Opinion ID: 2792892
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Subjective Complaints Before the ALJ

Text: We review the Commissioner’s decision for substantial evidence. Winschel v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., 631 F.3d 1176, 1178 (11th Cir. 2011). “Substantial evidence is more than a scintilla and is such relevant evidence as a reasonable person would accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” Id. (quotations omitted). This Court “may not decide the facts anew, reweigh the evidence, or substitute [its] judgment for that of the [Commissioner].” Id. The individual seeking Social Security disability benefits bears the burden of proving that he is disabled. Moore v. Barnhart, 405 F.3d 1208, 1211 (11th Cir. 2005). 2 Case: 14-12471 Date Filed: 04/10/2015 Page: 3 of 11 We will review the Commissioner’s legal conclusions de novo. Id. When the Appeals Council denies review of the ALJ’s decision, we review the ALJ’s decision as the Commissioner’s final decision. Doughty v. Apfel, 245 F.3d 1274, 1278 (11th Cir. 2001). The Commissioner uses a five-step, sequential evaluation process . . . to determine whether a claimant is disabled: (1) whether the claimant is currently engaged in substantial gainful activity; (2) whether the claimant has a severe impairment or combination of impairments; (3) whether the impairment meets or equals the severity of the specified impairments in the Listing of Impairments; (4) based on [the RFC] assessment, whether the claimant can perform any of his or her past relevant work despite the impairment; and (5) whether there are significant numbers of jobs in the national economy that the claimant can perform given the claimant’s RFC, age, education, and work experience. 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4); Winschel, 631 F.3d at 1178. The RFC is “that which an individual is still able to do despite the limitations caused by his or her impairments.” Phillips v. Barnhart, 357 F.3d 1232, 1238 (11th Cir. 2004). The ALJ considers all of the evidence in the record in determining the claimant’s RFC. Id. The ALJ must “articulate specific reasons for questioning the claimant’s credibility” if subjective symptom testimony is “critical” to the claim. Marbury v. Sullivan, 957 F.2d 837, 839 (11th Cir. 1992). “A clearly articulated credibility finding with substantial supporting evidence in the record will not be disturbed by a reviewing court.” Foote v. Chater, 67 F.3d 1553, 1562 (11th Cir. 1995); see also 3 Case: 14-12471 Date Filed: 04/10/2015 Page: 4 of 11 Moore, 405 F.3d at 1212 (“We recognize that credibility determinations are the province of the ALJ.”). “The credibility determination does not need to cite particular phrases or formulations but it cannot merely be a broad rejection which is not enough to enable . . . this Court to conclude that the ALJ considered [the] medical condition as a whole.” Dyer v. Barnhart, 395 F.3d 1206, 1210 (11th Cir. 2005) (quotations and alterations omitted). “It is well-established that the ALJ has a basic duty to develop a full and fair record.” Brown v. Shalala, 44 F.3d 931, 934 (11th Cir. 1995). Consequently, the ALJ must “‘scrupulously and conscientiously probe into, inquire of, and explore for all relevant facts.’” Cowart v. Schwieker, 662 F.2d 731, 735 (11th Cir. 1981) (quoting Cox v. Califano, 587 F.2d 988, 991 (9th Cir. 1978)). The ALJ must consider all of the impairment evidence presented at the hearing, stating the weight accorded to each item and the reasons for accepting or rejecting the evidence. Lucas v. Sullivan, 918 F.2d 1567, 1574 (11th Cir. 1990). The ALJ adequately considered the evidence in the record at the time of the hearing related to Norton’s present claim of urinary incontinence. The record before the ALJ only included a single reference to urinary issues, wherein Norton asked Dr. Biggers for an adult diaper prescription and for hydrocortisone ointment to deal with a rash caused by leaking urine. Importantly, the complaints to 4 Case: 14-12471 Date Filed: 04/10/2015 Page: 5 of 11 Petschell and Dr. Fusia did not occur until months after the ALJ decision issued, and were therefore unavailable for consideration. Substantial evidence also supported the ALJ’s conclusion that Norton did not suffer from a severe impairment caused by urinary incontinence, which was not included in his application as a disabling impairment. Norton testified before the ALJ that he had to urinate once an hour as a result of his pain medication, but he did not include this complaint among his reasons he believed that he could not work. However, as the ALJ noted, Norton’s subjective complaints were often not supported, and were sometimes contradicted, by objective findings in the medical records. Medical records indicated that he would not give full effort during exams, that he would claim pain when it did not appear warranted, and that he made requests for supplies and prescriptions that he did not need. Thus, substantial evidence also supported the ALJ’s conclusion that Norton was not entirely credible in his testimony. Foote, 67 F.3d at 1562. With no other evidence of urinary problems in the medical records, and his limited testimony regarding the impairment being not entirely credible, the ALJ adequately considered the evidence of his complaint, and did not err by concluding that Norton’s urinary incontinence complaint was not a severe impairment. Lucas, 918 F.2d at 1574. Accordingly, we affirm in this respect. 5 Case: 14-12471 Date Filed: 04/10/2015 Page: 6 of 11