Opinion ID: 3050986
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Necessary Findings of Fact

Text: Maverick’s arguments about the findings of fact amount to assertions the ALJ should have found the evidence supporting Maverick’s case as more compelling. Maverick mistakes the nature of our review, which is to determine whether the agency’s findings were supported by substantial evidence, not whether substantial evidence supports a contrary finding. See Warburton v. Apfel, 188 F.3d 1047, 1050 (8th Cir. 1999) (“We may not reverse the [agency’s] decision merely because substantial evidence supports a contrary outcome.”). After a review of the record as a whole, we conclude all of the facts found by the ALJ, including those pertaining to the retaliation claim, were supported by substantial evidence. The pertinent findings include: (1) the truck had uncorrected defects, (2) Maverick knew about the defects and that the defects violated federal safety regulations, (3) Canter asked Maverick to fix the defects, (4) Canter refused to drive the truck because the defects remained uncorrected, (5) Canter’s refusal motivated Maverick to place the abandonment notation in Canter’s DAC report, despite being aware the defects remained uncorrected,5 and (6) it is likely K&B would have hired Canter had Maverick not placed the abandonment notation in his DAC report. 5 Like the ARB, we consider the ALJ’s finding under the pre-2007 standard that Canter’s refusal motivated Maverick to place the abandonment notation in Canter’s DAC report, sufficient to prove under the post-2007 standard that the refusal had been a contributing factor to Maverick’s decision to do so. -10-