Court Opinion

ID: 9682539
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 08:13:01.17646+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:40.005024
License: Public Domain

John I. Purtle, Justice, dissenting. I disagree with the majority in this case because, in my opinion, the overwhelming preponderance of the evidence substantiates the appellant’s claim of total disability. All Minnie Williams is asking is that she be granted medicaid as one who is medically needy. This is a federally funded program operated through the social services division of the Arkansas Department of Human Services. “Disability” is defined by both state and federal regulations as a “physical or mental impairment which prevents the individual from doing any substantially gainful work . . . and which has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months ...” Minnie Williams was forced to work on a farm when she was a child and was unable to obtain any formal education. She spent her adult life as an unskilled farm laborer and caring for her invalid mother. She was 59 years of age at the time of the hearing. She receives no income from any source, therefore, she is ineligible for social security benefits. Dr. John D. Ashley, a local physician, testified that in his opinion appellant suffered from a number of impairments, including: migraine headaches, goiter, rheumatoid arthritis in multiple joints, paraxysmal, anxiety attacks, osteoarthritis, enlarged thyroid, extreme nervousness, nausea, otitis guterma, and arthritis of the lumbar spine. His testimony was that appellant was to avoid any type of activity which included walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, lifting, reaching, pushing and pulling. He concluded by saying that in his opinion she was totally and permanently disabled. There was another medical report which was essentially the same as that of Dr. Ashley’s. The medical testimony was not contradicted. It is my opinion that reasonable minds could not find that this woman was not totally disabled. There is no known gainful employment, in my opinion, which does not involve some of the activities prohibited by the medical evidence in this case. I would reverse this case and order Minnie Williams to be certified as totally disabled from engaging in any gainful employment as intended by the regulations herein involved.