Bethune v. Finch

302 F. Supp. 425, 1969 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9861
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Missouri
DecidedJune 11, 1969
DocketCiv. A. No. 16560-3
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 302 F. Supp. 425 (Bethune v. Finch) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bethune v. Finch, 302 F. Supp. 425, 1969 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9861 (W.D. Mo. 1969).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND JUDGMENT REVERSING DECISION OF DEFENDANT

BECKER, Chief Judge.

This is an action under Section 405 (g) of Title 42, U.S.C., for review of defendant’s decision denying plaintiff’s claim for disability benefits on June 8, 1967.

Statutes Involved

Sections 416(i) (1) and 423(c) (2), Title 42, U.S.C., define disability as:

“inability 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 to be of long-continued and indefinite duration,
* # tt”

The emphasized portion was eliminated by the 1965 amendments to the Act, P.L. 89-97, and the following language was substituted:

“* * * has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, * * *” See Section 423(d) (1).

Section 303(f) (1) of P.L. 89-97 makes such amendment effective with respect to applications filed in or after July, 1965, or before July, 1965, if the applicant has not died before such month, and notice of final administrative decision has not been given to the applicant before such month. Monthly payments are not to be increased or made payable under these amendments, however, before the second month following July, 1965. Plaintiff filed his application for benefits on October 22, 1965. Notice to plaintiff of the final decision of the Appeals Council, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare is dated June 8, 1967. Thus, the 1965 amendments would apply to the administrative determination of plaintiff’s disability.

Sections 416(i) (3) (B) and 423(c) (1) (B), Title 42 U.S.C., require an insured individual to have 20 quarters of coverage in the 40-quarter period ending with the first quarter of disability. Plaintiff last met this requirement on June 30,1963.

Prior Administrative and Court Proceedings

Plaintiff first applied for disability benefits on June 10, 1958, alleging that he became unable to work in July, 1954, because of obesity and a bad heart. This claim was denied by the Social Security Administration on September 29, 1958, following which plaintiff did not pursue his right to an administrative appeal.

A second application was filed October 1, 1962, wherein plaintiff alleged he became unable to work on September 27, 1962, because of a heart condition. The claim was denied both on the initial consideration and on reconsideration. A hearing was had and again the claim was denied. The Appeals Council subsequently declined review of the hearing examiner’s decision. Plaintiff sought judicial review by filing a complaint in this Court. On May 25, 1965, Judge Duncan of this Court affirmed the Secretary’s decision.

[428]*428Plaintiff filed the application now under review on October 22, 1965, alleging again that he became unable to work on September 27, 1962, the same onset date alleged in his second application, because of heart and liver impairment. The initial determination made on December 1, 1965, was adverse to plaintiff. An adverse decision was also rendered upon reconsideration on March 1, 1966. After an application for hearing, the hearing examiner held a hearing on September 27, 1966, and denied the claim of plaintiff on December 29, 1966. The hearing examiner determined, as defendant presently contends here, that Judge Duncan’s decision of May 25, 1965, and the hearing examiner’s decision which it affirmed, are res judicata and conclusive in this case, and that, in any case, the plaintiff’s impairment has never been of such severity that it rendered him unable to engage in substantial gainful activity. The Appeals Council denied review of the hearing examiner’s decision, with the result that the hearing examiner’s decision became the final decision of defendant on June 8, 1967. Plaintiff’s complaint for judicial review herein was filed August 7,1967.

The Medical Evidence and Plaintiffs History

The plaintiff was born on July 17, 1911. (Tr. 56). He testified that he has only a third-grade education (Tr. 59), that he cannot read, and that his ability to write is restricted to signing his name' (Tr. 35, 39). His further testimony reveals that he didn’t begin school until the age of 7 or 8; that he then quit school at the age of eleven and began working in the coal mines around Paris, Arkansas (Tr. 59, 60); that he continued to mine coal in various states until about 1943, when he went to work for General Motors installing wheels on military vehicles (Tr. 62, 63); that thereafter in 1945 he resumed coal mining in West Virginia and worked there until 1948 (Tr. 62, 96); that in 1949 and 1950 he worked as a section hand for the Union Pacific Railroad (Tr. 105); that in 1951 and 1952 he worked for Helmers’ Furniture Company as a general cleanup and handyman (Tr. 105); that for the following three years he worked from time to time out of the Union Hall moving furniture to and from buildings, among other things; that he did not work the years 1956 through 1958 because of heart trouble; and that from 1959 to 1962 he worked as a baker’s helper at seven different bakeries (Tr. 64,106).

The plaintiff further testified that he had no vocational training of any type (Tr. 61); that the only kind of labor he has ever performed is manual labor (Tr. 36, 98); and that he has never performed any clerical or supervisory work (Tr. 104-106).

Plaintiff filed his first application for disability benefits on June 10, 1958, alleging heart and liver impairments (Tr. 79-82). According to his testimony, he had suffered a heart attack in 1961 or 1962 (Tr. 36-37). A medical report compiled by the insurance clerk of General Hospital No. 1 dated June 18, 1958, and based upon a visit of June 6, 1958, revealed that plaintiff had a grossly enlarged heart; that he was rather obese at 215% pounds; and that he had a productive cough. The recommended therapy was a 1,000-caloric diet. (Tr. 112).

Plaintiff’s second claim was filed October 1, 1962. Plaintiff testified in the hearing on that application that he had a heart attack at his home in September of that year (Tr. 37). Medical evidence, in addition to the aforementioned General Hospital report, which was considered on that determination, included the following:

A medical report of W. T. Reeves, D. O., was rendered July 16, 1963, and based upon bi-weekly visits from December 22, 1962, to the date of the report. Dr. Reeves cited the present illness, which he diagnosed as “congestive heart failure”, as having begun in 1957. He noted the subjective symptoms of dizziness, “black out” and shortness of breath; and that an x-ray and E.K.G. were in the General Hospital files.

[429]*429Another report by Dr. Reeves, dated February 13, 1963, was based on visits on January 28, 1963, February 2, 1963, and the date of the report. Again, the diagnosis was “congestive heart,” though this report states that the illness occurred in February, 1962. Dr. Reeves noted a history of heart ailments, however, dating back to 1954.

A letter from Wilson H. Miller, M.D., to the Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation Administration, dated August 19, 1963, was based on an examination of August 7, 1963. Dr. Miller noted that, at 5' 5" and 222 lbs., the plaintiff was very obese. Blood pressure was 150/98, pulse 76. Respiratory movements were of normal amplitude and equal.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
302 F. Supp. 425, 1969 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9861, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bethune-v-finch-mowd-1969.