Opinion ID: 613955
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Assessment of Wilcox’s Credibility

Text: A three-part “pain standard” applies when a claimant attempts to establish disability through his own testimony of pain or other subjective symptoms. Wilson v. Barnhart, 284 F.3d 1219, 1225 (11th Cir. 2002) (per curiam). The standard requires the court to review (1) evidence of an underlying medical condition, and (2) either objective medical evidence that confirms (a) the severity of the alleged pain arising from that condition, or (b) that the objectively determined medical condition is of such a severity that it can be reasonably expected to give rise to the alleged pain. Id. A “claimant’s subjective testimony supported by medical evidence that satisfies the standard is itself sufficient to support a finding of disability.” Brown v. Sullivan, 921 F.2d 1233, 1236 (11th Cir. 5 1991). “Indeed, in certain situations, pain alone can be disabling, even when its existence is unsupported by objective evidence.” Foote v. Chater, 67 F.3d 1553, 1561 (11th Cir. 1995) (per curiam). But if the ALJ decides not to credit such testimony, he must discredit it explicitly, and articulate adequate reasons for doing so. See Wilson, 284 F.3d at 1225. Here, we conclude that the ALJ’s credibility finding is supported by substantial evidence and that the ALJ articulated adequate reasons for discrediting Wilcox’s subjective testimony. The ALJ found that her impairments reasonably could be expected to produce the alleged symptoms, but that her statements on the intensity, persistence, and limiting effects of the symptoms were not entirely credible. In support of this finding, the ALJ considered Wilcox’s testimony together with all of the medical evidence in the record. Thus, we affirm the ALJ’s credibility determination.