Opinion ID: 729912
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Consideration of Plaintiff's Somatoform Disorder

Text: 15 The record reveals that Plaintiff appears to suffer from a Somatoform Disorder, which, as described in regulations, is characterized by alleged physical symptoms for which there are no demonstrable organic findings or known physiological mechanisms. See 20 C.F.R. Pt. 220, App. 1 § 12.07. Merely being diagnosed with a Somatoform Disorder does not automatically entitled one to SSI benefits. Rather, an applicant suffering from a Somatoform Disorder must show that her Somatoform Disorder is sufficiently severe to render her effectively disabled and thus entitled to SSI. See 42 U.S.C. § 423(d)(2)(A) (noting that the alleged impairment must be of such severity that [the claimant] is not only unable to do his previous work but cannot, considering his age, education, and work experience, engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy); See Sarchet v. Chater, 78 F.3d 305, 307 (7th Cir.1996); Jones v. Shalala, 10 F.3d 522, 524 (7th Cir.1993). Although the regulations 3 appear to require Plaintiff to show a marked restriction in ability to perform daily living, social, and work functions, the burden is on the Commissioner to show that Plaintiff (despite her Somatoform Disorder) retains the RFC to perform jobs available in the national economy. Herron v. Shalala, 19 F.3d 329, 333 (7th Cir.1994) (noting that with respect to the familiar five-step inquiry outlined int he regulations to determine disability status, the government bears the burden of proving the last step, i.e. that there are jobs existing in the national economy that the claimant can perform, despite having a severe impairment). Since the ALJ found that jobs existed in the national economcy that Plaintiff could perform, and therefore that Plaintiff was not disabled within the meaning of the Act, the issue before this court is limited to determining whether this finding is supported by substantial evidence. Luna v. Shalala, 22 F.3d 687, 689 (7th Cir.1994). In conducting this review, we may not re-evaluate the facts, re-weigh the evidence, or substitute this court's judgment for that of the ALJ. Id. 16 Rather than contending that substantial evidence did not support the ALJ's finding that Plaintiff's Somatoform Disorder was not sufficiently severe, Plaintiff first argues that the ALJ failed to consider her Somatoform Disorder at all. The Commissioner attempts to show that the ALJ did consider the effect of Plaintiff's Somatoform Disorder by including a light exertional limit on Plaintiff's ability to work. The Commissioner points to the ALJ's statements that [e]ven imposing a 'light' exertional limitation, as an additional restriction a good percentage of said jobs still exist, and, that the claimant has the residual functional capacity to perform at least light work. (R. at 77, 81.) In reply, Plaintiff counters that paragraph four of the ALJ's numbered findings states that [t]here are no exertional limitations. (R. at 82.) This apparent inconsistency (which relates to the ALJ's assessment of the severity of Plaintiff's Somatoform Disorder), though perhaps intriguing, is a red herring. The ALJ clearly states in his findings that although the Plaintiff suffers no disabling physical impairment, she has a diagnosed anxiety related disorder and Somatoform disorder. (R. at 81.) The relevant issue, that we now turn to, is whether substantial evidence supports the ALJ's decision that Plaintiff's Somatoform disorder was not so severe as to render Plaintiff disabled. 17