# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 3- 29 84

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Greg or y Sm it h

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff - App el la nt

v.

Caro lyn W . Col vi n, Act in g C om m is si on er o f So ci al Secu rit y

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll ee

__ __ __ __ __ __
App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Eas te rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s - Hel en a

__ __ __ __ __ __

Su bm it te d: Apri l 1 7, 2 01 4
Fil ed : J un e 2 5, 2 01 4

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Befo re LOKEN and MURPHY, Ci rcu it Ju dg es , and PERRY, Dis tri ct Ju dg e. 1

__ __ __ __ __ __

MURP HY, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

Greg or y S mi t h f

il ed fo r di sa bi li ty in su ran ce be ne fit s, as se rti ng th at he was

di sa bl e d d ue to po st tra um at ic st res s di so rd er (PTSD), art hr it is , h ead ach es , h eari ng

pr ob le m s, b ack an d k ne e p ro bl em s, an d aci d refl ux

. His ap pl ic at io n was de ni ed by

The Hon or ab le Cat he rin e D. Perr y , Ch ie f Ju dg e, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Co ur t 1

fo r th e Eas te rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i, s it ti ng by des ig na ti on

.an ad m in is tra ti ve la w jud ge (ALJ). The App eal s C o u n c il th en de ni ed rev ie w, an d

Sm it h ap pe al ed th e co m

m is si on er's fin al de ci si on to th e di st ric t co ur t whi ch affi rm ed 2

th e d en ia l o f be ne fit s. Sm it h n ow ap pe al s t o t hi s co ur t. We affir m

.

Greg or y Sm it h fil ed fo r di sa bi li ty in su ran ce b e n e f i t s wit h a pr ot ect iv e fil in g

da te of May 15

, 20 08

. Sm it h, wh o was th en 44

, ha d pr ev io us ly wor ke d as a tru ck

dr iv er, bu s dr iv er, la bo rer, m ach in e op erat or , an d fo rk li ft op erat or

. He al so was in th e

Arm y Nati on al Gua rd fro m 19 82 to 19 92 an d fro m 20 01 to 20 05

. Acc o r d i n g to

Sm it h's ap pl ic at io n, he ha s be en di sa bl ed si nc e Feb ru ary 9, 2 00 5 du e to PTSD,

art hr it is

, he ad ach es , he ari ng pr ob le m s, ba ck an d kn ee pr ob le m s, an d aci d refl ux

. His

ap pl ic at io n rep or te d da il y ba ck pa in

, "t ro ub le ge tt in g a l o n g wit h pe op le ," an d

in ab il it y to foc us on work

.

A Dep art m en t of th e Arm y m em or an du m in di cat es th at Sm it h was di ag no se d

wit h d ep res si on in Apri l 2 00 4. Sm it h was th en di ag no se d wi th PTSD in Decem be r

20 05 aft er a ps y ch ol og ic al ev al ua ti on by Dr. Si dn ey Orn du ff, Ph .D., at th e Vete ran 's

Adm in is tra ti on (VA) in Mem ph is , Te nn es se e. Dr

. Orn du ff no te d th at aft er Sm it h's

wif e d i e d in 20 03

, he was le ft to care fo r th ei r ch il dr en

. Sm it h sa id th at du rin g hi s

de pl oym en t in Iraq

, hi s Hum ve e was rear en de d, cau si ng ba ck an d kn ee in juri es

. He

ha d pr ev io us ly s ou gh t ch iro pr act ic tre at m en t in 20 05 ; x- rays o f hi s lu m ba r sp in e at

th at ti m e sh owe d "ea rly de ge ne rat io n" an d a whi pl as h in jury. The reco rd sh ows th at

Sm it h ha s be en tre at ed by a nu m be r of p r o v i d e r s at th e VA fo r m ed ic al is su es

in cl ud in g de pr es si on , PTSD, ba ck an d kn ee pa in

, de ge ne rat iv e di sc di se as e, an d aci d

refl ux . He als o re cei ve d s pe ech th erap y for "m il d c og ni ti ve de fect s."

In Apr il 20 08 Sm it h h ad an ev al ua ti on by Dr. Sam ue l Hol co m

be , P sy.D. , f

or

a po te nt ia l in crea se in PTSD co m pe ns at io n, who no te d th at Sm it h was pr es cri be d th e

The Hon or ab le Je ro m e T. Kearn ey , Uni te d St at es Mag is tra te Ju dg e f o r th e 2

East ern Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s.

-2

-an ti de pr es sa nt W el lb ut rin by Dr. Terak o Am is on , M.D., ano th er o f Sm it h's tre at in g

ph y si ci an s at th e VA. In May 20 08 Dr. Ami s o n pr ov id ed a le tt er to Sm it h fo r hi s

em pl oyer st at in g th at he was be i n g t reat ed fo r de pr es si on an d PTSD rel at ed to hi s

de pl oyme n t i n I raq

. The le tt er st at ed th at Sm it h ha d "p ro bl em s wit h m em or y an d

co nc en tra ti on " and "i ss ue s with fla sh ba ck s an d in tru si ve th ou gh ts " th at affe ct ed hi s

ab il it y to wor k. The le tt er al so s t a t e d th at Sm it h's m ed ic at io ns so m et im es cau se d

se da ti on at wor k and th at he req ui red ti m e o ff i m m ed ia te ly. Sm it h says th at he was

as ke d to le av e hi s job th at May an d ap pl ie d fo r di sa bi li ty b en efi ts wit h a pro te ct iv e

fil in g d at e o f May 15 , 20 08

.

On Aug us t 4, 20 08

, Dr. Dav id W eb be r, M.D., pe rfo rm ed a co ns ul ta ti ve ex am

fo r th e st at e di sa bi li ty ag en cy

. He di ag no se d Sm it h wit h PTSD, lo w ba ck pa in

, de pr es si on , an d aci d refl ux

. Dr. W eb be r fo un d Sm it h's li m it at io ns were "m od erat e."

A n x- ray fro m th is da te sh owe d m il d de ge ne rat iv e di sc an d face t ch an g e s

. D r

. Ch arl es Sp el lm an , Ph .D., pe rfo rm ed a co ns ul ta ti ve m en ta l di ag no st ic on Aug us t 12

, fin di ng th at Sm it h's m en ta l im pa irments di d no t "i nt e r f e r e w i t h hi s da y to da y

ad ap ti ve fu nc ti on in g" an d th at he co ul d co pe wit h "t he typic al co gn it iv e de m an ds of

wor k l ik e ta sk s."

Sm it h's VA se rv i ce di sa bi li ty rat in g fo r PTSD was ch an ge d to 10 0% as of
Aug us t 5, 20 08

. Sm it h al so ha s m ul ti pl e 10 % di sa bi li ty rat in gs fo r ot he r co nd it io ns

. Dr. Cl ai rres sa Goa d, Ps y .D., a VA ps yc h o l og is t, pe rfo rm ed a Co m pe ns at io n an d

Pen si on ex am in earl y Sep te m be r 20 08

. Sh e di ag no se d Sm it h wit h se ve re PTSD an d

se ve re m ajor de pr es si on by hi st or y

. Sh e wro te in he r ev al u a t i o n t h a t Sm it h was a

"wal ki ng ti m e b om

b" an d t ha t " [i]t is pr ed ic te d th at if he were i n a work set ti ng , he

wou ld ev en tu al ly be fir ed or arre st ed fo r as sa ul ti ng so m eo ne ." The sa m e m on th Dr.

Ja so n Lak e, M.D., a VA ph y si ci an , ev al ua te d Sm it h's kn ee s a n d lu m ba r sp in e,

co nc lu di ng th at Sm it h ha d m il d art hr it is in hi s l eft kn ee an d m il d de ge ne rat iv e di sc

di se as e b ut th at he co ul d d o l ig ht du ty at wor k.

-3

-Sm it h's di sa bi li ty be ne fit s ap pl ic at io n was de ni ed fir st on Sep te m be r 15

, 20 08

,

an d th en on reco ns id erat io n on Nov em be r 26

. Sm it h fil ed a req ue st in Ja nu ary 20 09

fo r a he ari ng be fo re an ALJ. Dur in g th is ti m e he co nt in ue d to rece iv e tre at m en t at th e VA, and fro m

20 09 th ro ug h 2 01 1 h e at te nd ed m eet in gs of a PTSD su pp or t g ro up

.

Dr. Am is on , on e of Sm it h's ph y si ci an s at th e VA, co m pl et ed a m ed ic al op in io n

on Octo be r 23

, 20 09 reg ard in g Sm it h's ab il it y to do em pl oym en t rel at ed act iv it ie s an d

in di cat ed th at Sm it h was "u na bl e to m eet co m pe ti ti ve st an da rd s" in cert ai n cat eg or ie s

of m en ta l ab il it y an d at ti tu de ne ces sa ry fo r bo th un sk i l l e d a n d sk il le d wor k. Dr.

Ami s o n ha d pr ev io us ly no te d in a Mar ch 20 09 le tt er th at Sm it h rem ai ne d on

W el lb ut rin an d Trazo do ne as ne ed ed fo r in so m ni a. Dr. Yan Cao

, M.D., an ot he r VA
ph y si ci an , wro te a le tt er on Octo be r 29

, 20 09 st at in g th at he ha d be en tre at in g Sm it h

si nc e Aug us t 20 08 fo r lo w ba ck pa in se co n d a r y t o de ge ne rat iv e di sc di se as e of hi s

lu m ba r sp in e, ch ro ni c le ft kn e e p a in an d rig ht sh ou ld er pa in se co nd ary to

de ge ne rat iv e joi nt di se as e, an d an xi et y , m ajor de pr es si on , an d PTSD se co nd ary to hi s

de pl oym en t to Iraq

. Dr. Cao wro te th at in hi s op in io n S mi t h w a s " un ab le to do

su st ai ne d wo rk on a reg ul ar an d c on ti nu ou s b as is ."

The he ari ng be fo re th e ALJ was he ld on Feb ru ary 25

, 20 10

. Sm it h cam e to th e

he ari ng wit h a can e an d weari ng a kn ee br ace. He te st ifi ed th at he ha d la st wor ke d

in May 20 08 as a tru ck dr iv er, a job th at he he ld fo r ab ou t ei gh t m on th s. Acco rd in g

to Sm it h, hi s de pr es si on an d m ed ic at io n affe ct ed hi s ab il it y to do th at job

, an d he was

as ke d to le av e aft er be in g fo un d s le ep in g s ev eral ti m es

. He su bs eq ue nt ly co ll ect ed

un em pl oym en t fo r a s ho rt t im e. Sm it h te st ifi ed th at he li ve d a lo ne an d h is ch il dr en

di d no t li ve wit h hi m

. He di d no t dr iv e m uc h du e to hi s m ed ic at io ns al th ou gh he ha d

dr iv en to th e st or e th e pr ev io us week

. W he n ask ed ab ou t hi s d ai ly act iv it ie s, Sm it h

sa id th at he to ok m ed ic at io n and na pp ed th ree t o fo ur ti m es pe r da y , ne ed in g to res t

at lea st two ho ur s d ai ly.

-4

-At th e he ari ng Sm it h's at to rn ey refe ren ced Dr. Goa d's op in io n th at Sm it h was

a "wal ki ng ti m e bo m

b." Sm it h's at to rn ey al so st at ed th at hi s m en ta l st at e ha d affe ct ed

hi s earl ie r job as a sc ho ol bu s dr iv er. The ALJ pr es en te d a hypo th et ic al to vo cat io na l

ex pe rt Eli zab et h Cl em ba se d on Sm it h's li m it at io ns

. Sh e was as k e d w h e t h e r th ere

were job s fo r so m e o n e w h o co ul d pe rfo rm li gh t wor k wit h oc cas io na l "p os tu ral

act iv i t y," whe re in te rp ers on al co nt act was in ci de nt al to th e wor k pe rfo rm ed

, th e

co m pl ex it y of ta sk s was le arn ed an d pe rfo rm ed by ro te wit h few va ria bl es , an d th e

su pe rv is io n re qu ire d was si m pl e, di rect , and co nc ret e. Cle m tes ti fie d t ha t two su ch
job s wo ul d b e m ach in e o pe rat or or jan it or

.

Afte r th e he ari ng Dr. Barb ara Fel ki ns , M.D., rev ie wed Sm ith ' s m ed ic al reco rd s.

Sh e co m pl et ed a m ed ic al so ur ce st at em en t in whi ch sh e st at ed th at Sm it h wou ld ha ve

n o res tri ct io ns in un de rs ta nd in g an d rem em be rin g si m

pl e in st ru ct io ns , c arrying ou t

si m pl e in st ru c t io ns , an d m ak in g jud gm en ts on si m pl e wor k rel at ed de ci si on s. Dr.

Fel ki ns c o nc lu de d ho wev er th at Sm it h ha d m od erat e res tri ct io ns on ap pr op ria te

in te rp ers on al in te ract io ns an d th at he "wo ul d pe rfo rm be st in a wor k en vi ro nm en t in

whi ch co nt act wit h t he pu bl ic wou ld be in ci de nt al to work pe rfo rm ed ."

The ALJ de ni ed Sm it h's cl ai m on Aug us t 5, 20 10 aft er co nd uc ti ng a fiv e st ep

el ig ib il it y an al y si s. See 20 C.F.R. § 4 04 .15 20 (a). At th e fir st st ep th e ALJ fo un d th at

Sm it h had no t eng ag ed in su bs ta nt ia l gai nf ul act iv it y si nc e hi s all eg ed on se t da te of

Feb r u ary 9, 20 05

. See 20 C.F.R. § 4 04 .15 20 (a)( 4) (i)

. The ALJ co nc lu de d at th e

se co nd st ep th at Sm it h su ffer ed f r om th e se ve re im

pa irments of de ge ne rat iv e di sc

di se as e of th e l u mb ar sp in e, ch ro ni c le ft kn ee pa in se co nd ary to de ge ne rat iv e joi nt

di s e a s e , a nx ie ty, d ep res si on , a nd PTSD, bu t th at Sm it h's he ad ach es an d aci d refl ux

were n ot ser io us im

pa irments . S ee 20 C.F.R. § 4 04 .15 20 (a)( 4) (ii ). The ALJ fou nd

at th e th ird st ep th at Sm it h di d no t ha ve an im pa irment or co m

bi ne d im pa irments th at

m et or eq ua le d a "l is te d im pa irment." See 20 C.F.R. § 4 04 .15 20 (a)( 4) (ii i). Afte r

as se ss in g Sm it h's res id ua l fu nc ti on al cap aci ty (RFC ), th e ALJ th en fo un d at st ep s fo ur

an d fiv e th at Sm it h cou ld no t perf or m hi s pas t rele va nt wor k bu t th at he was ab le to

-5

-do ot he r wor k an d was no t di sa b l e d

. See 20 C.F.R. § 4 04 .15 20 (a)( 4) (iv )– (v ). In

co nd uc ti ng hi s an al y si s, th e ALJ co nc lu de d t h at Sm it h's st at em en ts reg ard in g hi s

sym pt om s' "i nt en si ty, pe rs is te nc e, an d li m it in g effe ct s" were no t cre dible to th e ex te nt

th ey were in co ns is te nt wit h th e RFC. The ALJ weig he d th e ex pe rt ev id en ce an d ga ve

li m it ed weig ht to th e op in io ns of Dr. Am is on an d Dr. Cao

, bu t si gn ifi can t weig ht to

th e st at e ag en cy ph y si ci an s' as se ss m en ts an d Dr. Fel ki ns 's m ed ic al so ur ce st at em en t.

The App eal s Co un ci l de n i e d rev ie w in Apr il 20 12

, an d Sm it h ap pe al ed th e

Co m m is si on er's fin al de ci si on to th e di st ric t co ur t un d e r 42 U.S.C. § 4 05 (g ). The

di st ric t co ur t affi rm ed on Ju ly 25

, 20 13

, an d hi s ap pe al fro m t h a t de ci si on is no w

be fo re us

. W e rev ie w de no vo a de ci si on of a di st ric t co ur t affi rm i n g a de ni al of

so ci al se cu rit y in su ran ce be ne fit s an d affi rm if th e ALJ's de ci si on is "s up po rte d by

su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce on th e reco rd as a who le ." Teag ue v. Ast ru e, 63 8 F.3 d 61 1, 61 4
(8 th Ci r. 20 11 ); 42 U.S.C. § 40 5( g)

. "Su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce is le ss th an a

pr ep on de ran ce bu t is en ou gh th at a reas on ab le m in d wou ld fin d it ad eq ua te to su pp or t

th e co nc lu si on ." Teag ue , 63 8 F.3 d at 61 4 (ci ti ng Fi nc h v. Ast ru e, 54 7 F.3 d 93 3, 93 5
(8 th Ci r. 20 08 )) (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s om it te d)

. If th e ALJ's de ci si on is su pp or te d
by su b st an ti al ev id en ce, we m ay no t rev ers e ev en if su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce wou ld

su pp or t th e op po si te ou tc om e or we wou ld ha ve de ci de d di ffer en tl y

. Dav is v. Apf el

, 23 9 F .3d 96 2, 9 66 (8t h C ir. 2 00 1)

.

W e de fer to th e ALJ's ev al u a t i o n of Sm it h's cred ib il it y , pr ov id ed th at su ch

de te rm in at io n is "s up po rte d by go od reas on s an d su bs ta nt ia l ev id en c e , " C o x v.

Barn ha rt, 47 1 F.3 d 90 2, 90 7 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ), "ev en if ev ery fact or is no t di sc us se d in

de pt h," Dun ah oo v. Apf

el

, 24 1 F.3 d 10 33

, 10 38 (8 th Ci r. 20 01 ). An ALJ weig hs th e

cred ib il it y of a cl ai m an t's su bjec ti ve com pla int s of pa in by co ns id eri ng "t he cl ai m an t's

da il y a c t i vi ti es , th e am ou nt an d freq ue nc y of pa in

, ag gr av at in g an d pr eci pi ta ti ng

fact or s, effe ct iv en es s of m ed ic at io n, an d fu nc ti on al res tri ct io ns ." Cl ark v. Ch at er, 75

F.3 d 41 4, 41 7 (8 th Ci r. 19 96 ) (ci ti ng Po la sk i v. Heck le r, 73 9 F.2 d 13 20

, 13 21 –2 2 (8 th

Ci r. 19 84 )). The ALJ m ay di s c r ed it co m pl ai nt s th at are "i nc on si st en t wit h th e

-6

-ev id en ce as a who le ." Id

. Ap p l yi n g fo r un em pl oym en t be ne fit s ad ve rs el y affe ct s

cred ib il it y , al th ou gh it is no t co nc lu si ve , be cau se an un em pl oym en t ap pl ic an t "m

us t

ho ld hi m se lf ou t as av ai la bl e, wil li ng an d ab le to wor k. " J e rn ig an v. Su ll iv an , 94 8

F.2 d 10 70

, 10 74 (8 th Ci r. 19 9 1 ). W hi le th e ALJ sh ou ld co ns id er th e di sa bi li ty

fin di ng s of ot he r ag en ci es , Sm it h's VA di sa b i l i t y r a t i ng is no t bi nd in g on th e

co m m is si on er. Pel ke y v. Barn ha rt, 43 3 F.3 d 57 5, 57 9 (8 th Ci r. 20 06 ); 20 C.F.R.
§ 4 04 .15 04

.

Treat in g ph y si ci an s' op in io ns are "en ti tl ed to sp eci al weig ht ," bu t th ey are no t

au to m at ic al ly co nt ro ll in g an d th e ALJ m us t ev al ua te th e reco rd as a who le

. Ben tl ey

v. Sh al al a, 52 F.3 d 78 4, 78 5– 86 (8 th Ci r. 19 95 ). An ALJ m ay di sc ou nt or di sr eg ard

a tre at in g ph y si ci an 's op in io n " w he re ot he r m ed ic al as se ss m en ts 'are su pp or te d by

be t t e r o r more th or ou gh m ed ic al ev id en ce,' or whe re a tre at in g ph y si ci an ren de rs

in co ns is te nt op in io ns th at un de rm in e th e cred ib il it y of su ch op in io ns ." Pro sc h v. Apf el , 20 1 F .3d 10 10 , 10 13 (8t h C ir. 2 00 0) (in te rn al cit at io n o m it te d)

.

S mi t h a rg ue s th at th e ALJ erre d be cau se th e ev id en ce in th e reco rd do es n o t

su pp o r t t h e de te rm in at io n of hi s RFC or hi s li m it at io ns as pr es en te d in th e ALJ's
hypo th et ic al

, a n d th us th e hypo th et ic al pr ov id ed to th e vo cat io na l ex pe rt di d no t

pr op erl y de sc rib e Sm it h's li m it at io ns

. Sm it h arg ue s th at th e ALJ erre d in gi vi ng le ss weig ht to th e op in io ns of tre at in g ph y si ci an s Dr. Am is on an d Dr. Cao

. Sm it h as se rts

th at Dr. Am is on ha d a c ces s to al l of hi s VA tre at m en t reco rd s, th at Dr. Am is on 's

op in io n was no t co nc lu so ry an d w a s s u pp or te d by Dr. Goa d's op in io n, an d th at Dr.

Am is on 's tre at m en t reco rd s pr ov id ed su ffi ci e n t cl in ic al an d la bo rat or y ev id en ce.

Sm it h fu rth er as se rts th at th e ALJ erre d in rel y in g on th e op in io ns of Dr. Fel ki ns , who

ne ve r ex am in ed hi m , an d Dr. Sp el lm an , who on ly sa w hi m on ce. Sm it h arg ue s th at

th e ALJ's fin di ng th at he co ul d do li gh t wor k was in co ns is te nt wit h Dr. Cao 's op in io n

an d th at th e ALJ erre d in di sc red it in g Dr. Cao 's op in io n fo r th e sa m e reas on s th at he

erre d i n d is cred it in g Dr. Am is on 's o pi ni on

.

-7

-The co m m is si on er res po nd s th at th e de ni al of be ne fit s was su pp or te d by

su bs t a n t i a l e v i de nc e an d th at th e ALJ pr op erl y ga ve li m it ed weig ht to th e op in io ns

of Dr. Am is on a n d D r

. Cao

. The co m m is si on er as se rts th at su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce

co nf li c t e d wit h Dr. Am is on 's op in io ns , refe ren ci ng th e op in io ns of Dr. Cao

, Dr.

Hol co m be

, Dr. Goa d, an d Dr. Sp el lm an reg ard in g Sm it h's m em or y is su es an d m en ta l

im pa irments

. The co m

m is si on er a l so as se rts th at Dr. Am is on pr ov id ed co nc lu so ry

op in io ns on Sm it h's ab il it y to m ai nt ai n em pl oym en t, an is su e pr op erl y de te rm in ed by

th e co m m is si on er, Vos se n v. Ast ru e, 61 2 F.3 d 10 11

, 10 15 (8 th Ci r. 20 10 ), as well as

op in io ns wit ho ut "s up po rti ng ob jecti ve m ed ic al fin di ng s." The co m m is si on er fu rth er

arg ue s th at th e ALJ pr op erl y ga ve li m it ed weig ht to Dr. Cao 's op in io n be cau se th ere

was a la ck of ob

jecti ve m ed ic al ev id en ce, co nc lud ing th at ot he r ev id en ce co nt rad ic te d

hi s fin di ng s, an d th at hi s op in io n th at Sm it h co ul d no t m ai nt ai n em pl oym en t was

co nc lu so ry

. Fi na ll y sh e arg ue s th at th e ALJ ' s h yp o th et ic al was pr op erl y wor de d

be cau se su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce s up po rte d t he st at ed li m it at io ns

.

W e co nc lu de th at th e ALJ di d n o t e r r i n de nyin g Sm it h be ne fit s be cau se hi s

de ci si on was su pp or te d by su bs ta nt ia l ev id en ce o n t h e reco rd

. Thi s co ur t can no t

"re weig h th e ev id en ce or rev ie w th e f a c t ua l reco rd de no vo ." Nab er v. Sh al al a, 22

F.3 d 18 6, 18 8 (8 th Ci r. 19 94 ). The ALJ co ns id ered Sm it h's VA di sa bi li ty rat in g, bu t

it is no t bi nd in g. See Pel ke y , 43 3 F.3 d at 57 9; 20 C.F.R. § 4 04 .15 04

. The ALJ ga ve

it "l im it ed weig ht " be cau se he fo un d it was in co ns is te nt w it h th e reco rd

. The ALJ

al s o f o un d th at Sm it h was no t cred ib le ba se d on m ul ti pl e fact or s, in cl ud in g hi s

ap pl ic at io n's de sc rip ti on of hi s d a il y act iv it ie s an d th e fact th at he co ll ect ed

un em pl oym en t pa y m en ts aft er hi s al le ge d on s e t d a t e

. Je rn ig an , 94 8 F.2 d at 10 74

. The ALJ no te d th at Sm it h ha d wor ke d aft er hi s al le ge d on se t da te

, th at he was "ab le

in de pe nd en tl y an d effe ct iv el y to pe rfo rm a wid e ran ge of ad ap ti ve act iv it ie s," th at hi s

tre at m en t ha d be en "es se nt ia ll y ro ut in e an d/ or co ns erv at iv e in na tu re," an d th at he di d

no t ta ke na rco ti c m ed ic at io ns fo r pa in rel ie f. The ALJ al so ga ve "s om e sl ig ht weig ht "

to th e "l ack of d eb il it at in g s y m pt om s" sh own by Sm it h a t t he he ari ng

.

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-A f

t e r c o n si de rin g al l tre at in g so ur ces , th e ALJ fo un d "n o de ta il ed

, cl in ic al

,

an d/ or di ag no st ic ev id en ce" in th e reco rd su pp or ti ng Sm it h's al le ge d "wo rk di sa bl in g

li m it at io ns ." The ALJ ga ve si gn ifi can t weig ht to th e st at e ag en cy ph y si cal an d m en ta l

as se ss m en ts

, an d to Dr. Fel ki ns 's op in io n. Treat in g ph y si ci an s ' o pi ni on s m ay be

di sc ou nt ed if c on tra di ct ed by " be tt er or m or e th or ou gh m ed ic al ev id en ce." Pro sc h,

20 1 F.3 d at 10 13 (in te rn al qu ot at io n m ark s om it te d)

. Here th e ALJ ga ve reas on s fo r gi vi ng li m it ed weig ht to th e op in io ns of Dr. Am is on an d Dr. Cao

, in cl ud in g a la ck of

su bs ta nt ia l su pp or t fo r th ei r op in io ns fro m ot he r reco rd e v i de nc e an d a la ck of

ev id e n c e o f c l i ni cal an d la bo rat or y ab no rm al it ie s. W e al so co nc lu de th at th e ALJ

pr op erl y ph ras ed th e hypo th et ic al to th e v o c a t i on al ex pe rt, reco gn iz in g th at a hypo th et ic al ne ed on ly in cl ud e im pa irments th at th e ALJ fin ds cred ib le

. Fo rte v.

Barn ha rt, 3 77 F.3d 89 2, 8 97 (8t h C ir. 2 00 4)

.

Bas ed on th is reco rd an d t he ap pl ic ab le law, we af fir m th e de ni al of be ne fit s.

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