Opinion ID: 1359690
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: March 2005 Denial of Initial Appeal After Thirty-Six Month Period

Text: In appealing the denial of her benefits claim, Hobson submitted a report from Dr. Subrt diagnosing her with Dercum's and an updated evaluation from Dr. Sessoms explaining that Hobson's symptoms included several chronic medical conditions. Substantial evidence in the record supports MetLife's determination that Hobson was not disabled due to Dercum's. As the first consultant, internist Dr. Blair D. Truxal, explained, Dr. Subrt's letter consisted only of one brief paragraph, which Hobson supplemented with fourteen pages of information on [Dercum's] disease... researched from the Internet. Dr. Truxal concluded that no diagnostic criteria or physical findings supported the diagnosis. In fact, he pointed to four diagnostic criteria that Hobson lacked. Finally, Dr. Truxal explained that Hobson's records did not specify which of the three types of Dercum's she allegedly had, or mention any treatment plan for the disease. MetLife's additional determination that none of Hobson's other alleged ailments precluded her from work was not unreasonable. The second consultant, neurologist and psychiatrist Dr. John F. Delaney, Jr. opined that, although Hobson had a number of chronic medical conditions which are severe, she remained functional and was able to work without any difficulty at her sedentary job. Because MetLife was entitled to rely on these written reports, Black & Decker, 538 U.S. at 834, 123 S.Ct. 1965, its denial of Hobson's claim was neither arbitrary nor capricious.