e r c o n t e x t s

, t h e

t h r e s h o l d f

o r s u c h e v i d e n t i a r y s u f

f i c i e n c y i s n o t h i g h

. ” )

. I n o t h e r w o r d s

, i t m e a n s “mo re

than a mere scintil la

, ” r e q u i r i n g o n l y “such r elevant evidence as a reas ona ble mind migh t

ac cept as adequate to support a conclusion.” S e e i d

. ( c i t a t i o n s a n d i n t e r n a l q u o t a t i o n s

o m i t t e d )

.

The term “disability” means an inab ility to engage in any substant ial gainful

activity due to a medically determinable physical or mental impairment of suffici ent

duration. 42 U.S.C. § 423(d)(1)(A ); 20 C.F. R. § 404.1505(a). The ALJ e v a l u a t e d

M e s s i n a ’ s a p p l i c a t i o n u n d e r th e five

- step sequent ial in q u i r y

, s e e 2 0 C

. F

. R

. § 4 0 4

. 1 5 2 0 ( a )

,

1 The partie s cons ent ed u nder 28 U .S.C. § 636(c) to having a Magistrate Judge c onduct

th e procee dings and enter judgmen t

.

2 T h e District Court foun d tha t the ALJ reopened Messina ’ s pr ior ap plica tion f iled in

2008 , rejecting the Commissi oner ’ s res judicata argument . The Commissioner does n ot

rai se this issue on appeal, and we need n ot address i t further.5

for d et er min ing whether s h e b e c a m e disabled b e f o r e D e c e m b e r 3 1

, 2 0 0 7

, t h e d a t e s h e

w a s l a s t i n s u r e d f

o r d i s a b i l i t y b e n e f

i t s b a s e d o n h e r e a r n i n g s r e c o r d

. T h e A L J d e t e r m i n e d

t h a t ( 1 ) M e s s i n a h a d n o t e n g a g e d i n s u b s t a n t i a l g a i n f

u l a c t i v i t y s i n c e t h e a l l e g e d o n s e t

d a t e th roug h D e c e m b e r 3 1

, 2 0 0 7 ; ( 2 ) M e s s i n a h a d s e v e r e p h y s i c a l i m p a i r m e n t s ( d i s o r d e r

o f t h e b a c k

, I B S

, a n d h e a d a c h e s ) b u t n o s e v e r e m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t

, a s t h e r e w e r e n o

m e d i c a l r e p o r t s a d d r e s s i n g t h a t i s s u e ; ( 3 ) n o n e o f M e s s i n a ’ s i mpairm ent s m e t o r equaled

t h e s e v e r i t y o f a p r e s u m p t i v e l y d i s a b l i n g i m p a i r m e n t u n d e r t h e r e g u l a t i o n s ; ( 4 ) M e s s i n a

w a s u n a b l e t o p e r f

o r m p a s t w o r k a s a t i c k e t a g e n t b u t h a d r e s i d u a l f u n c t i o n a l c a p a c i t y to

perform s e d e n t a r y wor k

, w i t h n o n

- e x e r t i o n a l l i m i t a t i o n s ; a n d ( 5 ) a t l e a s t t h r e e j o b s

( a d d r e s s e r

, d o c u m e n t p r e p a r e r

, a n d f i n a l a s s e m

b l e r ) e x i s t e d i n s i g n i f

i c a n t number s i n t h e

n a t i o n a l e c o n o m y a n d c o u l d b e p e r f o r m e d b y a p e r s o n w i t h M e s s i n a ’ s a g e

, 3 e d u c a t i o n

,

w o r k e x p e r i e n c e

, a n d r e s i d u a l f u n c t i o n a l c a p a c i t y f

o r s e d e n t a r y w o r k

. The ALJ

concluded that M e s s i n a was not disabled f o r t h e r e l e v a n t p e r i o d u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n

.

M e s s i n a a r gu e d t o t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t t h a t t h e A L J ’ s r e s i d u a l f u n c t i o n a l capacity

a s s e s s m e n t i s n o t s u

p p o r t e d b y s ub s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e

, t h a t t h e A L J i m p r o p e r l y d i s c o u n t e d

s o m e o f M e s s i n a ’ s t e s t i m o n y f o r c r e d i b i l i t y r e a s o n s

, a n d t h a t t h e A L J f a i l e d t o a s k

w h e t h e r t h e v o c a t i o n a l e x p e r t ’ s t e s t i m o n y c o n f l i c t e d w i t h t h e D i c t i o n a r y o f O c c u p a t i o n a l

T i t l e s c o n c e r n i n g b a t h r o o m b r e a k s

. T h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t c o n s i d e r e d t h e a r g u m e n t s a g a i n s t

t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e c o r d a n d d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e A L J ’ s d e c i s i o n w a s s u p p o r t e d b y

3 M essina was age 31 on July 30, 2002 ( the a ll eged d i sability ons et date) and age 3 6 on

December 31, 2007 ( the date last ins ured)

.6

s u b s t a n t i a l e v i d e n c e

. Having reviewed the adminis trative record, w e agree

, l a r g e l y f o r

t h e r e a s o n s g i v e n i n t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ’ s t h o r o u g h o p i n i o n

.

W e b r i e f l y d i s c u s s s e v e r a l o f M e s s i n a ’ s c o n t e n t i o n s o n a p p e a l c o n c e r n i n g t h e

A L J ’ s d e c i s i o n

. M e s s i n a a c kn o w l e d g e s t h e l a c k o f e v i d e n c e i n t h e r e c o r d c o n c e r n i n g

m e n t a l h e a l t h t r e a t m e n t t o e s t a b l i s h d i s a b l i n g m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t s

, b u t s h e e m p h a s i z e s

t h e A L J f i n d i n g s o f “ s e v e r e ” physical i m p a i r m e n t s p r e c l u d i n g h e r a b i l i t y t o fu nction a t

f u l l c a p a c i t y

. M e s s i n a p r o v i d e s d e t a i l s o f h e r p e r s o n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s

, s u c h a s t h e t i m i n g

o f h e r d e c i s i o n t o h a v e children

, t h e h e l p s h e r e c e i v e s f r o m f a m i l y m e m b e r s

, a n d h e r

h i s t o r y o f d e p r e s s i o n a n d a n x i e t y

. S h e d i s p u t e s t h e f i n d i n g t h a t s h e h a s t h e r e s i d u a l

f u n c t i o n a l c a p a c i t y t o p e r f o r m s e d e n t a r y w o r k

, a n d s h e p r o v i d e s e x p l a n a t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g

t h e A L J ’ s d e t e r m i n a t i o n

. F o r e x a m p l e

, M e s s i n a s t a t e s t h a t s h e c a n e n g a g e i n s h o p p i n g

f o r u p t o t w o h o u r s a t a t i m e

, n o t i n g t h a t s h e t a k e s r e s t b r e a k s a n d i s e x h a u s t e d b y t h e

e f f o r t

, b u t s h e e n d

u r e s i t b e c a u s e h e r h u s b a n d s p e n d s t o o m u c h m o n e y

. S h e a l s o e x p l a i n s

t h a t s h e c a n c o o k o n l y s i m p l e m e a l s f o r h e r f a m i l y

, a n d

, a l t h o u g h s h e t a k e s c a r e o f h e r

l a w n a n d g a r d e n

, s h e d o e s s o a t h e r o w n p a c e

. I n e f f e c t

, M e s s i n a a s k s u s t o a p p l y m o r e

w e i g h t t o e v i d e n c e o f h e r l i m i t a t i o n s a n d l e s s w e i g h t t o e v i d e n c e o f h e r a b i l i t i e s

. Y e t w e

c a n n o t reweig h the eviden ce or mak e our own factual d ete rm in ation s. See Chandler v

.

C o m m ’ r o f S o c

. S e c

. , 667 F. 3d 3 5 6

, 359 ( 3 d C i r

. 2 0 1 1 )

. W e w ill uphold the decision if it

is support ed by substantial evidence in the record, even if we would hav e decided the

factual inquiry differently. See Hartranft v. A pfel

, 181 F.3d 358 , 360 (3 d Cir. 1999)

.

A l s o

, t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t M e s s i n a r e l i e s o n f a c t s not par t o f the a d m i n i s t r a t i v e record

, w e7

c annot consider the m

. S e e Jones v. Sullivan

, 954 F. 2d 125, 128 (3d Cir. 1991) (evidence

not presented to the ALJ “cannot be used to argue that the ALJ’s decision was not

supported by substantial eviden ce”)

.

We have consid ered all of M e s s i n a ’s arguments on appeal and conclude that they

are unavailing. We w ill affir m the or der of the District Court.