Opinion ID: 603139
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence Before the ALJ

Text: 3 The record reveals that the evidence produced at the ALJ's hearings did not include any X-rays or blood gas studies that were positive for pneumoconiosis. There were five pulmonary ventilatory studies that did not produce qualifying 1 numbers and one ventilatory study that did produce qualifying numbers. Stanley's cooperation on this qualifying, effort-dependent test was lower than his cooperation on all of the non-qualifying tests. 4 Also before the ALJ were reports from four doctors. Dr. William F. Schmidt diagnosed Stanley as having pneumoconiosis, along with several other serious diseases, but did not state which of the diseases caused Stanley's disability. Dr. Jerry L. Miller also believed Stanley suffered from pneumoconiosis, but stated that he could not prove so. Dr. Miller also failed to include any finding regarding Stanley's pulmonary or respiratory capacity. Dr. Joseph F. Smiddy found that Stanley suffered from 100% respiratory impairment. However, Dr. Smiddy had before him an incomplete pulmonary ventilatory study that did not have qualifying numbers and an X-ray that was negative for pneumoconiosis. Finally, Dr. S. K. Paranthaman opined that Stanley's pulmonary problem posed little functional impairment. Dr. Paranthaman's qualifications are extensive, and his report was accompanied with the most extensive objective data of any of the doctors' reports.