Opinion ID: 558499
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Grid

Text: 12 The grid is a chart which classifies a claimant as disabled or not disabled, based on the claimant's physical capacity, age, education, and work experience. Walker, 834 F.2d at 640. Where a claimant's characteristics correspond to factors on the grid, the [Medical-Vocational] Guidelines determine disability based on the availability of suitable jobs for the claimant in the national economy. Caldarulo v. Bowen, 857 F.2d 410, 413 (7th Cir.1988). Crews notes that the use of the grid may be inappropriate if the claimant suffers from severe nonexertional impairments that prevent him from performing the work indicated by the grid. Walker, 834 F.2d at 640-41. 13 The question for this Court is whether the application of the grid to Crews' claim is supported by substantial evidence in the record. Caldarulo, 857 F.2d at 413. The ALJ explicitly found that Crews had no nonexertional limitations. 4 The ALJ was not persuaded that Crews' pain was so severe as to be disabling. The ALJ found that Crews has the residual functional capacity to perform physical exertion requirements of work except for heavy lifting and repetitive bending and stooping. The record fully supports this view. Referring to the grid, in light of Crews' residual functional capacity, his age, his education, and his work experience, the ALJ concluded that Crews was not disabled as defined by the Social Security Act. Crews has not established that the Secretary's reliance on the grid was unsupported by substantial evidence.