Opinion ID: 2995135
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Was Emerson Disabled?

Text: The ADA defines disability as: (A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual; (B) a record of such an impairment; or (C) being regarded as having such an impairment. 42 U.S.C. sec. 12102(2). Emerson endeavors to show that she meets all three definitions. We initially tackle the first definition by following the procedure in Bragdon v. Abbott, 524 U.S. 624, 632-42 (1998). We determine whether (1) Emerson has a physical or mental disability (2) that impacts a major life activity and (3) whether the impairment substantially limits those activities. See id. Emerson argues that her head injury resulted in mental impairments including anxiety, panic attacks, learning difficulties, and increased emotionality. She garners proof of these effects from the reports of Drs. Murphy, Bodeau, and Thomas. The Department of Health and Human Services defines a mental impairment as any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities. 29 C.F.R. sec. 1630.2(h)(2). [M]edically diagnosed mental conditions are impairments under the ADA. Krocka v. City of Chicago, 203 F.3d 507, 512 (7th Cir. 2000) (internal quotation omitted). Emerson’s diagnoses provide evidence that precludes summary judgment on the disability issue for NSP. At the time of her injury, the speech therapist found that Emerson suffered from a moderate impairment in her ability to learn, to retain new information, and to concentrate. During the summer of 1996, three separate doctors diagnosed Emerson with anxiety disorders of varying seriousness. Further, in June of 1996, Dr. Bodeau noted that he found evidence of mood alteration, sudden personality change, learning ability and panic attacks. NSP counters with Dr. Bodeau’s ultimate conclusion that of Emerson’s test results were in the normal range. While this evidence could persuade a jury to find that Emerson suffers from no impairment, it does not remove the issue of fact. Emerson contends that her impairment effects the established major life activities of learning and working. See 29 C.F.R. sec. 1630.2(i). She further argues that memory, concentration, and interacting with others are major lifeactivities that her brain injury impairs, but offers no legal precedent to support her assertion. Emerson has not sufficiently developed her contentions on appeal, and we will not decide the issue. Rather, we will adopt the district court’s approach and treat memory, concentration, and interacting with others as activities that feed into the major life activities of learning and working. The parties hotly dispute whether Emerson’s impairments substantially limited her major life activities. According to the Code of Federal Regulations, a person is substantially limited if compared to the average person in the general population she cannot perform or is limited in the manner, duration, or condition in which she can perform a major life activity. See 29 C.F.R. sec. 1630.2(j)(ii). Emerson points to several pieces of evidence to show her substantial limitation in the area of learning. She had excessive difficulty learning NSP’s new telephone and computer systems, and frustrated her supervisors with repetitive questions and her inability to remember the answers. One supervisor noted that Emerson made mistakes when she attempted to complete routine, yet complex aspects of her job that she performed competently before the accident. To establish the severity of her impairments, Emerson relies on Dr. Bodeau’s June 7th conclusion that Emerson had difficulty learning and his June 19th report finding cognitive difficulties. Further, on July 19th, Emerson failed a test that required her to count by threes and sevens. This evidence, compiled from both her employer and doctor’s reports is more than sufficient to create an issue of material fact. NSP counters that cognitive tests administered by Dr. Thomas showed that Emerson’s cognitive function fell in the normal range, prompting Dr. Bodeau to recommended returning Emerson to her consultant position. Further, NSP argues that Emerson’s work performance problems revolved primarily around her panic attacks and her bad relationship with Krigs, not her ability to learn. Emerson’s evidence clearly disputes NSP’s assertions. Such an issue of material fact cannot be resolved at the summary judgment stage. Emerson also argues that she is substantially impaired in the major life activity of working. To show a substantial limitation in this activity, Emerson must offer proof that she is significantly restricted in the ability to perform either a class of jobs or a broad range of jobs in various classes as compared to the average person having comparable training, skills and abilities. 29 C.F.R. 1630.2(j)(3)(i); Webb v. Choate Mental Health & Dev. Ctr., 230 F.3d 991, 998 (7th Cir. 2000) (quoting Weiler v. Household Fin. Corp., 101 F.3d 519, 525 (7th Cir. 1996)). We evaluate impairments on an individual basis to determine if they substantially limit a person’s ability to work. See Moore v. J.B. Hunt Transp., Inc., 221 F.3d 944, 952 (7th Cir. 2000) (citation omitted). In support on her argument, Emerson presents her vocational rehabilitation specialist’s conclusion that Emerson is foreclosed from a broad range of jobs--47% of all occupations. NSP challenges the report, arguing that it does not describe how Emerson’s anxiety and need for routine foreclose her from this range of jobs, that the vocational rehabilitation specialist called her impairment minor, and that he failed to consider the potential effect of Emerson’s medication when determining the effect of her impairment on her ability to work. NSP’s arguments call the report into question, but do not discredit it to the extent that we can disregard its conclusions. Emerson has created a question regarding whether she is disabled that precludes summary judgment on this issue. Given our holding, we decline to address the remaining definitions of disabled.