Doctorman v. Weinberger

417 F. Supp. 26, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17254
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Oklahoma
DecidedJanuary 9, 1976
DocketNo. 75-99-C
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 417 F. Supp. 26 (Doctorman v. Weinberger) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Doctorman v. Weinberger, 417 F. Supp. 26, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17254 (E.D. Okla. 1976).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

DAUGHERTY, District Judge.

Plaintiff brings this action under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) for judicial review of the Defendant’s final administrative decision that he is not entitled to be paid “black lung” disability benefits under Title IV of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as amended, 30 U.S.C. §§ 901 et seq. 30 U.S.C. § 922 incorporates 42 U.S.C. § 405(g).

Title IV is designed, in part, to provide for the payment of benefits to miners who are totally disabled by pneumoconiosis. Two basic programs are established by Title IV. Part B which is involved herein is administered by the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. Its purpose is to provide payments to miners who became disabled before the Act was passed. Benefits under Part B are paid out of the Federal Treasury. Part C is administered by the Secretary of Labor. Its purpose is to provide benefits to miners who become disabled by pneumoconiosis after the cut off date for Part B, June 30,1973. The cost of Part C is to be borne by the responsible coal mine operators.

Congress has set out guidelines in Title IV but has provided that the Secretary shall promulgate regulations for the administration of the program therein established. 30 U.S.C. § 921. The Act defines pneumoconiosis as a chronic dust disease of the lung arising out of employment in the Nation’s coal mines. 30 U.S.C. § 902(b). The term total disability is to have the meaning given to it by the Secretary’s regulations except that a miner shall be considered to be totally disabled by pneumoconiosis when pneumoconiosis prevents him [28]*28from engaging in gainful employment requiring skills and abilities comparable to those of any employment in a coal mine in which he previously engaged with some regularity and over a substantial period of time. 30 U.S.C. § 923(f).

The Secretary’s regulations are found in 20 C.F.R. §§ 410.401 et seq. (20 C.F.R. § 410, hereinafter omitted). Under these regulations a living miner must, in order to establish entitlement to benefits, submit evidence showing that he is a coal miner, that he is totally disabled due to pneumoconiosis, and that his pneumoconiosis arose out of employment in the Nation’s coal mines. § 410(b). The regulations provide two avenues through which a miner may establish entitlement to benefits. Interim standards are set out in § 490 and permanent criteria are set out in §§ 401, et seq.

Under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) the Secretary’s decision must be affirmed if supported by substantial evidence. Substantial evidence is such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion. Richardson v. Perales, 402 U.S. 389, 91 S.Ct. 1420, 28 L.Ed.2d 842 (1971). In conducting this review the Court is required to examine the facts contained in the administrative record, evaluate the conflicts, and make a determination therefrom whether the facts support the several elements which make up the ultimate administrative decision. Heber Valley Milk Company v. Butz, 503 F.2d 96 (Tenth Cir. 1974).

In this case the ultimate administrative decision is the Decision of the Appeals Council. (Tr. 5-12). The Appeals Council found that:

“The preponderance of the medical and other relevant evidence does not establish, prior to July 1,1973, the presence of pneumoconiosis or a totally disabling chronic respiratory or pulmonary disease presumed to be pneumoconiosis.
The preponderance of medical and other relevant evidence of record does not establish, prior to July 1, 1973 the existence of a chronic respiratory or pulmonary impairment which would prevent the claimant from engaging in his usual coal mine employment or other comparable gainful work.”

Thus, the Appeals Council found that Plaintiff failed to satisfy the second prong of three prong entitlement test set out in § 410(b), that he is totally disabled due to pneumoconiosis.

The evidence shows that Plaintiff was born in 1912 and that he has five years of education. (Tr. 47). Plaintiff filed his application for benefits on October 8, 1970 (Tr. 47-50). The application was denied at the various administrative levels. Plaintiff then requested a hearing, and upon de novo consideration of his case the Administrative Law Judge granted Plaintiff’s application. (Tr. 16-19). However, upon review, the Appeals Council reversed and denied Plaintiff’s application (Tr. 5-12).

An X-ray of Plaintiff’s chest taken on February 4, 1971 was interpreted as showing slight medial lung fibrosis with nodular fibrosis, category I-p by a Dr. Brown. (Tr. 65). A subsequent interpretation, apparently of the same X-ray, by a Dr. Moorman was completely negative for pneumoconiosis. (Tr. 71). A pulmonary function study performed by Dr. Brown showed Plaintiff’s FEVi = 2.6 liters and MVV = 29 liters per minute (Tr. 66-69). This test was rejected by the Social Security Administration because less than three tests were run; however, the Administration did consider the test as sufficient to establish a minimum FEV1 of 2.6 L. (Tr. 80).

An X-ray of Plaintiff’s chest taken on June 22,1973 was interpreted as completely negative for pneumoconiosis by two Public Health Service doctors (Tr. 82, 83). On August 2, 1973 a Dr. Norman examined Plaintiff at the McAlester Clinic. No cyanosis, dependent edema or cough was evident. There was no dyspena at rest. A pulmonary function study performed at this time showed FEVi = 1.05 L. and MW 38 L. min. Dr. Norman stated that Plaintiff clinically did not appear to have the marked degree of pulmonary insufficiency that was indicated by this study. (Tr. 73-79). This [29]*29study was also rejected by the Administration on the basis that less than three tests had been run. (Tr. 80).

On January 12, 1974 Plaintiff underwent another pulmonary function study. This test showed FEV1 = 1.65 L. and MW 47 L.m. (Tr. 85-90). This test was rejected by the Administration because the FEV curves showed characteristics of submaximal effort. (Tr. 105). On October 9, 1974 Plaintiff was examined by Dr. Turner Bynum. (Tr. 96-102). Examination showed a well developed male 62 years of age. Lungs were negative to percussion and auscultation. X-rays showed all indicators within normal limits. FEVi = 2.00 L. and MW = 63 L/m. Dr. Bynum concluded that these readings showed normal ventilatory capacity considering the guarded cooperation Plaintiff was able to give.

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Bluebook (online)
417 F. Supp. 26, 1976 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17254, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/doctorman-v-weinberger-oked-1976.