Opinion ID: 3063253
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: failure to recontact physicians

Text: Finally, Robinson argues that both the ALJ and Appeals Council erred by failing to recontact treating and consultative doctors and by failing to order a consultative exam to determine Robinson’s residual functional capacity. “[A] hearing before an ALJ is not an adversarial proceeding” and “the ALJ has a basic obligation to develop a full and fair record.” Graham v. Apfel, 129 F.3d 1420, 1422 (11th Cir. 1997). Accordingly, the ALJ must probe into all relevant facts, even where a claimant is represented by counsel. Cowart, 662 F.2d at 735. A claimant has a “very heavy” burden to demonstrate both a qualifying 12 disability and an inability to perform past relevant work. Moore, 405 F.3d at 1211; 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520. An assessment of a claimant’s residual functional capacity is based upon all of the relevant evidence and measures a claimant’s ability to do work despite her impairments. See Lewis, 125 F.3d at 1440. The ALJ makes this determination by considering the claimant’s ability to “meet the physical, mental, sensory, and other requirements of work.” 20 C.F.R. § 416.945(a)(4). The Commissioner has found that a claimant retains the residual functional capacity to adjust to other work only if she can do so on a “regular and continuing basis,” which means “8 hours a day, for 5 days a week, or an equivalent work schedule.” Kelley v. Apfel, 185 F.3d 1211, 1214 (11th Cir. 1999) (quoting Social Security Ruling 96-8p). The ALJ “has a duty to develop the record where appropriate but is not required to order a consultative examination as long as the record contains sufficient evidence for the [ALJ] to make an informed decision.” Ingram, 496 F.3d 1253, 1269 (11th Cir. 2007); see also 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1519a(b), 416.919a(b) (detailing situations requiring a consultative examination for DIB and SSI claimants). According to Social Security regulations, an ALJ should recontact a claimant’s treating physician if the evidence in the record is otherwise inadequate to determine whether the claimant is disabled. 20 C.F.R. 13 §§ 404.1512(e), 416.912(e). Social Security Ruling 96-5p provides: if the evidence does not support a treating sources’s opinion on any issue reserved to the Commissioner and the adjudicator cannot ascertain the basis of the opinion from the case record, the adjudicator must make ‘every reasonable effort’ to recontact the source for clarification of the reasons for the opinion. Soc. Sec. Rul. 96-5p. “In evaluating the necessity for a remand, we are guided by whether the record reveals evidentiary gaps which result in unfairness or clear prejudice.” Brown v. Shalala, 44 F.3d 931, 935 (11th Cir. 1995) (quotations omitted). The likelihood of unfair prejudice may arise if there is an evidentiary gap that “the claimant contends supports her allegations of disability.” Id. at 936 n.9. The ALJ did not discount Robinson’s limitations, as it found that she did in fact have severe impairments that prevented her from performing her past relevant work. In light of the substantial evidence in the record, including the vocational expert’s testimony, the ALJ had the necessary information to determine Robinson’s impairments, her residual functional capacity, and her ability to work. We note that the task of determining a claimant’s residual functional capacity and ability to work is within the province of the ALJ, not of doctors. Moreover, Robinson has not shown that she suffered prejudice as a result of any failure of the ALJ to perform further factfinding, because there is no evidence ALJ’s decision 14 would have changed in light of any additional information. Consequently, the ALJ did not err by not requesting an additional consultative examination or by failing to recontact treating or examining physicians. Upon careful consideration, we find no error in the determinations of the ALJ or Appeals Council. For the foregoing reasons, we affirm. AFFIRMED. 15