Court Opinion

ID: 9495487
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 16:03:59.080386+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:57:02.841952
License: Public Domain

RICHARD S. ARNOLD, Circuit Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. In my view, the ALJ did not sufficiently explain the reasons for rejecting the opinion of the treating physician, Dr. Craig Shadur. It is true that Dr. Shadur is a kidney specialist, and that he has not treated the claimant for her neck and arm disorders. To reject his opinion about the effects of the pain Ms. Dolph suffers for this reason, however, seems to me unreasonable. One part of the body can easily affect another. It seems to be common ground that Ms. Dolph in fact does suffer from stomach pain, caused by her polycystic kidney disease. I do not see why Dr. Shadur’s opinion that this pain affects her ability to sit, walk, and stand should not be accepted, merely because he has not treated the claimant for neck and arm disorders. The human body should not be so easily separated into distinct parts having no relation to each other.
For these reasons, I would award Ms. Dolph the benefits she seeks, or, at least, remand for further consideration by the ALJ of Dr. Shadur’s opinions.