Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/960/150/349791/
Timestamp: 2020-08-05 02:52:38
Document Index: 581775320

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 405', '§ 423', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404', '§ 404']

Marvin H. Wright, Plaintiff-appellant, v. Louis W. Sullivan, M.d., Secretary of Health and Humanservices, Defendant-appellee, 960 F.2d 150 (6th Cir. 1992) :: Justia
Justia › US Law › Case Law › Federal Courts › Courts of Appeals › Sixth Circuit › 1992 › Marvin H. Wright, Plaintiff-appellant, v. Louis W. Sullivan, M.d., Secretary of Health and Humanserv...
Marvin H. Wright, Plaintiff-appellant, v. Louis W. Sullivan, M.d., Secretary of Health and Humanservices, Defendant-appellee, 960 F.2d 150 (6th Cir. 1992)
This court has jurisdiction on appeal to review the Secretary's final decision pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), which specifies that the Secretary's factual findings are conclusive if supported by substantial evidence. " 'Substantial evidence' means 'more than a mere scintilla. It means such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.' " Kirk v. Secretary of Health & Human Servs., 667 F.2d 524, 535 (6th Cir. 1981) (quoting Richardson v. Perales, 402 U.S. 389, 401 (1971)), cert. denied, 461 U.S. 957 (1983). In determining whether the Secretary's factual findings are supported by substantial evidence, we must examine the evidence in the record "taken as a whole," Allen v. Califano, 613 F.2d 139, 145 (6th Cir. 1980), and " 'must take into account whatever in the record fairly detracts from its weight.' " Beavers v. Secretary of Health, Educ. & Welfare, 577 F.2d 383, 387 (6th Cir. 1978) (quoting Universal Camera Corp. v. NLRB, 340 U.S. 474, 488 (1951)). If it is supported by substantial evidence, the Secretary's determination must stand regardless of whether the reviewing court would resolve the issues of fact in dispute differently. Kinsella v. Schweiker, 708 F.2d 1058, 1059 (6th Cir. 1983) (per curiam).
The claimant has the ultimate burden to establish an entitlement to benefits by proving the existence of a disability as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 423(d) (1) (A). If the claimant is working and the work constitutes substantial gainful activity, benefits are automatically denied. If a claimant is not found to have an impairment which significantly limits his ability to work (a severe impairment), then he is not disabled. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520(b), 416.920(b). Since the ALJ found that claimant had not worked since 1985 and that he suffered from severe impairments, including a heart condition which required bypass surgery, curvature of the spine and a lung condition, further inquiry was necessary. If a claimant is not working and has a severe impairment, it must be determined whether he or she suffers from one of the "listed" impairments. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520(d), 416.920(d). If so, benefits are owing without further inquiry. In the present case, the ALJ found that claimant did not suffer from one of the listed impairments. In such a case, assuming the individual has previously worked, the Secretary must next decide whether the claimant can return to the job he or she previously held. By showing "a medical basis for an impairment that prevents him from engaging in his particular occupation," Hephner v. Mathews, 574 F.2d 359, 361 (6th Cir. 1978), the claimant establishes a prima facie case of disability. In the present case, the ALJ found that claimant was not capable of returning to his former occupation of glazier.
At this step in the analysis, it becomes the Secretary's burden to establish the claimant's ability to work. Allen, 613 F.2d at 145. The Secretary must prove that, taking into consideration present job qualifications such as age, experience, education and physical capacity, and the existence of jobs to match those qualifications, a claimant retains the capacity to perform a different kind of job. 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520(f) (1), 416.920(f); Heckler v. Campbell, 461 U.S. 458, 460 (1983). The Secretary's burden can, on occasion, be satisfied by relying on the medical vocational guidelines, otherwise known as the "Grids." 20 C.F.R. § 404.1569. See 20 C.F.R.Pt. 404, Subpt.P, App. 2.
Claimant argues that Dr. Hansen's opinion should be considered the summation of his continuing care by the VA because he had access to the entire VA file and thus had full knowledge of the case. This argument is not in accord with the law of this circuit which states that although the medical opinions and diagnoses of treating physicians are generally accorded substantial deference, King v. Heckler, 742 F.2d 968, 973 (6th Cir. 1984), this is true only if the treating physician's opinion is supported in the record by sufficient medical data. Landsaw v. Secretary of Health and Human Servs., 803 F.2d 211, 213 (6th Cir. 1986) (quoting Houston v. Secretary of Health and Human Servs., 736 F.2d 365, 367 (6th Cir. 1984)); citing 20 C.F.R. § 404.1527); Murphy v. Secretary of Health and Human Servs., 801 F.2d 182, 195 (6th Cir. 1986) (citing Kirk v. Secretary of Health and Human Servs., 667 F.2d 524, 538 (6th Cir. 1981), cert. denied, 461 U.S. 957 (1983)).
An ALJ is not bound by a treating physician's conclusory statement that the claimant is "disabled." Miller v. Secretary of Health and Human Servs., 843 F.2d 221, 224 (6th Cir. 1988). In Hall v. Bowen, this court held that an ALJ may reject a treating physician's determinations "when good reasons are identified for not accepting them." Hall v. Bowen, 837 F.2d 272, 276 (6th Cir. 1988). We find that in the present case there are good reasons for not accepting Dr. Hansen's assessment. In giving his assessment, Dr. Hansen cited no detailed, clinical findings and his opinion is not supported by sufficient medical data. In his August 27, 1987 examination, Dr. Hansen noted that claimant was "doing well on present regimen." Moreover, Dr. Hansen merely recommended for Wright's treatment that Wright stop smoking, renew medications, and return to the clinic in six months. The ALJ also determined that Dr. Hansen's opinion could not be fully supported in view of the claimant's own statements in August 1985 that "he can work and do whatever he has to do.... His exercise tolerance is fairly limited to walking a few blocks. However, after his operation he can walk on a slow pace for one mile." This belies claimant's assertion that he can walk only half a block without stopping.
Duncan v. Secretary of Health and Human Servs., 801 F.2d 847, 853 (6th Cir. 1986). In the present case, there was objective evidence to support the existence of an underlying medical condition. However, after a careful review of the record, we find there is no objective medical evidence which would have confirmed the severity of pain alleged or which would suggest a condition that could reasonably be expected to cause pain of the severity alleged.
Claimant argues that the ALJ "mechanically applied the Grid Rules in a borderline situation and thereby improperly denied him disability insurance benefits from his true date of onset." While claimant correctly points out that the Secretary "will not apply [the] age categories mechanically in a borderline situation," see 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1563(a), 416.963(a), his contention that the present case is a "borderline situation" is without merit. Although it is stated in the regulations that "the passage of a few days or months before the attainment of a certain age should not preclude a favorable disability determination," 43 Fed.Reg. 55349, 55359 (1978), quoted in Kane v. Heckler, 776 F.2d 1130, 1133 (3rd Cir. 1985), in the present case, almost two years separate the date on which claimant alleges he became disabled (March 9, 1985) and the date claimant turned 55 years old (February 14, 1987), moving him into the "advanced age" category where application of the Grids required a finding of disabled. Thus, the present case is not one of those "borderline situations" as envisioned by the regulations and the Grids were correctly applied. Crady v. Secretary of Health & Human Servs., 835 F.2d 617, 622 (6th Cir. 1987).