Court Opinion

ID: 9475678
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 05:35:42.436462+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:44:52.585347
License: Public Domain

MERRITT, Circuit Judge.
In this substantial evidence, Social Security case plaintiff Woods appeals from the Secretary’s denial of his application for disability benefits. The Secretary, through an administrative law judge and the Appeals Council, determined that Woods cannot perform his former job as a forklift driver in a factory but that he can perform a limited range of sedentary work and has the skills to be a messenger car driver. We do not believe the evidence supports the Secretary’s conclusion and reverse and remand for benefits.
*507The medical evidence clearly establishes that Woods, a hearing-impaired, 60-year-old man, suffers from a history of back pain, heart problems and high blood pressure. As explained by Dr. McGuire, Woods had surgery for a herniated disc in 1981 which was only partially successful and only temporarily lessened his back pain. Woods must take Tylenol #3 frequently. He also takes Congard for heart problems and Dyazide for high blood pressure. His back pain prevents Woods from standing, walking or lying in one position for normal periods of time. He is unable to go up and down stairs because of weakness in his legs and back. He can walk only with a cane.
The ALJ’s error stems from the fact that he relied upon a statement by the vocational expert that there are 3,500 sedentary jobs as in-plant vehicle drivers in the Detroit area to conclude that the vocational expert believed that Woods could work as a messenger car driver. This reliance on the vocational expert is in conflict with the main thrust of the vocational expert’s testimony. The vocational expert testified: “I was asked, given his testimony ... whether or not he could perform his past relevant work. And my answer was no. I was asked whether or not given his testimony and his past relevant work was there any other work he could do. And I said no.” Joint Appendix at 76, 81.
When read in context the vocational expert’s testimony does not support the conclusion attributed to the vocational expert by the ALJ. At oral argument the attorney for the Secretary conceded as much. She conceded that the AU decision cannot be supported on the present record and recommended a remand.
The medical evidence in the present record shows that Woods cannot perform sedentary work or work as a messenger vehicle driver. We do not believe a remand is necessary. The evidence submitted by Drs. Mondry, Mahadevan, and McGuire constitutes the significant medical evidence, and their reports all clearly support a finding of total disability. For example, Dr. Mondry gave the following opinion:
Mr. Woods is a 57-year-old white male who had an acute interior wall myocardial infarction on 12-11-82 and now he has incapacitating angina pectoris and he is totally disabled from the point of view of coronary artery disease. The patient, in addition, is totally disabled from status post lumbosacral disc surgery and he continues to have severe incapacitating low backache with restriction of motion. He also has hypertension____ He is totally disabled as I stated.
JA 6.
We do not. find any medical or clinical findings which are inconsistent with this view of Mr. Woods’ condition.
Accordingly, the judgment of the District Court is reversed with instructions to remand the case to the Secretary for an award of benefits consistent with this opinion.