2010 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 10-8-2010 

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ins v . C omm S o c i al S ecurity P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 09-4733

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_____________ N o. 09- 4733

_____________ J O S E P H H A R K IN S , A p p e llan t,

v. CO M M I SS I ON ER O F S OC I AL SECU RI TY

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fort he D i s t r i ctof N ew J er s ey ( D . C . N o. 08- cv- 6418) D i stri ctJudg e: H on . Jose L . L i nares

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O ct ober5, 2010 B e f o re : S C IR IC A , F U E N T E S a n d J O R D A N , C i r cui tJudges .

( Fi l ed: O ct ober8, 2010)

_______________ OPI NI ON O F THE COURT

_______________ J O R D A N , C i r cui tJudge . J os eph H arki ns appea l s fr om a dec i s i on of the U ni t ed St at es D i s t r i ctC our tfort he D i s t r i ctof N ew J er s eyaff i r m i ng t he or derof an A dm i ni s t r at i ve Law J udge ( “A L J ”)D r. L om bardi had al so perform ed a d i sc exci si on on H arki ns on January20 , 19 92 , as a 1 re s u lt o f a 1 9 9 0 w o rk in

ju ry. U nder42 U . S. C . § 223( c) ( 1) , i ndi vi dual s ar e onl yel i gi bl e fordi s abi l i t yi ns ur ance 2 b e n e f its if th e yh a v e e a rn e d s u f

f ic ie n t w o rk in g c re d its d u ri n g th e p re v io u s te n y e a rs . H arki ns does notcont es tt hathi s el i gi bi l i t yfordi s abi l i t yi ns ur ance benef i t s expi r ed on D ece m ber31, 2003. 2 d e n y i n g Ha r k i n s ’ s c l a i m f o rd i s a b i l i t yi n s u r a n c e b e n e f i t s . F o rth e f

o l l o wi n g r e a s o n s , we wi l l a f f i r m. I . Backg r ound B eca us e w e w r i t e s ol el yforthe part i es and as s um e thei rfami l i ar i t yw i t h t he ca s e, we wi l l d i s c u s s o n l yt h o s e f a c t s n e c e s s a r yt o o u rd e c i s i o n . Ha r k i n s c l a i ms th a th e b e c a me di s abl ed on J ul y7, 2000, due t o a w or k- r el at ed bac k i nj ury . L at er , on N ovember21, 2000, H arki ns underw enta mi cr os copi c di s c exc i s i on, per form ed byD r . J os eph L om bar di . H arki ns “t ol er at ed the pr ocedur e w el l . ” ( A R at189. ) Shor t l yther eaf t er , on 1 D e c e m b e r 2 0 , 2 0 0 0 , H a rk in s m a d e h is in iti a l ap p lica tio n f o r d isa b ili tyin su ra n c e b e n e f its ( t he “I ni t i al A ppl i cat i on”) . T he I ni t i al A ppl i cat i on w as deni ed on February21, 2001, and th e d e n ial w a s n o t ap p e a led . O n D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 0 3 , H a rk in s’s e lig ib ili tyf o r d isa b ili ty i ns ur ance benef

i t s expi r ed. 2 O n February17, 2006, H arki ns agai n appl i ed fordi s abi l i t yi ns ur ance benef i t s ( the “2006 A ppl i cat i on”) . B eca us e H arki ns ’ s el i gi bi l i t yfordi s abi l i t yi ns ur ance benef i t s had expi r ed on D ece m ber31, 2003, he coul d r ece i ve bene fi t s onl yi f he s how ed thathe3

beca m e di s abl ed betw een February21, 2001 – t he dat e the I ni t i al A ppl i cat i on w as deni ed – and D ece m ber31, 2003. I n s uppor tof the 2006 A ppl i cat i on, H arki ns s ubm i t t ed medi cal r ecor ds s how i ng t hathe r ece i ved tr eatm entforback pa i n atvar i ous t i m es betw een 1990 a nd the t i m e of the appl i cat i on. T he tr eatm entw as notcont i nuous , how ever , and the medi cal r ecor ds r efl ect t hatH arki ns di d notr ece i ve tr eatm entforhi s back be t w een the r el evantdat es of February21, 2001 and D ece m ber31, 2003. I n fac t , fol l ow i ng H arki ns ’ s N ovember21, 2000 s ur gery , hi s r ecor ds s how ed no tr eatm entunt i l aft erA pr i l 27, 2004. O n t hatdat e, H arki ns vi s i t ed the ER as a r es ul tof a c aracc i dent , and a s ubs equentM R I s how ed i nj ur i es t o s ever al di s cs i n hi s back. O n A ugus t18, 2004, H arki ns s oughtpai n t r eatm ent fr om D r . L om bar di , w ho r epor t ed thatH arki ns ’ s “[p] ai n began f r om a ca racc i dent , ” and t hatt he “[ c] ondi t i on ha[d] exi s t ed s i nce 4 mont hs and s i nce the [c ar ] acc i dent . ” ( A R at 215. ) H arki ns cont i nued t o r ece i ve pai n t r eatm entfr om D r . L om bar di everyfew m ont hs t hr ough A ugus tof 2006. D r . L om bar di ’ s not es foreac h of thos e vi s i t s i ndi cat ed that H a rk in s b e g a n e x p e ri e n c in g p a in a f te r t h e A p ri l 2 0 0 4 c a r a c c id e n t. In c o n n e c tio n w ith th e 2 0 0 6 A p p lica tio n , H a rk in s a lso c o m p lete d re p o rts o n h is w o rk h is to ry a n d o n d a ily ta s k s th a t h e w a s a b le to p e rf o rm , d e s p ite h is c la im e d d is a b ility. H a rk in s re p o rte d th a t, pr io r to Ju ly7 , 2 0 0 0 , h e h a d w o rk e d f o r tw e n ty -f

iv e y e a rs in c a rp e n trya n d a u to b o d yw o rk , b u t th a t h e h a d n o t w o rk e d sin c e Ju ly7 , 2 0 0 0 . D e sp ite r epor t i ng t hathe w as i ncapa bl e of doi ng anyki nd of ac t i vi t yform or e than a s hor tper i od4

of t i m e, H arki ns r epor t ed thathi s dai l yact i vi t i es cons i s t ed of dr oppi ng off a nd pi cki ng up hi s daught erfr om s chool , w as hi ng di s hes forfi ft een mi nut es ata t i m e, and dus t i ng and vacuumi ng forfi ve mi nut es ata t i m e. H e al s o r epor t ed thathe coul d l i ftup t o fi ft een pounds . H i s w i fe a l s o compl et ed a r epor t , s t at i ng thatH arki ns w as abl e t o do l i ght d u s tin g , w a s h d is h e s , a n d f o ld c lo th e s . A ft erbei ng r evi ew ed atbot h t he i ni t i al s t age, and aga i n on r econs i der at i on, the 2006 A ppl i cat i on w as deni ed on D ece m ber20, 2006. A tH arki ns ’ s r eques t , hi s cl ai m w as s ubm i t t ed t o an A L J , and a he ar i ng w as hel d on M ay2, 2007. A tthe hea r i ng, H arki ns t es t i fi ed thathi s s ym pt om s r es um ed appr oxi m at el ytw o y ear s aft erhi s N ovember21, 2000 s ur gery . H e t es t i fi ed thateveryt hi ng m ade hi s pai n w or s e. H e t es t i fi ed thati f he s t ood ors atform or e than fi ft een mi nut es ata t i m e, he w oul d getnum bnes s ors t abbi ng p a in s in h is f

e e t, an d th a t if h e tu rn e d h is n e c k to o f a st, h e w o u ld g e t sta b b in g p a in s in h is n e c k . H e tes tifie d th a t h e c o u ld n o lo n g e r g e t p re sc rip tio n m e d ica tio n f o r h is p a in b e c a u se , in J a n u a ryo f

2 0 0 7 , h is w if

e lo st h e r jo b a n d , co n se q u e n tly , the f a m ilylo st its m edi cal i ns ur ance . H arki ns al s o t es t i fi ed thathe s penthi s daydoi ng chor es ar ound t he h o u se , inc lu d in g tak in g o u t th e g a rb a g e , fo ld in g c lo th e s, d o in g d ish e s f o r te n m in u tes a t a tim e , a n d e x e rc is in g w h e n h e c o u ld . O n July2, 20 07 , t he A L J denied H arki ns’s cl ai m for di sabi l i t yben efi t s. In so d o i n g , t h e ALJ f

o l l o we d t h e f

i v e - s t e p s e q u e n t i a l a n a l y s i s r e q u i r e d u n d e r2 0 C. F . R.A ts t ep one, t he A L J cons i der s w hetherthe cl ai m anti s engage d i n s ubs t ant i al gai nful 3 a c t i v i t y . I f

s o , t h e c l a i ma n ti s n o td i s a b l e d , a n d th e i n q u i r ye n d s . At s t e p two, th e ALJ cons i der s w hethert he cl ai m ants uffe r s fr om a s ever e medi cal i m pai r m ent . I f not , the cl ai m anti s notdi s abl ed, and the i nqui r yends . A ts t ep thr ee, the A L J cons i der s w hether th e im p a ir m e n t is e q u iv a le n t to th o s e lis te d in 2 0 C .F .R . P a rt 4 0 4 , S u b p a rt P , A p p e n d ix 1 . I f i ti s , t he cl ai m anti s aut om at i cal l ycons i der ed di s abl ed, and the i nqui r yends . I f not , t he i nqui r ym oves on t o s t ep four . A ts t ep four , aft eras s es s i ng the cl ai m ant ’ s r es i dual funct i onal capa ci t y , t he A L J cons i der s w hetherthatr es i dual funct i onal capa ci t yenabl es t he cl ai m antt o per form pas tr el evantw or k. I f i tdoes , the cl ai m anti s notdi s abl ed, and the in q u iryen d s. F inally , at st ep fiv e, th e A L J co n side rs w h ethe r, b ase d o n the c lai m an t’ s r es i dual funct i onal capa ci t y , age, and educ at i on, ther e i s s uffi ci entw or k avai l abl e i n the n a tio n a l ec o n o m y . If

so , the c laim a n t is n o t d isa b led . O th e rw ise , the c laim a n t is d isab led. 20 C . F . R . § 4 0 4 . 1 5 2 0 (a)(4). 5 § 404. 1520. A ts t eps one thr ough thr ee, the A L J det erm i ned thatH arki ns ( 1) had not

3 b e e n w o rk in g sin c e th e a lleg e d d a te o f d isa b ili ty , an d (2 ) h a d a se v e re im p a irm e n t p rio r to D ece m ber31, 2003, but( 3) di d nothave one of the i m pai r m ent s des i gnat ed bythe re le v a n t r e g u la tio n s a s w a rr a n tin g a n a u to m a tic f in d in g o f d is a b ility. T ur ni ng t o i t s as s es s m entof H arki ns ’ s r es i dual funct i onal capa ci t y( “R FC ”) , the A L J fi r s tfound thatH arki ns ’ s s ubj ect i ve compl ai nt s of pai n w er e notcr edi bl e bec aus e, al t hough H arki ns cl ai m ed t o have ha d di s abl i ng pai n pr i ort o D ece m ber31, 2003, the r ecor d w as “devoi d of anycl i ni cal fi ndi ngs orevi dence of ongoi ng tr eatm entfora bac k i m pai rm ent . ” ( A R at14. ) A ddi t i onal l y , al though H arki ns t es t i fi ed thathi s pai n r es um ed t w o y ear s aft erhi s N ovember21, 2000 s ur gery , he had r epor t ed t o D r . L om bar di on A u g u s t 1 8 , 2 0 0 4 , th a t it w a s a s s o c ia te d w ith h is A p ri l 2 7 , 2 0 0 4 c a r a c c id e n t. (I d. ) In l i gh tof thi s, t he A L J foun d thatt he ev i den ce supp ort ed “the cl ai m ant’ s c ur r e nt c o m p lain ts o f

b a c k p a in ,” b u t th a t th e e v id e n c e sh o w e d th a t th e p a in w a s “ re late d to h isA l t hough i tw as notdi r ect l yt i ed t o t he t i m e per i od i n ques t i on, the A L J al s o not ed that 4 i n 2005 – aft ert he ca racc i dent– D r . L om bar di cl ear ed hi m t o w or k w i t houtany re stric tio n s. T h is to o su g g e sts th a t p rio r to D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 0 3 – b e f o re th e c a r a c c id e n t – H arki ns r et ai ned the abi l i t yt o do s edent aryw or k. 6 aut om obi l e ac ci denti n A pr i l 2004. ” (I d. ( emphasi s i n or i gi nal ) . ) T he A L J al s o found t hatH arki ns ’ s s ubj ect i ve compl ai nt s w er e i ncons i s t entw i t h hi s dai l yact i vi t i es , w hi ch the A L J i dent i fi ed as “dr oppi ng off a nd pi cki ng up hi s daught er ; doi ng hous ehol d chor es s uch as w as hi ng di s hes , t aki ng outt he garbage a nd fol di ng cl othes ; and exe r ci s i ng w hen he can. ” (I d. at13- 14. ) C ons equent l y , the A L J det erm i ned thatH arki ns ’ s compl ai nt s of di s abl i ng pai n pr i ort o D ece m ber31, 2003 “ca nnotbe r eas onabl yacc ept ed. ” (I d. a t 1 4 .) A l t hough t he A L J found thatH arki ns ’ s pai n w as notdi s abl i ng pr i ort o D ece m ber 3 1 , 2 0 0 3 , t h e ALJ d i d n o tc o n c l u d e t h a th e h a d b e e n e n t i r e l yp a i n f r e e . Ra t h e r , th e ALJ concl uded thatdue t o “s om e pai n and l i m i t at i ons . . . hi s capa ci t yt o per form w or k w as s i gni fi cant l yaff

ect ed. ” (I

d. ) T he A L J found, how ever , thatdes pi t e thos e l i m i t at i ons H arki ns s t i l l “had the ca paci t yt o funct i on adequa t el yt o per form m anybas i c ac t i vi t i es as s oci at ed w i t h w or k, ” and c ons equent l ydet erm i ned thathe “r et ai ned the r es i dual f u n c tio n a l c a p a c ity to p e rf o rm a f u ll r a n g e o f

s e d e n ta ry w o rk .” (I

d. ) 4 B as ed on thatR FC as s es s m ent , the A L J then compl et ed s t eps fourand fi ve, fin d ing that (4) p ri o r t o D ec em b er 3 1 , 2 0 0 3 H ark ins’s R F C d id n o t ena b le him to p erf o rm hi s pas tw or k as a ca rpent eroraut o- bodyw or ker , but( 5) gi ven H arki ns ’ s R FC , educa t i on, and age , t her e w as a ful l r ange of s edent aryw ork avai l abl e i n t he nat i onal economythat h e w a s c a p a b le o f

d o in g , a n d , th e re f

o re , H a rk in s w a s n o t d is a b le d .T h e D istri ct C o u rth ad juri sd ict ion to rev iew the S o cial S ec u ri tyA d m inistrati o n ’s 5 d e c i s i o n p u r s u a n tt o 4 2 U. S . C. § 4 0 5 ( g ) , a n d we h a v e j u r i s d i c t i o n p u r s u a n tt o 2 8 U. S . C. § 1 2 9 1 . 7 A ft erhi s s ubs equentr eques tforr evi ew bythe A ppeal s C ounci l w as deni ed, H ark ins a p p ea led to the D istri ct C o u rt . T h e D istri ct C o u rtaf firm ed , fin d ing that there w as s ubs t ant i al evi dence t o s uppor tt he A L J ’ s fi ndi ng thatH arki ns w as notdi s abl ed pr i or to D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 0 3 . H a rk in s th e n tim e ly f ile d th is a p p e a l. I I . D i s cus s i on 5 W h e n re v iew in g a D istric t C o u rt’s a f f irm a n c e o f

a n A L J’s d e c isio n , o u r ro le is i dent i cal t o t hatof the D i s t r i ctC our t , i n t hatw e mustdet erm i ne w hethers ubs t ant i al e v id e n c e s u p p o rt s th e A L J ’s d e c is io n . P l um m erv. Apf el , 1 8 6 F . 3 d 4 2 2 , 4 2 7 (3d C ir . 1999) . Subst ant i al evi dence i s defi ned as “more than a mer e s ci nt i l l a. I tm eans s uch r el evantevi dence as a r eas onabl e mi nd m i ghtacc eptas adequa t e. ” V e n tu ra v . Sh a la la , 55 F. 3d 900, 901 ( 3d. C i r . 1995) ( quot i ng R i char ds on v. P er al es , 4 0 2 U .S . 3 8 9 , 4 0 1 (1 9 7 1 )) . T o fac i l i t at e appe l l at e r evi ew , t he A L J i s r equi r ed t o di s cus s “the evi dence he cons i der ed w hi ch s uppor t s t he r es ul t ” and “ t he evi dence w hi ch w as r ej ect ed, ” C o tterv . H a rr is , 642 F. 2d 700, 705 ( 3d. C i r . 1981) , and mustal s o gi ve hi s r eas ons foracc ept i ng s om e evi dence w h ile re je c tin g o th e r e v id e n c e . H ar genr aderv. C al i

f ano , 5 7 5 F . 2 d 4 3 4 , 4 3 7 (3d C ir . 1 9 7 8 ). O n appea l , H arki ns offe r s t w o ar gum ent s forw hythe A L J ’ s deci s i on s houl d be r ever s ed and a new hear i ng gr ant ed. Fi r s t , he ar gues thatthe A L J fai l ed t o gi ve pr operH arki ns cl ai m s t hatt he A L J s houl d nothave c ons i der ed H arki ns ’ s fai l ur e t o s eek 6 t r eatm entbefor e D ece m ber31, 2003, beca us e thatfai l ur e w as a r es ul tof hi s l os s of m ed ical i n su ran ce af

ter his w ife lost h er job . A cc o rdin g to H ark ins’s testi m o n y , h o w ev er, hi s w i fe l os therj ob and i ns ur ance i n J anuaryof 2007 – m or e than thr ee y ear s aft erthe e x p ir a tio n o f

h is e lig ib ility f

o r d is a b ility in s u ra n c e b e n e f its . 8 c o n sid e ra tio n to su b

jec tiv e c o m p lain ts o f

p a in . S e c o n d , h e a rg u e s th a t th e A L J f a iled to o f f e r a s u f f ic ie n t e v id e n tia ry b a s is f o r t h e R F C a s s e s s m e n t. A . T h e A L J P ro p e rly C o n sid e re d

H a rk in s’s S u b

jec tive C o m

p la in ts o f P a in H arki ns as s er t s t hatt he A L J fai l ed t o adher e t o T hi r d C i r cui tdeci s i ons and Soci al Secur i t yA dm i ni s t r at i on r egul at i ons w hen he r ej ect ed H arki ns ’ s s ubj ect i ve compl ai nt s of pai n. W e di s agr ee. O urpr i ordeci s i ons have he l d t hat , al t hough “[t ] es t i m onyof s ubj ect i ve pai n and i nabi l i t yt o per form even l i ghtw or k i s ent i t l ed t o gr eatw ei ght , ” D obr ow ol s ky v . C al i

f ano , 606 F. 2d 403, 409 ( 3d C i r . 1979) , an A L J m aynonethel es s r ej ecta cl ai m of di s abl i ng pai n w her e he “ cons i der [s ] t he s ubj ect i ve pai n and s peci f[i es ] hi s r eas ons forr ej ect i ng t hes e cl ai m s and s uppor t [s ] hi s concl us i on w i t h m edi cal evi dence i n t he r ecor d. ” M a tu llo v. B ow en , 9 2 6 F . 2 d 2 4 0 , 2 4 5 (3d C ir . 1 9 9 0 ). H ere , the A L J co n side red H ark ins’s s ubj ect i ve compl ai nt s butr ej ect ed the compl ai nt s as notcr edi bl e bec aus e ( a) the medi cal evi dence s how ed thathe had nots oughtanytr eatm entw hat s oeverforpai n dur i ng the re lev a n t ti m e p e rio d a n d (b ) H a rk in s’s tes tim o n yth a t h is p a in re tu rn e d tw o y e a rs a f ter h is 6 2000 s ur geryconfl i ct ed w i t h t he r epor tof D r . L om bar di – bas ed atl eas ti n par ton H arki ns ’ s ow n s t at ement s – t hatt he pai n s t emm ed fr om H arki ns ’ s 2004 caracc i dent . T he9

A L J al s o cons i der ed H arki ns ’ s abi l i t yt o per form dai l yt as ks , s uch as “dr oppi ng off a nd pi cki ng up hi s daught er ; doi ng hous ehol d chor es s uch as w as hi ng di s hes , t aki ng outt he garbage a nd fol di ng cl ot hes ; and exe r ci s i ng w hen he c an. ” (Id . a t1 3 . ) Th u s , th e ALJ pr oper l ycons i der ed H arki ns ’ s t es t i m ony , w ei ghed i tagai ns tconfl i ct i ng evi dence i n the rec o rd, i n clud ing m ed ical ev iden ce , an d sp ec ifi ed h is r ea so n fo r rejecti n g H ark ins’s s ubj ect i ve compl ai nt s of pai n. T he A L J ’ s pr oces s and hi s concl us i ons w er e cons i s t ent w i t h the st and ard ar t i culat ed in our pri or deci si on s. Th e ALJ ’ s d e c i s i o n i s a l s o c o n s i s t e n twi t h th e r e g u l a t i o n s s e tf o r t h i n C. F . R. § 404. 1529, as cl ar i fi ed i n Soci al Secur i t yR ul i ng 96- 7p. Soci al Secur i t yR ul i ng 96- 7p stat es th at th e A L J m ayn o t r ejec t a claim an t’ s testi m o n yw ith m ere ly“a sing le co n clus o ry s t at ement ” ora bar e r eci t at i on of “the fa ct or s thatar e des cr i bed i n t he R egul at i ons for eval uat i ng s ym pt om s . ” SSR 96- 7p. R ather , the dec i s i on “mustcont ai n s peci fi c r eas ons fort he fi ndi ng on cr edi bi l i t y , s uppor t ed bythe evi dence i n t he ca s e r ecor d, and mustbe s uffi ci ent l ys peci fi c t o m ake c l eart o t he i ndi vi dual and t o anys ubs equentr evi ew er s t he w ei ghtt he adj udi cat orgave t o t he i ndi vi dual ’ s s t at ement s and the r eas on forthatw ei ght . ” I d. T h e A L J d id as req u ir ed u n d er S S R 9 6 -7p , ex p lai n ing that h e f o u n d H ark ins’s t es t i m onynotcr edi bl e bec aus e i tconfl i ct ed w i t h t he medi cal evi dence and w i t h t he e v id e n c e o f

H a rk in s’s a b ili tyto p e rf o rm d a ilytas k s. T h e d e c isio n m a d e c lea r to b o th H arki ns and t o s ubs equentr evi ew er s , s uch as thi s C our t , thatH arki ns ’ s compl ai nt s of di s abl i ng pai n w er e notacc ept ed bec aus e theyconfl i ct ed w i t h t he otherevi dence i n t he10

rec o rd. C o n seq u en tl y , w e f ind that the A L J g av e p rop er c o n side rati o n to H ark ins’s s ubj ect i ve compl ai nt s of pai n and thatthe A L J ’ s concl us i on w as s uppor t ed bys ubs t ant i al evi dence i n t he admi ni s t r at i ve r ecor d. B . The A LJ A r t i culat ed a Suf f i ci ent E vi dent i ar

y Basis f orhis R F CA s s es s m ent W i t h r es pectt o t he A L J ’ s R FC as s es s m ent , H arki ns ar gues thatthe A L J offe r ed no evi dent i arybas i s forhi s as s es s m ent . [B B at4- 10. ] A gai n, w e di s agr ee. W e vi ew the i s s ue as bei ng es s ent i al l yr es ol ved byourconcl us i on thatthe A L J pr oper l yr ej ect ed H a rk in s’s c laim s o f

su b jec tiv e p a in , b e c a u se , in th is c a se , H a rk in s’s su b jec tiv e c o m p lain ts of pai n cons t i tut ed the onl yaff i r m at i ve evi dence of di s abi l i t ybetw een February21, 2001 a n d D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 0 3 . T h e re is n o m e d ic a l e v id e n c e o f tr e a tm e n t d u ri n g th a t tim e . T her e i s a r ecor d of s ur gerys hor t l ybefor e February21, 2001, butthe evi dence s how s t hat H a rk in s “ to ler a ted th e p ro c e d u re w e ll” a n d d id n o t se e k f o llo w u p tre a tm e n t. T h e re is al s o evi dence of tr eatm entaft erD ece m ber31, 2003 but , as al r eadynot ed, the evi dence s h o w s th a t th e tr e a tm e n t w a s f o r p a in a s s o c ia te d w ith a n A p ri l 2 7 , 2 0 0 4 c a r a c c id e n t. C ons equent l y , t he onl yevi dence t hatH arki ns s uffe r ed fr om di s abl i ng pai n dur i ng the re lev a n t p e rio d w a s h is s u b jec tiv e c o m p lain ts o f

p a in , w h ich th e A L J a p p ro p ria tely r ej ect ed. Fi nal l y , t he A L J al s o concl uded thatH arki ns “had the capaci t yt o funct i on adequa t el yt o per form m anybas i c ac t i vi t i es as s oci at ed w i t h w or k. ” Thatconcl us i on w as s uppor t ed byt he fi ndi ng t hatH arki ns w as abl e t o engage i n a w i de r ange of s i m pl e t as ks11

s uch as “dr oppi ng off a nd pi cki ng up hi s daught er ; doi ng hous ehol d chor es s uch as w as hi ng di s hes , t aki ng outt he garbage a nd fol di ng cl othes ; and exe r ci s i ng w hen he c an. ” (I d. a t 1 3 -1 4 .) T h o se f

in d in g s, ta k e n to g e th e r, f o rm a n a d e q u a te e v id e n tiary ba sis to s uppor tt he A L J ’ s as s es s m ent . I n s hor t , s ubs t ant i al evi dence s uppor t s the conc l us i on t hat H ark ins “ retaine d the re sidu al fu n cti o n al ca p ac ityto p erf o rm a f u ll ran g e o f se d en tary w o rk .” (A R a t 1 4 .) I I I . C oncl usi on F o r th e re aso n s set fo rth ab o v e, w e c o n clud e tha t sub stan ti al ev iden ce in the rec o rd su p p o rts th e A L J’s d e c isio n a n d th a t th e A L J s u f f icie n tlya rticu late d th e e v id e n tiary ba sis forhi s deci s i on. W e w i l l t her efor e af fi r m the or derof the D i s t r i ctC our tuphol di ng the A L J ’ s deci s i on.