Opinion ID: 791178
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Hearing and Decision

Text: 12 The above-described maladies gave rise to a series of applications, beginning in 1995, that Haynes filed seeking social security disability benefits and supplemental security income. Most of these applications and resulting administrative appeals were denied in full, and their disposition is not relevant to this case. The appeal before us relates specifically to a partially favorable decision issued by an ALJ on March 29, 2001. 13 The hearing that preceded the ALJ's decision took place in January 2001. At this hearing, Haynes testified that he still suffered pain in his heel and wore athletic shoes rather than the prescribed orthopedic boots. Haynes also testified about his bipolar disorder and depression, and the medication and therapy he received. He stated that he still smoked (about a pack and a half per day) and suffered from obstructive pulmonary disease, for which he took inhalant medications. Haynes indicated his belief that his physical and mental ailments precluded him from working a full day. 14 Regarding his limitations, Haynes stated that he could lift or carry up to 10 pounds, and could lift (but not carry) up to 20 pounds. Haynes also indicated that he could walk three to four hours a day, with breaks after five to ten minutes. He claimed that in a work setting, he needed breaks every 15 minutes. 15 Haynes testified that he lived with his girlfriend. His daily activities entailed helping out around the house—washing dishes, dusting, and making his bed, for example. Haynes maintained his driver's license and drove on occasion. In addition, he continued to do small carpentry jobs and even participated in a vocational rehabilitation program that would enable him to run a small woodworking business for 20 hours a week. 16 In addition to Haynes's testimony concerning the range of his physical activities, the record included several documents in which Haynes provided additional detail regarding his daily activities. For example, Haynes filed a disability report with the Social Security Administration in January 1996. In that report, Haynes indicated that he had been fired six times in the previous three years due to his chronic alcohol abuse. He also indicated that, at the time, he carried out a number of daily activities, including washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, shopping for groceries, driving, doing laundry, and visiting with family members. In addition, Haynes fished (sometimes twice a day), hunted, and frequented casinos. 17 Similarly, in January 1998, Haynes filed a completed questionnaire with the Wisconsin Department of Health & Family Services, in which he indicated that he cleaned the house, washed dishes, drove daily, checked on his mother at her home, took walks, shopped for groceries, cooked his own meals, did laundry, performed some yard work and home maintenance tasks, attended sporting events and church activities, and volunteered at a nonprofit organization five hours each week. 18 The ALJ also heard other pertinent testimony and opinions at the hearing. Dr. Robert Mulhausen, a board-certified physician in internal medicine, testified at the hearing after reviewing the record and listening to Haynes testify. Dr. Mulhausen identified a number of impairments Haynes suffered: the healed fracture and post surgery complications, history of ethanol dependency in remission with occasional relapse, depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, tobacco abuse, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 19 Dr. Mulhausen testified that Haynes did not have any impairment or combination thereof that met or was the medical equivalent of any listed impairment. Dr. Mulhausen offered no opinion regarding Haynes's limitations prior to June 1, 1998. He opined, however, that Haynes was able to perform at a level less than the sedentary exertional level for the year after he injured his heel—from June 1, 1998, to June 1, 1999. But Dr. Mulhausen concluded that, after June 1, 1999, Haynes could perform tasks that entailed: standing or walking for three to four hours a day, for five to ten minutes at a time; lifting up to 20 pounds occasionally and 10 pounds frequently; sitting with the ability to change position every 20 to 30 minutes and with reasonable arm and hand use; no climbing of ramps, ropes, or scaffolds; no balancing; and no exposure to humidity, fumes, or temperature extremes. In addition, Dr. Mulhausen stated that Haynes should avoid work that required balancing, hazards, machinery, or heights. Finally, Dr. Mulhausen opined that Haynes would miss no more than three days of work per month due to his heel pain and pulmonary problems. 20 Edward Utities, a vocational expert, also testified after having reviewed the record. The ALJ asked Utities a hypothetical question whether jobs existed that a person of Haynes's age range (47 to 53), education, and vocational background could perform if he could: lift 20 pounds occasionally and 10 pounds frequently; stand and walk three to four hours in a workday for only five to ten minutes at a time; and sit for most of the workday if permitted to change position every 20 to 30 minutes. The ALJ's hypothetical further assumed that such an individual could: perform work in the unskilled to lower semi-skilled range; only occasionally kneel, crawl, push, or pull; not use ladders, balance, stoop, or crouch; and not be exposed to humidity, dust, fumes, unprotected heights, dangerous moving machinery (if balance is involved), temperature extremes, or vibrations. 21 Taking into account these various limitations, Utities opined that such a hypothetical person could, in the regional economy, perform light-level assembly jobs (of which there were about 5000 statewide) or light-level packing jobs (6200 statewide). 22 Based on the record and evidence adduced at the hearing, the ALJ undertook the required five-step analysis, see 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.1520, 416.920, and rendered a partially favorable decision on March 29, 2001. The ALJ found that Haynes had not been engaged in substantial gainful activity since September 1, 1995 (step one). He also found that Haynes suffered from severe medical impairment (step two)—namely, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; a comminuted displaced right calcaneus fracture with multiple fragmentation; and depressive, bipolar, and substance addiction disorders. The ALJ concluded, however, that those impairments did not meet or equal the level of severity required by the listings (step three). 20 C.F.R. Pt. 404, Subpt. P, App. 1. Accordingly, the ALJ found that from June 1, 1998, to June 1, 1999, [Haynes] would have had the residual functional capacity [RFC] for less than full time sedentary level work on a sustained basis, due to his right calcaneal fracture, and necessary recuperation period. However, the undersigned finds that [Haynes] otherwise had the [RFC] at least for work requiring lifting 20 pounds occasionally and 10 pounds frequently, standing/walking 3 to 4 hours in an 8 hour work day, and 5 to 10 minutes at a time, sitting up to 8 hours in an 8 hour work day, and 20 to 30 minutes at a time, no climbing, balancing, stooping, or crawling, only occasional kneeling or crouching, limited pushing or pulling, no work around unprotected heights or dangerous moving machinery, no work around temperature or humidity extremes, dust, or fumes, and no more than unskilled or lower semi-skilled level work. The undersigned finds no substantial support in the record as a whole for further reduction in this [RFC]. 23 The ALJ then considered whether Haynes could return to any of his past relevant work as a carpenter. The ALJ found that at all times relevant to the adjudication, Haynes had a history of semi-skilled work with no work skills transferable to his RFC, so Haynes was unable to return to that work (step four). Based on Utities's testimony, the ALJ found that Haynes could perform a significant number of light-level jobs then existing in the national economy—including bench assembler and wrapper/packager—corresponding to Haynes's RFC, age, education, and work experience (step five). 24 In sum, the ALJ determined that Haynes was disabled from June 1, 1998, to June 1, 1999, because he could not perform even sedentary work during that period. Outside that period, however, Haynes was capable of performing more than the full range of sedentary work, but less than a full range of light work, due to standing and walking restrictions. The appeals council denied Haynes's request for review of this determination, so the ALJ's decision became the final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security. Haynes then sought judicial review in the district court, which affirmed the Commissioner's decision.