Opinion ID: 373958
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: subjective testimony regarding pain

Text: 9 The claimant's major contention before this Court is that the Secretary did not give proper consideration to the claimant's subjective testimony of pain, and did not make a determination regarding her credibility on this issue. Because there was medical evidence to support the existence of pain, the claimant argues that the Secretary is required to make specific findings as to the claimant's credibility, and to discount her subjective testimony only if there are valid and express reasons for doing so. The claimant urges that the administrative law judge's failure to do so in this case requires remand of this action to the Secretary for further findings of fact. We disagree. 10 In his decision of January 16, 1978, the administrative law judge specifically addressed the issue here presented: 11 The Administrative Law Judge recognizes that if the claimant experiences constant, severe, and intractable pain, she would be unable to work. However, the claimant's ability to get about on a regular basis appears generally unimpeded. There is no evidence that the claimant takes the kind and quantity of pain medication associated with severe pain syndromes. Objective and clinical evidence of severe and constant pain is lacking. While the claimant is restricted from performing certain strenuous physical activities, her daily life has not been otherwise substantially curtailed. She has remained able to function as a mother, sister, and daughter in an extended family arrangement. She has a friend with whom she visits in her home on a regular basis. Having considered all these factors, the Administrative Law Judge finds that the claimant's allegation of constant, severe, and intractable pain is not supported by the evidence. The Administrative Law judge has evaluated the claimant's testimony regarding her symptoms, the objective medical evidence, the clinical evidence, and the evidence concerning the claimant's daily life. The totality of this evidence does not demonstrate that the claimant experiences pain of such severity and duration as to preclude all kinds of substantial gainful activity. 12 The Secretary, acting through the Appeals Council, affirmed the decision of the administrative law judge, specifically noting that the Council was of the opinion that the administrative law judge considered both the objective and subjective evidence in (this) case. 13 After a careful review of the record, we agree with the district court's determination that remand of this action is unnecessary in view of the rather detailed evaluation of the evidence regarding plaintiff's allegation of pain already made by the administrative law judge. We find that the decision of the administrative law judge clearly evidences his careful consideration of the claimant's subjective testimony of pain and discomfort, and his discounting of that testimony based upon valid reasons supported in the record. Accordingly, we conclude that the district court properly denied the claimant's motion to remand this action for supplemental findings of fact. 14 The cases relied upon by the claimant do not compel an opposite result. Those cases involve judicial review of decisions by the Secretary where it is unclear whether the administrative law judge considered the claimant's subjective complaints of pain. In Garcia v. Califano, 463 F.Supp. 1098 (N.D.Ill.1979), for example, in evaluating the decision of the administrative law judge, the district court noted that no specific findings were entered respecting the credibility of (claimant's) complaints, nor are there any statements in the opinion from which the court is able to conclude that the claimant's complaints were rejected. 463 F.Supp. at 1103. 15 As indicated above, the administrative law judge in this case explicitly weighed the claimant's subjective complaints of pain, and specifically found that these complaints were not supported by the evidence. The administrative law judge ultimately determined that, based upon the record developed at the hearing, any pain experienced by the claimant did not preclude all kinds of substantial gainful activity as required for eligibility under the Act. Nothing further is required.