Ayala v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare

372 F. Supp. 1216, 1973 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12201
CourtDistrict Court, D. Puerto Rico
DecidedAugust 22, 1973
DocketCiv. 554-71
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 372 F. Supp. 1216 (Ayala v. Secretary of Health, Education and 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
Ayala v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, 372 F. Supp. 1216, 1973 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12201 (prd 1973).

Opinion

ORDER

TOLEDO, Chief, Judge.

This cause is before the Court pursuant to plaintiff’s action under Section 405(g) of Title 42, United States Code, seeking a review of a final decision of the defendant (hereinafter the Secretary) which determined that he was not entitled to a period of disability and to the disability insurance benefits for which he applied on December 1, 1969. Plaintiff alleges that he became unable to work on April 6, 1969, by reason of multiple fractures caused by two accidents and alleged residual headaches, as well as permanent pain in the neck and pain from the shoulders to the elbows and from the knees to the waist.

The only issue before this Court is whether the Secretary’s decision is supported by substantial evidence based upon the whole record. Santiago v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1971), 336 F.Supp. 1071.

This Court has constantly reaffirmed that it is settled law that the burden of proof rests upon the plaintiff to establish that he is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment as contemplated by the Social Security Act *1218 (Title 42, United States Code, Section 423); although this burden need not be established beyond a reasonable doubt. Accordingly, the Secretary does not have the burden of making an initial showing of nondisability. Magdalena Salas v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1972) (Memorandum Opinion and Order of December 18, 1972, in Civil No. 607-70). Additionally, we have asserted that the mere presence of a disease or impairment is not in and of itself disabling, but it must be shown that the disease or impairment causes functional limitations which precludes plaintiff from engaging in substantial gainful activity. Angela Perez v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1972) (Order of December 14, 1972) in Civil No. 148-71). See also Reyes Robles v. Finch (1 Cir. 1969), 409 F.2d 84.

Likewise, it is also well settled that the findings of the Secretary, if supported by substantial evidence, shall be conclusive and, accordingly, should not be disturbed by a reviewing court. Richardson v. Perales, 402 U.S. 389, 91 S.Ct. 1420, 28 L.Ed.2d 842 (1971). The conclusive effect of the substantial evidence rule applies not only with respect to the basic evidentiary facts, but also to inferences and conclusions drawn therefrom. Santiago Berrios v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1972) (Memorandum and Order of December 12, 1972 in Civil No. 196-70). See also Levine v. Gardner (2 Cir. 1969), 360 F.2d 727.

After fully scrutinizing the whole record and carefully considering the medical as well as the non-medical evidence in record, we are of the opinion that the decision of the Secretary is supported by substantial evidence; thus deserving affirmance. We are satisfied that the plaintiff failed to prove that he is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of his alleged physical impairments as required by the Act. We are also satisfied that in determining whether plaintiff is disabled within the meaning of the Act, the Secretary considered, together and in combination with each other, the: (1) objective medical facts and clinical findings; (2) diagnosis of examining physicians; (3) subjective evidence of pain and disability as testified by the plaintiff; and (4) plaintiff’s age, education and work experience. De Paepe v. Richardson, (5 Cir. 1972), 464 F.2d 92. See also Toledo v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1970), 308 F.Supp. 192.

Plaintiff’s counsel has expressed before this Court that he is in substantial agreement with the statement of the case made by the defendant in his brief in support to the answer to the complaint. Notwithstanding, he brings to the attention of the Court facts which are basically directed to express the limited education of the plaintiff (up to fifth grade), the nature of his lifetime work (farmer labor), that the plaintiff was not represented by counsel at the hearing and that due to the complexity of the administrative process, specially being it conducted in the English language (an interpreter was provided) plaintiff’s presentation of his case was inadequate. This Court has been very mindful of the nature of the administrative process followed before the Secretary and of the limitations a claimant may have before it, specially when the record reveals the claimant suffers of some mental condition, he is unassisted by counsel at the hearing before the Secretary, and a much better case could have been presented, had he been assisted by counsel. See e.g. Meléndez Carrasquillo v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1973) (Memorandum Opinion and Order of March 23, 1973 in Civil No. 425-71); Pagan v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1972) (Memorandum and Order of December 13, 1972 in Civil No. 593-71). See also Concepcion v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1971), 337 F.Supp. 899; Torres v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1971), 337 F. *1219 Supp. 1329. But our relevant decisions have been made in the factual context of each ease and we have not ever announced a mechanical rule which would relieve each applicant from his initial burden of proving disability. Simon Rivera Lazu v. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (D.C.P.R.1973) Order of June 5, 1973 in Civil No. 540-71.

Plaintiff’s attorney stresses all along the point that administrative judgments should not rest on less than all reasonable available evidence, that it is not satisfactory to say that plaintiff did not produce all the possible evidence in his own behalf when it is clear that he is without counsel and unlearned and that plaintiff should be given a reasonable opportunity to introduce all available evidence and that counsel is necessary to elicit this evidence. Accordingly, plaintiff’s counsel request that we remand under Title 42, United States Code, Section 405(g), so that the plaintiff could present medical evidence that would shed light on his condition. Nowhere does plaintiff’s counsel state what evidence could plaintiff present that would enable him, with the assistance of counsel, to present a much better case. Counsel fails to bear in mind that plaintiff, at the hearing held before the hearing examiner, expressed that the evidence he had to sustain his claim was that already before the Secretary (Exhibits 1 to 14, Tr. 46-85) and that he had no other papers (Tr. 19). Plaintiff’s counsel calls the exhibits hearsay evidence of which the plaintiff was not made aware of his right to object and further states that plaintiff was likewise not made aware of his right to cross examine the medical doctors who produced the reports. We fail to see any merits to this proposition in the light of the facts and circumstances of the case. The administrative process contemplated in the Social Security Act is not an adversary process like the one followed in the courts.

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Bluebook (online)
372 F. Supp. 1216, 1973 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12201, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ayala-v-secretary-of-health-education-and-welfare-prd-1973.