Almonte v. Califano

490 F. Supp. 127, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10912
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedMarch 31, 1980
DocketNo. 78 Civ. 6181 (KTD)
StatusPublished

This text of 490 F. Supp. 127 (Almonte v. Califano) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Almonte v. Califano, 490 F. Supp. 127, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10912 (S.D.N.Y. 1980).

Opinion

OPINION & ORDER

KEVIN THOMAS DUFFY, District Judge:

Plaintiff, Juan F. Almonte, is a 46 year old native of the Dominican Republic. Since his arrival in the United States in 1955, he has worked continuously through June, 1977 as a dishwasher and as a maintenance man in a multiple dwelling. Plaintiff presently resides with his wife and five children in the Bronx.

Plaintiff filed an application for disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income on October 14, 1977. The application recites that plaintiff became unable to work as of June 30, 1977, due to heart disease. This application was denied originally and again upon reconsideration. Plaintiff then requested, and received, a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge of the Bureau of Hearing and Appeals. Plaintiff appeared without counsel. He did, however, require the services of an interpreter since he speaks only Spanish.

[129]*129On July 12, 1978, the Administrative Law Judge found plaintiff not to be under a disability and therefore not entitled to the benefits claimed. That became the final decision of the Secretary when the Appeals Council declined to review the decision on October 20, 1978. Thereafter, plaintiff commenced the instant suit seeking review of the Secretary’s final determination.

The Secretary has now moved, pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(c), for judgment on the pleadings. Plaintiff has cross-moved for the same relief.

The Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1382c provides in pertinent part:

(a) (3)(A) An individual shall be considered to be disabled for purposes of this subchapter if he is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve months
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), an individual shall be determined to be under a disability only if his physical or mental impairment or impairments are of such severity that he is not only unable to do his previous work but cannot, considering his age, education, and work experience, engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work which exists in the national economy, regardless of whether such work exists in the immediate area in which he lives, or whether a specific job vacancy exists for him, or whether he would be hired if he applied for work. For purposes of the preceding sentence (with respect to any individual), “work which exists in the national economy” means work which exists in significant numbers either in the region where such individual lives or in several regions of the country.
(C) For purposes of this paragraph, a physical or mental impairment is an impairment that results from anatomical, physiological, or psychological abnormalities which are demonstrable by medically acceptable clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques.

Under this statutory framework, proving the existence of one or more impairments does not, without more, establish disability within the meaning of the Act. Rather, these impairments must be of such severity to preclude gainful employment.

In order to affirm the Secretary’s determination that plaintiff was not disabled within the meaning of the Act, that decision must be supported by substantial evidence in the administrative record. 42 U.S.C. §§ 405(g) and 1383. Stated differently, there must be sufficient relevant evidence in the record that a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support the decision. Richardson v. Perales, 402 U.S. 389, 401, 91 S.Ct. 1420, 1427, 28 L.Ed.2d 842 (1971).

Within these guidelines, the assessment of a possible disability requires consideration of a number of factors. These include: the objective medical facts; diagnosis or medical opinion based upon such facts; subjective evidence of pain or disability testified to by the claimant or others; and, the claimant’s educational background, age, and work experience. Bastien v. Califano, 572 F.2d 908 (2d Cir. 1978); Gold v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, 463 F.2d 38 (2d Cir. 1972).

The relevant medical evidence which was before the Administrative Law Judge consisted of the following.

In June of 1976, plaintiff was first treated for chest pains and palpitations at Jewish Memorial Hospital as an outpatient. On June 16, 1977, he was admitted to Jewish Memorial for observation after experiencing a sudden onset of palpitations, chest pain and sweating.

After spending six days in Jewish Memorial undergoing tests and observation, the plaintiff was discharged. There was no evidence at that time of a severe medical condition or one warranting immediate medical attention. And, while no medication was prescribed for plaintiff, he was advised by the treating physician in the [130]*130hospital to receive follow up treatment as an outpatient at the hospital’s cardiac clinic. The treating physician, Dr. Michael Gherma, also advised plaintiff not to work for one week.

The admitting diagnosis at Jewish Memorial was cardiac arrhythmia. The testing and observation at Jewish Memorial produced a final diagnosis that plaintiff was suffering from paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (excessively rapid heart action which comes and goes quite abruptly), secondary to Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (a defect in the functioning of the heart), and chronic alcoholism. Thereafter, plaintiff’s frequent visits to the cardiac clinic did not result in a renewed direction to refrain from work nor was any medication ever prescribed.

In addition to the medical records from Jewish Memorial, there was evidence that the plaintiff has been under the care of a private physician since February, 1975. The physician, Dr. Jacques Jakoff, has twice diagnosed that the plaintiff is suffering from atrial fibrillation. He characterized the plaintiff in these reports as “a very sick man” who “naturally . . . cannot work.” He concludes, based upon his observations, that the plaintiff “needs the help of the authorities.”

At the hearing the plaintiff, through his interpreter, testified that as a result of his cardiac condition he suffers from the following symptoms: swelling in his legs; a restricting tightness in his chest; and difficulty in breathing, which collectively inhibit his ability to walk any significant distances, climb stairs or lift heavy objects.

It has repeatedly been stated in this Circuit that “when no contradictory evidence is presented, a treating physician’s expert opinion is binding on the Secretary.” Eiden v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare,

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
490 F. Supp. 127, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10912, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/almonte-v-califano-nysd-1980.