Daniel F. Hurley v. Comr. of Social Security

[DO NOT PUBLISH]
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FILED
FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
________________________ ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
AUGUST 29, 2005
No. 05-11346 THOMAS K. KAHN
Non-Argument Calendar CLERK
________________________
D. C. Docket No. 03-01624-CV-ORL-JGG
DANIEL F. HURLEY,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SECURITY,
Defendant-Appellee.
________________________
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Middle District of Florida
_________________________
(August 29, 2005)
Before HULL, WILSON and PRYOR, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Daniel F. Hurley appeals the order of the district court that affirmed the
denial of his application for disability insurance benefits and supplemental security
income. Because the denial of Hurley’s disability insurance benefits and
supplemental security income was supported by substantial evidence and the
Administrative Law Judge applied the correct legal standards, we affirm.
I. STANDARD OF REVIEW
We review a social security appeal to determine whether the decision of the
ALJ is supported by substantial evidence and whether the ALJ applied the correct
legal standards. See 42 U.S.C. § 405(g); Crawford v. Comm’r of Soc. Sec., 363
F.3d 1155, 1158 (11th Cir. 2004). Substantial evidence is “such relevant evidence
as the reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” Walden
v. Schweiker, 672 F.2d 835, 838 (11th Cir. 1982). We review de novo the decision
of the district court regarding whether substantial evidence supports the findings.
Wilson v. Barnhart, 284 F.3d 1219, 1221 (11th Cir. 2002).
II. DISCUSSION
Hurley makes three arguments on appeal. First, he contends that the medical
evidence overwhelmingly showed that he had underlying medical conditions that
cause him severe and disabling pain, and the ALJ erred in failing to develop the
record concerning his objective evidence of pain. Hurley next argues that the
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decision of the ALJ is not supported by substantial evidence because the ALJ
relied on the testimony of a vocational expert and failed to pose a hypothetical
question that comprised all of Hurley’s impairments. Finally, Hurley contends that
the ALJ erred in failing to evaluate all of Hurley’s impairments individually and in
combination. We address each argument in turn.
A. Failure to Develop Record
Hurley argues that the ALJ erred in failing to develop the record concerning
the objective evidence of pain and that the ALJ failed to properly evaluate his pain.
Although a claimant may establish a disability through his own testimony
regarding pain, the claimant must also provide “(1) evidence of an underlying
medical condition and either (2) objective medical evidence that confirms the
severity of the alleged pain arising from that condition or (3) that the objectively
determined medical condition is such a severity that it can reasonably be expected
to give rise to the alleged pain.” Holt v. Sullivan, 921 F.2d 1221, 1223 (11th Cir.
1991). “A claimant’s subjective testimony supported by medical evidence that
satisfies the pain standard is itself sufficient to support a finding of disability.”
Foote v. Chater, 67 F.3d 1553, 1560-61(11th Cir. 1995). After an impairment is
established, the ALJ must consider the medical signs and laboratory findings with
the evidence regarding the intensity, persistence, and functionally limiting effects
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of the pain or other symptoms in deciding the issue of disability. Id.The ALJ also must make credibility determinations regarding a claimant’s
complaints of pain. Wiggins v. Schweiker, 679 F.2d 1387, 1391 (11th Cir. 1982).
If the ALJ discredits a claimant’s subjective complaints of pain, the ALJ must
articulate the reasons for this conclusion based on substantial evidence. Jones v.
Department of Health and Human Services, 941 F.2d 1529, 1532 (11th Cir. 1991).
Although the ALJ “has a duty to develop a full and fair record,” Brown v. Shalala,
44 F.3d 931, 934 (11th Cir. 1995), “there must be a showing of prejudice before
we will find that the claimant’s right to due process has been violated to such a
degree that the case must be remanded to the Secretary for further development of
the record.” Id. at 935. Before ordering a remand, we review the administrative
record as a whole to determine if it is inadequate or incomplete or “shows the kind
of gaps in the evidence necessary to demonstrate prejudice.” Graham v. Apfel, 129
F.3d 1420, 1423 (11th Cir. 1997). “The lack of medical and vocational
documentation supporting an applicant's allegations of disability is undoubtedly
prejudicial to a claim for benefits.” Brown, 44 F.3d at 935-36.
Substantial evidence supports the determination of the ALJ regarding
Hurley’s evidence of pain. The objective and subjective medical evidence supports
the finding of the ALJ that the alleged pain arising from Hurley’s condition is not
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disabling. The determination of the ALJ that Hurley impairments were not severe
within the meaning of the regulations is supported by the medical records of
Hurley’s treating physician and the most recent mental and physical residual
function capacity examinations. The inconsistencies in Hurley’s testimony and the
diagnostic and clinical findings further support the determination that Hurley’s
condition is not severe. We also conclude that the record was sufficiently
developed for the ALJ to evaluate Hurley’s impairments and functional ability.
The record does not show the kind of gaps in evidence necessary to demonstrate
prejudice. See Graham, 129 F.3d at 1423.
B. Vocational Expert
After a claimant has established some disability that prevents him from
performing his past relevant work, the burden shifts to the ALJ to demonstrate the
existence of a significant number of jobs in the national economy that the claimant
can perform. Jones v. Apfel, 190 F.3d 1224, 1228 (11th Cir. 1999). An ALJ uses
either of two methods to determine whether a claimant has the ability to adjust to
other work in the national economy: (1) applying the Medical Vocational
Guidelines, or (2) using a vocational expert. Phillips v. Barnhart, 357 F.3d 1232,
1239-40 (11th Cir. 2004). Testimony from a vocational expert is the preferred
method for introducing independent evidence of the existence of jobs in the
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national economy that the claimant can preform. Wilson v. Barnhart, 284 F.3d
1219, 1227 (11th Cir. 2002).
“[F]or a [vocational expert]’s testimony to constitute substantial evidence,
the ALJ must pose a hypothetical question which comprises all of the claimant’s
impairments.” Id. “Essentially, the ALJ must determine if there is other work
available in significant numbers in the national economy that the claimant has the
ability to perform.” Phillips, 357 F.3d at 1239. The ALJ uses hypothetical
questions to determine whether someone with the same limitations as the claimant
would be able to secure employment in the national economy. See id. After the
ALJ identifies alternative work, the burden shifts to the claimant to demonstrate
that he is unable to perform those jobs. Id.Hurley’s argument that the hypothetical questions posed by the ALJ to the
vocational expert were not supported by substantial evidence fails. The ALJ
properly relied on the opinion of the vocational expert because the hypotheticals
posed to the vocational expert addressed all of Hurley’s impairments. The second
and third hypotheticals accurately reflected Hurley’s impairments and a residual
functional capacity for a limited range of light work. The vocational expert
testified that, although Hurley could not return to his past work, he could do other
work in the national economy. The Commissioner, therefore, carried the burden of
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proving that Hurley could perform other work, and Hurley failed to establish that
he could not perform the jobs identified by the vocational expert. See Jones, 190
F.3d at 1228.
C. Evaluation of Impairments
Hurley argues that the ALJ erred in failing to evaluate all of Hurley’s
impairments individually and in combination. An ALJ must consider each
impairment alleged. Gibson v. Heckler, 779 F.2d 619, 623 (11th Cir. 1986).
“Where a claimant has alleged several impairments, the Secretary has a duty to
consider the impairments in combination and to determine whether the combined
impairments render the claimant disabled.” Jones, 941 F.2d at 1533.
The ALJ properly evaluated all of Hurley’s impairments. The ALJ made
specific statements explaining that the medical evidence established that Hurley
had a combination of severe impairments, but these impairments did not meet or
medically equal the listed impairment in Appendix 1, Subpart P, Regulations No.
4. The ALJ explicitly found that Hurley has degenerative disc disease of the
lumbar nad cervical spine, asymptomatic hepatitis C infection, probable arthritis in
the left knee, mild cerebellar disease due to chronic alcohol abuse, somatoform and
substance-induced disorders, a major depressive disorder, a possible cognitive
disorder, and a substance addition disorder. Although there was no medical
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evidence to support Hurley’s claims of numbness in his left hand and side effects
from his medication, the ALJ implicitly addressed these alleged impairments
through the hypothetcials. Substantial evidence supports the conclusion that the
ALJ considered the individual and combined effects of Hurley’s impairments. See
Wilson, 284 F.3d at 1224.
III. CONCLUSION
Based on the foregoing, the denial of disability insurance benefits to Hurley
is AFFIRMED.
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