Opinion ID: 427393
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Testimony about pain

Text: 9 The ALJ determines the disabling nature of pain. Gaultney v. Weinberger, 505 F.2d 943, 945-46 (5th Cir.1974). If substantial evidence supports the determination, this court will affirm. Fortenberry v. Harris, 612 F.2d 947, 950 (5th Cir.1980). In making such a determination the ALJ must recognize that pain alone can be disabling even if there is no objective medical evidence to support the claimant's testimony about pain. See Gaultney, 505 F.2d at 945. 10 The ALJ considered Diorio's testimony, but concluded that it did not show pain of a disabling nature. 11 While it is apparent that claimant has occasional pain and discomfort in his neck, the evidence does not show the presence of severe, persistent and intractable pain which does not respond to therapy and is continuously disabling in and of itself. Extensive diagnostic studies and x-rays were done to evaluate claimant's headaches, but no objective clinical findings substantiate a physical basis for this problem. Claimant takes pain medication to alleviate his symptoms, and no abnormalities have been found on multiple diagnostic tests to support a finding of a severe medical impairment. 12 This suggests that the ALJ required objective evidence to support Diorio's statements of pain. Other statements in the record support this view. 13 To merit consideration and determination of disability as defined in the Social Security Act, allegations of functional limitations must be medically determinable and demonstrated by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques. Statements of the claimant ... are, alone, insufficient to establish the presence of a severe physical or mental impairment. All the claimant's symptoms, including his complaints of pain, and the extent to which signs and laboratory findings confirm these symptoms, are considered. The effects of all these symptoms are evaluated on the basis of a medically determinable impairment which can be shown to be the cause of the symptom. 14 Before determining whether the ALJ's application of an improper legal standard requires us to remand the case, we must consider an amendment to the statute authorizing the remand, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 405(g) (Supp. IV 1980). In 1980 Congress amended the statute so that it now reads: 15 The court may ... at any time order additional evidence to be taken before the Secretary, but only upon a showing that there is new evidence which is material and that there is good cause for the failure to incorporate such evidence into the record in a prior proceeding. 16 Prior to the amendment the statute allowed the court to remand for additional evidence on good cause shown. We recognize that the amendment was at least in part designed to limit federal court remands to the Secretary. Aubeuf v. Schweiker, 649 F.2d 107, 115 (2d Cir.1981). However, other courts have concluded that the amendment does not preclude remand when the Secretary has misapplied the law. Id. at 116; Guy v. Schweiker, 532 F.Supp. 493, 498 (S.D.Ohio 1982); Saliby v. Schweiker, 522 F.Supp. 541, 544 (E.D.N.C.1981); Rosario v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 512 F.Supp. 874, 878-79 n. 6 (S.D.N.Y.1981). We find legislative intent supports this view. This language [the amendment] is not to be construed as a limitation of judicial remands currently recognized under the law in cases which the Secretary has failed ... to have correctly apply [sic] the law. H.R.Rep. No. 100, 96th Cong., 1st Sess. 13 (1979). The case must be remanded to the Secretary so that the case may be considered under the proper legal standard.