Opinion ID: 3187989
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Dr. Viner

Text: We begin with the opinion of Dr. Viner, Michel's treating physician. In weighing Dr. Viner's opinions, the ALJ afforded little weight to Dr. Viner's opinion that he expressed on several occasions that Michel was disabled. The ALJ's conclusion with respect to Dr. Viner's opinions that Michel is disabled and unable to work is correct. [A] treating physician's opinion that a claimant is disabled or cannot be gainfully employed gets no deference because it invades the province of the Commissioner to make the ultimate disability determination. Perkins, 648 F.3d at 898 (emphasis added) (quotation and citation omitted). In addition, the ALJ pointed out that while Dr. Viner reported that the claimant was 'unable to work' on the RFC questionnaire, he failed to fill out any functional limitations resulting from her diagnosed impairments. The process by which the ALJ approached Dr. [Viner's] evaluation is consistent with our precedent. Indeed, we have recognized that a conclusory checkbox form has little evidentiary value when it 'cites no medical evidence, and provides little to no elaboration.' See Anderson v. Astrue, 696 F.3d 790, 794 (8th Cir. 2012) (quoting Wildman v. Astrue, 596 F.3d 959, 964 (8th Cir. 2010)). We have stated that '[a] treating physician's opinion deserves no greater respect than any other physician's opinion when [it] consists of nothing more than vague, conclusory statements.' Toland v. Colvin, 761 F.3d 931, 937 (8th Cir. 2014) (alterations in original) (quoting Wildman, 596 F.3d at 964). -14- The ALJ also afforded little weight to Dr. Viner's opinions, finding that such opinions are both internally inconsistent within the report and externally inconsistent with the doctor's prior treatment records. The most glaring inconsistency that the ALJ identified was Dr. Viner's statement that [Michel's] 'symptoms and limitations on this questionnaire' applied to dates for the last '10 years[.'] As the ALJ noted, this statement contradicts Michel's own work history, which shows that she continued working successfully until October 2009. This inconsistency with Michel's work history alone is sufficient to discount the opinion. See Goff, 421 F.3d at 790–91 (While the ALJ also found Dr. Prihoda's opinion to be internally inconsistent, we need not comment on that, as an appropriate finding of inconsistency with other evidence alone is sufficient to discount the opinion.).5 Accordingly, we find that the ALJ considered Dr. Viner's opinions at great length and provided sufficient bases for the little weight afforded to those opinions.6 5 The ALJ also identified three other inconsistencies in Dr. Viner's opinions. First, the ALJ cited Dr. Viner's indication that Michel experienced pain in her feet; the ALJ found that medical records failed to indicate that [Dr. Viner] ever observed any pain symptoms in her feet. Second, the ALJ found Dr. Viner's conclusion that 'changing weather' did not cause [Michel] pain inconsistent with Michel's testimony that 'rainy days' are particularly hard on her. Third, the ALJ noted the inconsistency between Dr. Viner's report of Michel's 'frequent' problems with attention and concentration and Dr. Viner's treatment notes, which failed to indicate that the doctor objectively found any problems outside of [Michel's] subjective complaints. The ALJ also noted that the Dr. Viner's report of Michel's problems with attention and concentration was inconsistent with Michel's mental health providers [who] indicated that her concentration was good. 6 Michel also argues that if the ALJ found something unclear or missing from Dr. Viner's opinion, then the ALJ should have sought clarification from Dr. Viner about his opinion. But [a]n ALJ is not required to seek 'clarifying statements from a treating physician unless a crucial issue is undeveloped.' Grable v. Colvin, 770 F.3d 1196, 1201 (8th Cir. 2014) (quoting Stormo v. Barnhart, 377 F.3d 801, 806 (8th Cir. 2004)). That is not the case here. The ALJ considered numerous medical assessments -15-