Opinion ID: 665453
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Back Pain and Vision Problems

Text: 9 As noted above, the physical impairments Camarena claims in his current application are identical to those listed on his first application filed in September 1986, and Camarena again seeks benefits as of August 1985, the date of his fall down the stairway. When Camarena failed to appear for the scheduled hearing on his first application, however, the decision on reconsideration, dated February 23, 1987, became the final decision of the Secretary. The ALJ who held the hearing on Camarena's current application concluded that the denial of the first application was res judicata, and, on this basis, ruled that the only issue before him was Camarena's eligibility for benefits from February 24, 1987 forward. The ALJ also concluded that the denial of Camarena's first application created a presumption of continuing nondisability. AR at 9; see also Taylor v. Heckler, 765 F.2d 872, 876 (9th Cir.1985) (final decision of the Secretary on prior application is res judicata). Although we have serious doubts about whether Camarena had a full and fair opportunity to litigate the issues in his first application--Camarena was in jail at the time of his scheduled hearing and made some effort, albeit two days late, to seek a postponement of the hearing, see Gregory v. Bowen, 844 F.2d 664, 666 (9th Cir.1988) (declining to apply res judicata to prior administrative decision, noting that res judicata should not be applied rigidly in administrative proceedings)--we do not need to address the res judicata issue. We conclude that, even without the application of res judicata or a presumption of continuing disability, both the February 23, 1987 decision denying Camarena's first application and the decision of the ALJ denying the physical impairment claims in Camarena's current application are supported by substantial evidence. 10 Although Camarena's treating physician in late 1985 and early 1986, Dr. Robert Smith, indicated in several brief statements that Camarena was disabled from August or December 1985 through October 2, 1986, Dr. Smith did not include any clinical or diagnostic findings to support the statements. See AR at 196-201. All of Camarena's diagnostic tests were negative. X-rays of his lumbosacral spine and ribs in December 1985 were negative, as was a lumbar CT scan in February 1986. AR at 203, 206. More recent medical tests also show no evidence of a disabling back condition. In 1988, Camarena was orthopedically evaluated at government expense by Dr. Virgil Becker. After a battery of tests, Dr. Becker concluded that, although the range of motion in the lumbar spine area was slightly less than normal, Camarena's back was otherwise in good condition. AR at 247-251. At his hearing before the ALJ, moreover, Camarena testified that he had no problems with driving, walking, grocery shopping, or carrying up to forty pounds. Similarly, although Camarena reported intermittent difficulty in seeing, the medical evidence has indicated consistently that his eyes are healthy. Eye exams reveal that he has 20/20 vision. See, e.g., AR at 238, 245. 11 The ALJ found that neither the medical evidence nor Camarena's testimony supported his contention that he suffered from an incapacitating physical impairment. In light of the above test results, this finding is clearly supported by substantial evidence. Moreover, the district court did not err by refusing to accept Dr. Smith's brief and conclusory statements regarding Camarena's back problems as conclusive proof that Camarena was disabled. See Matney ex rel. Matney v. Sullivan, 981 F.2d 1016, 1019 (9th Cir.1992) (where there is conflicting medical evidence, ALJ need not accept a treating physician's opinion which is brief and conclusory in form and unsupported by clinical findings). 2