Opinion ID: 222841
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Credibility and Polaski Factors

Text: Perkins argues that the ALJ erred by failing to give adequate weight to Perkins's statements and the statements of her family and a friend. Perkins also argues that the ALJ failed to consider the Polaski factors. Perkins's mother, adult daughter, and a friend of thirty-five years each submitted statements in support of Perkins's application for social security disability benefits. Perkins's mother reported that Perkins could do light chores, but she could not do heavy chores due to pain. Perkins's daughter and friend both reported that Perkins could not work because of pain, anxiety, and depression. At her disability hearing, Perkins testified that she could not work due to her depression, hand pain, and back pain. Perkins reported, among other things, that she has approximately two or three anxiety attacks per month and that she feels exhausted without two or three naps per day. In Polaski v. Heckler, 739 F.2d 1320, 1322 (8th Cir.1984), the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that an ALJ cannot reject a social security claimant's subjective complaints of pain solely because they are not fully supported by objective medical evidence. When examining a claimant's subjective complaints, in addition to objective medical evidence and the claimant's prior employment record, an ALJ must also examine: (1) the claimant's daily activities; (2) the duration, frequency and intensity of the pain; (3) precipitating and aggravating factors; (4) dosage, effectiveness and side effects of medication; and (5) functional restrictions. Polaski, 739 F.2d at 1322. The ALJ may discount complaints of pain if they are inconsistent with the evidence as a whole. Dunahoo v. Apfel, 241 F.3d 1033, 1038 (8th Cir.2001). If the ALJ discredits a claimant's credibility and gives a good reason for doing so, we will defer to its judgment even if every factor is not discussed in depth. Id. Perkins argues that the ALJ only considered one of the Polaski factors. Although the ALJ did not go through a step-by-step factors analysis, he did discuss the facts relevant to a proper inquiry into each of the factors. For example, in discussing Perkins's daily activities, the ALJ noted that Perkins testified that she could feed, dress and bathe herself, she prepared her son for school every day, she went grocery shopping, she attended church once a month, and she attended parent teacher conferences at her son's school. The ALJ also noted that, during the period of her alleged disability, Perkins was taking classes toward a masters degree. Although not discussed in the ALJ's decision, the record reflects that, during the period of her alleged disability, Perkins owned her own thrift shop, where she sometimes worked to help[] out, Appendix at 296, and she also washed dishes, sorted and folded laundry, prepared meals, and occasionally went out to eat. The ALJ discussed Perkins's reports of pain, and noted that her reports of intense pain were infrequent. With regard to precipitating and aggravating factors, the ALJ recognized that Perkins had cervical spine fusion after she was injured in a motor vehicle accident. The ALJ also noted that Perkins attributed much of her new pain, and aggravation of her old injury, to a tripping accident that took place approximately one week before she stopped working in 2005. The ALJ also discussed the different treatments and medications that Perkins's physicians prescribed her. The ALJ found that Perkins's various illnesses were well controlled with medication, but Perkins frequently failed to take her medications. The ALJ also found that [t]here is no documented record of any significant, uncontrollable adverse side effects from medications the claimant takes or has taken. Appendix at 19. The ALJ continued, Whatever adverse side effects the claimant may have had at various times were presumably in all instances eliminated or at least greatly diminished by simple changes in either the type of medication or the size and/or frequencies of the dosage. Id. at 19-20. `As is true in many disability cases, there is no doubt that the claimant is experiencing pain; the real issue is how severe that pain is.' Riggins v. Apfel, 177 F.3d 689, 692 (8th Cir.1999) (quoting Spradling v. Chater, 126 F.3d 1072, 1074 (8th Cir.1997)). After discussing facts relevant to a Polaski analysis and considering other evidence in the record, the ALJ concluded that Perkins's statements that her symptoms and limitations were so severe as to prevent the performance of all sustained work activity were not credible. Likewise, the ALJ concluded that the statements of Perkins's mother, daughter, and friend were not entirely credible because, among other reasons, their statements were inconsistent with the record as a whole and were likely influenced by their affection for Perkins. We cannot disturb these findings because they are supported by substantial evidence in the record. See Jones, 86 F.3d at 826 (The ALJ may discount the claimant's allegations of pain when he explicitly finds them inconsistent with daily activities, lack of treatment, demeanor, and objective medical evidence.). Furthermore, the ALJ's determination that Perkins's various illnesses were well controlled with medication is supported by substantial evidence. Such a determination precludes a finding of disability. See Brown v. Astrue, 611 F.3d 941, 955 (8th Cir.2010) (noting that, `[i]f an impairment can be controlled by treatment or medication, it cannot be considered disabling' (quoting Brace v. Astrue, 578 F.3d 882, 885 (8th Cir.2009))).