Court Opinion

ID: 2964188
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2015-09-21 21:21:51.285276+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:42:51.598629
License: Public Domain

USCA1 Opinion

	

          June 17, 1996
                                [NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

                            UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                                FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT

                                 ____________________

        No. 95-1943

                               HECTOR FIGUEROA-ORTEGA,

                                Plaintiff, Appellant,

                                          v.

                           COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY,

                                 Defendant, Appellee.

                                 ____________________

                     APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

                           FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO

                    [Hon. Jose Antonio Fuste, U.S. District Judge]
                                              ___________________

                                 ____________________

                                        Before

                                 Selya, Cyr and Lynch,
                                   Circuit Judges.
                                   ______________

                                 ____________________

            Raymond Rivera Esteves and Juan A.  Hernandez Rivera on brief  for
            ______________________     _________________________
        appellant.
            Guillermo Gil,  United States  Attorney, Rosa E.  Rodriguez-Velez,
            _____________                            ________________________
        Acting  Chief,  Civil  Division,  and  Donna  C.  McCarthy,  Assistant
                                               ___________________
        Regional  Counsel,  Social  Security  Administration,  on  brief   for
        appellee.

                                 ____________________

                                 ____________________

                      Per Curiam.  Claimant Hector  Figueroa appeals from
                      __________

            the judgment of the district court  upholding the decision of

            the Secretary of  Health and  Human Services that  he is  not

            entitled to  Social Security disability  benefits.   Claimant

            raises two issues on appeal.  In regard to his alleged mental

            impairment, we  essentially agree  with the district  court's

            reasoning,  so will not repeat  it here.   However, we decide

            the  question  regarding  claimant's  asthma  on  a  slightly

            different ground.

                      The record  does not support  claimant's contention

            that he met the listing for asthma, section 3.03B of Appendix

            1.   Specifically, claimant has not shown that he experienced

            an  average of  six "severe  attacks" of  asthma per  year as

            required  by Section 3.03C.  In 1990, the evidence shows only

            that  claimant was  seen  for "emergency"  treatment on  four

            occasions.  Even if  the number could be overlooked,  none of
                                                                  ____

            the asthma  attacks for which claimant  sought this treatment

            was  shown  to have  lasted  over  one hour.    As  for 1991,

            claimant arguably suffered more  than six "severe attacks" of

            asthma  (the  five visits  to  Dr. Campos  and  the three-day

            hospitalization).   However, as in 1990, there is no evidence
                                                              __

            in the record that  these attacks, aside from the  attack for

            which claimant was  hospitalized, lasted even  an hour.   The

            only  asthma  attack for  which a  time  was reported  is the

            February 25 visit to  Dr. Campos and this attack  lasted only

                                         -3-

            45  minutes.  Finally, in 1992, the record documents only one

            emergency treatment for an asthma attack.

                      Further,  there is  evidence  in the  record  which

            rebuts the existence of an impairment of listed severity.  

            First,  both Drs.  Rivera and  Campos --  claimant's treating

            physicians  -- stated  that  claimant's  asthma responded  to

            treatment.    See  Transcript,  at  202  (asthma  "moderately
                          ___

            controlled" with medicine);  349 (asthma "reversible" with  a

            bronchodilator).  Another treating physician, Dr. Marcantoni,

            opined  only that claimant could not do his prior heavy work.
                                                              _____

            Finally,  the  RFC  assessments  from  1990,  1991  and  1992

            indicate  that claimant  can work  in areas  which have  good

            ventilation  and which  are  free from  odors, dusts,  fumes,

            gases, wetness, humidity, and  extremes of temperature.  This

            evidence plainly contradicts the opinions of other physicians

            that  claimant's  asthma   rendered  him  totally   disabled.

            Conflicts in  the  evidence are  for the  Secretary, not  the

            courts.   Irlanda  Ortiz  v. Secretary  of  Health and  Human
                      ______________     ________________________________

            Services, 955 F.2d  765, 769  (1st Cir.  1991) (per  curiam).
            ________

            Given  that the  ALJ's hypothetical  to  the VE  included the

            limitations  outlined in  the RFC  assessments, his  decision

            that claimant's asthma does not preclude him from working  is

            supported by substantial evidence.  See id.
                                                ___ ___

                      The judgment of the district court is affirmed.
                                                            ________

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