Opinion ID: 505916
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: pain and the guidelines

Text: 22 In 1978, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources promulgated the medical-vocational guidelines in order to improve the efficiency and uniformity of Social Security disability benefits determinations. The validity of the regulations was upheld in Heckler v. Campbell, 461 U.S. 458, 103 S.Ct. 1952, 76 L.Ed.2d 66 (1983). The Court observed that in an agency described as the largest adjudicative agency in the western world, the need for efficiency is self-evident. Id. 461 U.S. at 461 n. 2, 103 S.Ct. at 1954 n. 2 (citation omitted). The Court also noted that the regulations make allowances for claimants whose limitations are not factored into the guidelines, by requiring that those individuals' particular limitations be considered. Id. at 462 n. 5, 103 S.Ct. at 1955 n. 5; 200 C.F.R. pt. 404, subpt. P, app. 2, Secs. 200.00(a), (d) (1982). 23 This court has recognized that significant non-exertional impairments, such as poor vision or inability to tolerate dust or gases, may make reliance on the grids inappropriate. Jones v. Heckler, 760 F.2d 993, 998 (9th Cir.1985); Kail v. Heckler, 722 F.2d 1496, 1498 (9th Cir.1984). We have also held that pain can be a non-exertional limitation. See, e.g., Perminter v. Heckler, 765 F.2d 870, 872 (9th Cir.1985). 24 However, the fact that a non-exertional limitation is alleged does not automatically preclude application of the grids. The ALJ should first determine if a claimant's non-exertional limitations significantly limit the range of work permitted by his exertional limitations. Razey v. Heckler, 785 F.2d 1426, 1430 (9th Cir.1986); Blacknall v. Heckler, 721 F.2d 1179, 1181 (9th Cir.1983); Odle v. Heckler, 707 F.2d 439, 440 (9th Cir.1983). 25 The ALJ must weigh conflicting evidence concerning the claimant's past work experience, education, and present psychological and physical impairments. The ALJ then applies the grids to these factors, ensuring that the final determination will be both consistent with other similar cases and expeditious. The claimant may challenge the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the ALJ's assessment. A non-exertional impairment, if sufficiently severe, may limit the claimant's functional capacity in ways not contemplated by the guidelines. In such a case, the guidelines would be inapplicable. 26 All this can be accommodated to a system of fair and expeditious disposition of claims by those asserting pain or other non-exertional limitations. It is not necessary to permit a claimant to circumvent the guidelines simply by alleging the existence of a non-exertional impairment, such as pain, validated by a doctor's opinion that such impairment exists. To do so frustrates the purpose of the guidelines. The decisions of other circuits that have considered the issue support this interpretation. See, e.g., Fraga v. Bowen, 810 F.2d 1296, 1304 (5th Cir.1987) (ALJ may rely exclusively on the Guidelines if the non-exertional impairments do not significantly affect claimant's residual functional capacity); Bapp v. Bowen, 802 F.2d 601, 605-06 (2d Cir.1986) (ALJ must consider whether the range of work claimant could perform was so significantly diminished as to require the testimony of a vocational expert); Tucker v. Heckler, 776 F.2d 793, 795-96 (8th Cir.1985) (unnecessary to call vocational expert where ALJ thoroughly considered claimant's non-exertional impairments and explicitly determined that they did not diminish claimant's exertional capacities); Smith v. Schweiker, 719 F.2d 723, 725 (4th Cir.1984) (proper inquiry is whether a given non-exertional condition affects an individual's functional capacity to perform work of which he is exertionally capable); Kirk v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 667 F.2d 524, 537 (6th Cir.1981) (grid will be applied unless alleged non-exertional limitations are severe enough to restrict a full range of gainful employment at the designated level). 27 Any use of the guidelines by the ALJ on remand should adhere to these principles. 28 REVERSED and REMANDED.