LUCERO, Circuit Judge.
Wendy Briggs brought this case to obtain judicial review of the Commissioner’s determination that her minor child, Johnny Austin Briggs, does not qualify for disability benefits. The district court affirmed the Commissioner’s decision. Exercising jurisdiction pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) and 28 U.S.C. § 1291, we reverse and remand for further proceedings.
Johnny Briggs was born on July 22, 1992 with microtia and canal stenosis of the left ear. As a result, he has borderline normal hearing in his right ear and moderate hearing loss in the left. His speech development is poor and delayed. Ms. Briggs applied for Title XVI childhood disability benefits on her son’s behalf, which the Commissioner denied. He concluded that although Johnny has severe impairments, he does not meet or equal any impairment described in the listing of impairments.
“We review the district court’s decision
de novo
and therefore must independently determine whether the agency’s decision (1) is free of legal error and (2) is supported by substantial evidence. Substantial evidence is such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.”
Brown v. Callahan,
120 F.3d 1133, 1135 (10th Cir.1997) (quotations and brackets omitted).
A child under eighteen years of age is “disabled” if the child “has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, which results in marked and severe functional limitations,, and 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 12 months.” 42 U.S.C. § 1382c(a)(3)(C)(i). A sequential three-step process guides the Commissioner’s determination of whether a child meets this criteria. The administrative law judge (“ALJ”) must determine, in this order, (1) that the child is not engaged in substantial gainful activity, (2) that the child has an impairment or combination of impairments that is severe, and (3) that the child’s impairment meets or equals an impairment listed in Appendix 1, Subpart P of 20 C.F.R. Pt. 404. 20 C.F.R. § 416.924(a).
In making the third determination— whether a child’s impairment meets or equals a listed impairment — the ALJ must consider whether the impairment, alone or in combination with another impairment, “medically equals, or functionally equals the listings.”
Id.
The ALJ assesses all relevant factors, including (1) how well the
child initiates and sustains activities, how much extra help he needs, and the effects of structured or supportive settings; (2) how the child functions in school; and (3) how the child is affected by his medications or other treatment.
Id.
§ 416.926a(a)(l)-(3). The ALJ considers how a child functions in his activities “in terms of six domains”:
“(i) Acquiring and using information; (ii) Attending and completing tasks; (iii) Interacting and relating with others; (iv) Moving about and manipulating objects; (v) Caring for yourself; and, (vi) Health and physical well-being.”
Id.
§ 416.926a(b)(l)(i)-(vi).
Ms. Briggs contends that her son meets the requirements of listing 112.02, the listing for organic mental disorders. To show that her son has a marked impairment, she points to tests on which he scored two standard deviations below the mean in two domains.
The ALJ determined that Johnny was not disabled because some testing showed that his speech problem, a result of his partial deafness, had resulted in a speech development delay of only seven months. One tester noted that he had an age appropriate attention span. He knew how old he was, and he knew some colors. He enjoys school and has some friends.
The record, however, contains evidence that supports a finding of disability. Chief in this category are the standardized test results showing claimant to be two standard deviations below the mean in two domains.
Testing showed that he had a severe articulatory deficit for single word responses and connected speech and that only twenty-five percent of his speech was intelligible. Other testing similarly showed that his conversational speech was unintelligible, placing him in the fifth percentile. He qualified for speech therapy at school.
His kindergarten teacher noted that he had a very short attention span and was a distraction in the class. Johnny
himself gave limited testimony, much of which was unintelligible. He did not know his birthday, and his mother testified that he did not know his numbers or the alphabet.
Although the ALJ need not discuss all of the evidence in the record, he may not ignore evidence that does not support his decision, especially when that evidence is “significantly probative.”
Clifton v. Chafer,
79 F.3d 1007, 1009-10 (10th Cir.1996). No evidence was presented that the test results were invalid or that the tests were not generally accepted in the medical community. The only comment addressing the tests was from the medical expert who stated that “[t]he Battelle and the Social Security listings ... are two separate things.” (II Appellant’s App. at 211.) The ALJ erred by ignoring the test results completely.
If the child claimant is unable to adequately describe his symptoms, the ALJ must accept the testimony of the person most familiar with the child’s condition. 20 C.F.R. § 416.928(a). In such a case, the ALJ must make specific findings concerning the credibility of the parent’s testimony, just as he would if the child were testifying.
Cf. Williams v. Bowen,
859 F.2d 255, 260-61 (2d Cir.1988) (“The failure to make credibility findings regarding the [mother’s] critical testimony fatally undermines the Secretary’s argument that there is substantial evidence adequate to support his conclusion that claimant is not under a disability.”). Based upon his evaluation of the entire case record, the ALJ “may find all, only some, or none of an individual’s allegations to be credible.”
Evaluation of Symptoms in Disability Claims: Assessing the Credibility of an Individual’s Statements,
S.S.R. 96-7p, 1996 WL 374186, at *4 (July 2, 1996).
Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI
LUCERO, Circuit Judge.
Wendy Briggs brought this case to obtain judicial review of the Commissioner’s determination that her minor child, Johnny Austin Briggs, does not qualify for disability benefits. The district court affirmed the Commissioner’s decision. Exercising jurisdiction pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) and 28 U.S.C. § 1291, we reverse and remand for further proceedings.
Johnny Briggs was born on July 22, 1992 with microtia and canal stenosis of the left ear. As a result, he has borderline normal hearing in his right ear and moderate hearing loss in the left. His speech development is poor and delayed. Ms. Briggs applied for Title XVI childhood disability benefits on her son’s behalf, which the Commissioner denied. He concluded that although Johnny has severe impairments, he does not meet or equal any impairment described in the listing of impairments.
“We review the district court’s decision
de novo
and therefore must independently determine whether the agency’s decision (1) is free of legal error and (2) is supported by substantial evidence. Substantial evidence is such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.”
Brown v. Callahan,
120 F.3d 1133, 1135 (10th Cir.1997) (quotations and brackets omitted).
A child under eighteen years of age is “disabled” if the child “has a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, which results in marked and severe functional limitations,, and 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 12 months.” 42 U.S.C. § 1382c(a)(3)(C)(i). A sequential three-step process guides the Commissioner’s determination of whether a child meets this criteria. The administrative law judge (“ALJ”) must determine, in this order, (1) that the child is not engaged in substantial gainful activity, (2) that the child has an impairment or combination of impairments that is severe, and (3) that the child’s impairment meets or equals an impairment listed in Appendix 1, Subpart P of 20 C.F.R. Pt. 404. 20 C.F.R. § 416.924(a).
In making the third determination— whether a child’s impairment meets or equals a listed impairment — the ALJ must consider whether the impairment, alone or in combination with another impairment, “medically equals, or functionally equals the listings.”
Id.
The ALJ assesses all relevant factors, including (1) how well the
child initiates and sustains activities, how much extra help he needs, and the effects of structured or supportive settings; (2) how the child functions in school; and (3) how the child is affected by his medications or other treatment.
Id.
§ 416.926a(a)(l)-(3). The ALJ considers how a child functions in his activities “in terms of six domains”:
“(i) Acquiring and using information; (ii) Attending and completing tasks; (iii) Interacting and relating with others; (iv) Moving about and manipulating objects; (v) Caring for yourself; and, (vi) Health and physical well-being.”
Id.
§ 416.926a(b)(l)(i)-(vi).
Ms. Briggs contends that her son meets the requirements of listing 112.02, the listing for organic mental disorders. To show that her son has a marked impairment, she points to tests on which he scored two standard deviations below the mean in two domains.
The ALJ determined that Johnny was not disabled because some testing showed that his speech problem, a result of his partial deafness, had resulted in a speech development delay of only seven months. One tester noted that he had an age appropriate attention span. He knew how old he was, and he knew some colors. He enjoys school and has some friends.
The record, however, contains evidence that supports a finding of disability. Chief in this category are the standardized test results showing claimant to be two standard deviations below the mean in two domains.
Testing showed that he had a severe articulatory deficit for single word responses and connected speech and that only twenty-five percent of his speech was intelligible. Other testing similarly showed that his conversational speech was unintelligible, placing him in the fifth percentile. He qualified for speech therapy at school.
His kindergarten teacher noted that he had a very short attention span and was a distraction in the class. Johnny
himself gave limited testimony, much of which was unintelligible. He did not know his birthday, and his mother testified that he did not know his numbers or the alphabet.
Although the ALJ need not discuss all of the evidence in the record, he may not ignore evidence that does not support his decision, especially when that evidence is “significantly probative.”
Clifton v. Chafer,
79 F.3d 1007, 1009-10 (10th Cir.1996). No evidence was presented that the test results were invalid or that the tests were not generally accepted in the medical community. The only comment addressing the tests was from the medical expert who stated that “[t]he Battelle and the Social Security listings ... are two separate things.” (II Appellant’s App. at 211.) The ALJ erred by ignoring the test results completely.
If the child claimant is unable to adequately describe his symptoms, the ALJ must accept the testimony of the person most familiar with the child’s condition. 20 C.F.R. § 416.928(a). In such a case, the ALJ must make specific findings concerning the credibility of the parent’s testimony, just as he would if the child were testifying.
Cf. Williams v. Bowen,
859 F.2d 255, 260-61 (2d Cir.1988) (“The failure to make credibility findings regarding the [mother’s] critical testimony fatally undermines the Secretary’s argument that there is substantial evidence adequate to support his conclusion that claimant is not under a disability.”). Based upon his evaluation of the entire case record, the ALJ “may find all, only some, or none of an individual’s allegations to be credible.”
Evaluation of Symptoms in Disability Claims: Assessing the Credibility of an Individual’s Statements,
S.S.R. 96-7p, 1996 WL 374186, at *4 (July 2, 1996).
The ALJ deemed the testimony of Johnny “and his mother unconvincing, not substantiated by objective medical findings, and credible only to the extent that claimant’s impairments have not produced marked and severe limitations.” (II Appellant’s App. at 19.) “Credibility determinations are peculiarly the province of the finder of fact, and we will not upset such determinations when supported by substantial evidence.”
Diaz v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs.,
898 F.2d 774, 777 (10th Cir.1990). In the present case, we must view the ALJ’s determination with skepticism. A significant portion of the record evidence supports the testimony, and the ALJ must explain why he has determined that the testimony is not credible. Standard boilerplate language will not suffice.
Evaluation of Symptoms in Disability Claims,
1996 WL 374186, at *4 (stating that credibility determinations can not be based on intangible or intuitive reasons; rather they “must be grounded in the evidence and articulated in the determination or decision”);
see also Kepler v. Chater,
68 F.3d 387, 391 (10th Cir.1995) (stating that a credibility determination “should be closely and affirmatively linked to substantial evidence and not just a conclusion in the guise of findings” (quotation omitted)). “This documentation is necessary in order to give the individual a full and fair review of his or her claim, and in order to ensure a well-reasoned determination or decision.”
Evaluation of Symptoms in Disability Claims,
1996 WL 374186, at *4.
Without explanation, the ALJ passed over significant probative record evidence and deemed crucial testimony incredible. These errors are fatal, and we therefore REVERSE the judgment of the district court and REMAND. The district court is instructed to remand the case to the Commissioner for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.