___________

No. 95-2700

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Oscar Leon Smith, *

*

Appellant, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the

* Eastern District of Arkansas.

Shirley S. Chater, * 

Commissioner of the Social * [UNPUBLISHED]

Security Administration, *

*

Appellee. *

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 Submitted: January 12, 1996

 Filed: April 8, 1996

___________

Before RICHARD S. ARNOLD, Chief Judge, JOHN R. GIBSON and BOWMAN, Circuit

Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Oscar Smith applied for Social Security disability insurance and

Supplemental Security Income benefits, alleging disability because of

problems with his back, shoulders and knees. His application was denied

initially and on reconsideration, and Smith requested a hearing before an

Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). The ALJ concluded that Smith was not

disabled, finding that Smith had a partial amputation of the right thumb,

hypertension and borderline intellectual function, but that such

limitations did not preclude Smith from performing his past relevant work

as a sanitation worker. After the Appeals Council denied review of the

ALJ's decision, Smith sought review by the District Court. Both 
 The Honorable Jerry Cavaneau, United States Magistrate Judge 1

for the Eastern District of Arkansas, sitting by consent of the

parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). 

 Somatoform disorder is a condition in which there are

2

"physical symptoms for which no physical cause can be found, and

for which there is definite or strong evidence that the underlying

cause is psychological." One such somatoform disorder is

hypochondriasis. The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of

Medicine 923 (1989).

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parties filed motions for summary judgment. The District Court granted

1

summary judgment in favor of the Commissioner, concluding that there was

substantial evidence to support the ALJ's determination that Smith's

alleged disability would not prevent him from returning to his previous

employment as a sanitation worker. Specifically, the District Court found

compelling the testimony of Dr. Vance Crane, who concluded that Smith could

perform any and all types of work. In addition, the District Court

rejected Smith's contention that his thumb impairment was disabling, noting

that Smith had worked for several years as a sanitation worker after his

thumb was amputated without any worsening of his condition. 

 

On appeal, Smith argues that the District Court erred in determining

that the ALJ's decision denying his benefits is supported by substantial

evidence. Smith contends the medical evidence clearly establishes a mental

impairment, and that his amputated thumb and somatoform disorder qualify 2

as additional and significant work-related limitations that have rendered

him disabled and unable to return to his past work as a sanitation worker.

After careful review of the record and the arguments of the parties,

we conclude that no error of law appears and that the decision of the

Commissioner denying disability benefits is supported by substantial

evidence on the record as a whole. Concluding also that an extended

opinion by this Court would lack precedential value, we affirm the judgment

of the District Court on
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the basis of its thorough and well-reasoned memorandum opinion. See 8th

Cir. R. 47B. 

A true copy.

Attest:

CLERK, U. S. COURT OF APPEALS, EIGHTH CIRCUIT.