Acosta v. Secretary of Health, Education & Welfare

313 F. Supp. 1007, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11468
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedJune 4, 1970
DocketCiv. No. 390-69
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 313 F. Supp. 1007 (Acosta v. Secretary of Health, Education & Welfare) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Acosta v. Secretary of Health, Education & Welfare, 313 F. Supp. 1007, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11468 (prd 1970).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

CANCIO, Chief Judge.

This plaintiff is before the court seeking review of the decision of the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, denying an application for disabled widow’s insurance benefits filed by plaintiff Carmen Reyes Acosta, for failure to establish a claim for disability insurance benefits as a widow, under 42 U.S.C. section 423(d) (2) (B) of the Social Security Act.

Plaintiff asks the court to decide whether, from the record as a whole, the decision of the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare that plaintiff failed to establish that she was unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of her alleged impairments, and that she had sufficient quarters of coverage, is supported by substantial evidence.

The evidence of the record fully supports the denial of the plaintiff’s claim. The evidence shows the plaintiff had no social security account number of her own (Tr. 44). There was no evidence that she ever worked in any employment except for one week or that she had earnings that were covered under the Social Security Act. Plaintiff testified that she had always been a housewife and had never worked outside her home (Tr. 32). Since plaintiff had no wages or other earnings reported, she has no quarters of coverage established under the Social Security Act and her claim rests entirely on her benefits as a disabled widow of her deceased husband.

In essence, plaintiff claims she became disabled in 1951, as defined in Title 42 U.S.C. section 223(b) of the Social Security Act, as amended, due to generalized arthritis, deafness and thyroid trouble, headaches, and palpitations of her heart.

Dr. Zenon A. Rivera-Biascoechea, an internist, examined the plaintiff in consultation May 17, 1968 (Tr. 74-75). He stated that she denied any nervousness, palpitations of heart or weight loss, that she was slightly obese,1 she could move around and about and bend without difficulty. Otherwise, she had no limitation of motion of any of her extremities and no limitation of back motion. She had normal auditory canals. The heart rate was 64, regular and without murmurs.

Dr. Paul Roura Sepulveda, orthopedic surgeon, diagnosed that plaintiff walked well and without difficulty, was sym[1009]*1009metric and well developed, had normal muscle tone along the lumbar and dorsal spine, had positive reflexes, good pinch and grasp with both hands. Dr. Roura Sepulveda also stated that plaintiff had normal functional capacity in walking, sitting, bending, squatting, stooping and kneeling.

As stated by Dr. Rafael B. Diaz Bonet, roentgenologist, (Tr. 79), there was no X-ray evidence of joint or other bony destruction to substantiate the plaintiff’s vague complaints with respect to all her joints.

In enacting benefits for disabled widows, Congress made abundantly clear its intent as to what the standard of disability necessary to establish entitlement to such benefits is. Thus, in reporting out the Social Security Amendments of 1967, the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives stated as follows:

“Under your committee’s bill, a new test of disability which is more strict than the definition which applies to workers would be provided for purposes of widow’s and widower’s benefits. This new test is discussed in the statement on ‘The Definition of Disability.’ ”
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“The bill would also provide reduced benefits (as discussed in the statement on benefits for disabled widows and widowers) for certain disabled widows (including surviving divorced wives) and disabled dependent widowers under an initial test of disability that is different from that for disabled workers and childhood disability beneficiaries. Under this test the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare xuould by regulation establish the severity of impairment which may be deemed to preclude an individual from engaging in any ‘gainful activity’. (As opposed to ‘substantial gainful activity’). An individual whose impairments meet the level of severity established by the regulations of the Secretary would generally be found to be disabled, although, of course, if other evidence establishes ability to engage in substantial gainful activity despite such impairments, he would not be found disabled; and individuals whose impairments do not meet this level of severity may not in any case be found disabled. Once an individual meets the initial test and is found disabled, he would be considered disabled as long as his impairment precluded his engaging in substantial gainful activity.” (Emphasis supplied). H.R. No. 544, pages 26, 31, 90th Cong., 1st Sess.

So, too, the Senate Finance Committee stated in pertinent part:

“The bill would also provide benefits (as discussed in the statement on benefits for disabled widows and widowers) for certain disabled widows (including surviving divorced wives) and disabled dependent widowers under a test of disability that is somexohat more restrictive than that for disabled workers and childhood disability beneficiaries. The determination of disability in the case of a widow or widower would be based solely on the level of severity of the impairment. Determinations in disabled widow and widower cases would be made without regard to non-medical factors such as age, education, and work experience, which are considered in disabled worker cases. Under this test the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare would by regulation establish the severity of impairment which may be deemed to preclude an individual from engaging in any ‘substantial gainful activity’ (as opposed to ‘gainful activity’ as provided in the House bill.) • An individual whose impairments meet the level of severity established by the regulations of the Secretary would generally be found to be disabled, although, of course, if other evidence establishes ability to engage in substantial gainful activity despite such impairments, he would not be found disabled; and individu[1010]*1010ais whose impairments do not meet this level of severity may not in any case be found disabled.” (Emphasis supplied.) Sen.Rpt. No. 744, pages 49-50, 90th Cong. 1st Sess.

Title 42, U.S.C. Section 223(d) (2) (B), which authorizes the Secretary to determine the levels of severity which demonstrate an inability to engage in gainful activity is plainly valid. United States v. Rock Royal Co-op., Inc., 307 U.S. 533, 574, 59 S.Ct. 993, 83 L.Ed. 1446 (1939); Opp Cotton Mills v. Administrator, 312 U.S. 126, 144-145, 61 S.Ct. 524, 85 L.Ed. 624, (1941); Yakus v. United States, 321 U.S. 414, 423, 64 S.Ct. 660, 88 L.Ed. 834 (1944); Iske v. United States, 396 F.2d 28, 31 (10 Cir., 1968); White v. United States, 395 F.2d 5, 9 (1 Cir., 1968); Willapoint Oysters v.

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Bluebook (online)
313 F. Supp. 1007, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11468, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/acosta-v-secretary-of-health-education-welfare-prd-1970.