Frank DeCHIRICO, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. John J. CALLAHAN, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Defendant-Appellee

134 F.3d 1177, 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 1024
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedJanuary 26, 1998
Docket248, Docket 97-6026
StatusPublished
Cited by266 cases

This text of 134 F.3d 1177 (Frank DeCHIRICO, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. John J. CALLAHAN, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Defendant-Appellee) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Frank DeCHIRICO, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. John J. CALLAHAN, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Defendant-Appellee, 134 F.3d 1177, 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 1024 (2d Cir. 1998).

Opinions

Judge MESKILL concurs in part and dissents in part in a separate opinion.

CALABRESI, Circuit Judge:

Is a leg amputation a per se disabling condition under the Social Security Regulations, 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(d) & Pt. 404, Subpt. P, App. 1, § 1.10, if the amputee cannot reasonably obtain a properly fitting prosthesis that will allow the wearer to walk without an “obligatory assistive device” such as a cane? We conclude that it is. Because, however, the plaintiff did not meet his burden of showing that he was in fact unable to obtain a properly fitting prosthesis, we affirm the denial of benefits.

Background

Frank DeChirico is a thirty-eight year old man who received disability benefits for over nine years following a 1981 motorcycle accident in which he sustained injuries that ultimately resulted in the amputation of the lower portion of his left leg. He now wears a prosthetic limb. In 1990, DeChirico’s benefits were terminated because he was incarcerated. See 20 C.F.R. § 416.1325 (providing for suspension of benefits to a recipient who is a resident of a “public institution”); 20 C.F.R. § 416.1335 (providing for termination of benefits following twelve consecutive months of benefit suspension). On November 24, 1992, just prior to his release from prison, DeChirico reapplied for disability benefits.

Following a hearing, the administrative law judge (“ALJ”) determined that DeChiri-eo was not disabled, and denied his application. The ALJ made the following factual findings: (1) DeChirico had not worked since the late 1970’s (prior to his accident). (2) He suffered from a “severe” impairment — the leg amputation — but “[did] not have an impairment or combination of impairments listed in, or medically equal to one listed in” the Social Security regulations defining per se disabling conditions.1 (3) His “subjective testimony as to ‘disabling’ ... impairment [was] not supported by objective medical evidence and [was] therefore not credible in establishing [a] ‘disability.’ ” (4) He has the residual functional capacity “to perform the full range of ‘sedentary’ and ‘light’ work.” (5) His age falls into the category of “younger” under the regulations. (6) He has a high school equivalency degree. And (7) he is not “disabled.”

The Appeals Council denied DeChirico’s request for review, thereby making the ALJ’s ruling the final decision of the Commissioner. See Perez v. Chater, 77 F.3d 41, 44 (2d Cir.1996); 20 C.F.R. §§ 404.981, 416.1481. DeChirico then appealed the decision in the district court (Eugene H. Nickerson, Judge), which granted the Commissioner’s motion for judgment on the pleadings and dismissed the action. DeChirico now appeals that ruling, arguing (1) that the ALJ erred in concluding that he was not disabled per se; (2) that the ALJ also erred in failing to subpoena DeChirico’s Social Security file from the nine-year period when (prior to being incarcerated) DeChirico was receiving disability benefits; and (3) that there was insufficient evidence to support the ALJ’s conclusion that DeChirico was capable of performing sedentary or light work.

Discussion

I. The Applicability of Listing § 1.10

The Social Security regulations establish a five-step process for evaluating disability claims:

First, the [Commissioner] considers whether the claimant is currently engaged in substantial gainful activity. If he is not, the [Commissioner] next considers whether the claimant has a “severe impairment” which significantly limits his physical or mental ability to do basic work activities. If the claimant suffers such an impairment, the third inquiry is whether, based solely on medical evidence, the claimant has an impairment which is listed in Appendix 1 [1180]*1180of the regulations. If the claimant has such an impairment, the [Commissioner] will consider him disabled without considering vocational factors such as age, education, and work experience; the [Commissioner] presumes that a claimant who is afflicted with a "listed" impairment is unable to perform substantial gainful activity. Assuming the claimant does not have a listed impairment, the fourth inquiry is whether, despite the claimant's severe impairment, he has the residual functional capacity to perform his past work. Finally, if the claimant is unable to perform his past work, the [Commissioner] then determines whether there is other work which the claimant could perform.... [T]he claimant bears the burden of proof as to the first four steps, while the [Commissioner] must prove the final one.

Berry v. Schweiker, 675 F.2d 464, 467 (2d Cir.1982).

The AU in this case determined that De-Chirico was not performing substantial gainful activity and that his amputation constituted a "severe impairment." Thus, De-Chirico's claim survived the first two steps of the inquiry. The AU concluded, however, that DeChirico could not be deemed per se disabled at step three because his severe impairment did not quali~r under Listing § 1.10. Having so determined, the AU then went on to find that DeChirico had no past relevant work (step four), but that he could perforrh "sedentary" or "light" work (step five). DeChirico argued on appeal to the district court, and again in this court, that the AU erred in failing to find him per se disabled at step three, which would have made him eligible for benefits regardless of steps four and five.

The Social Security regulations list certain impairments, any of which is sufficient, at step three, to create an irrebuttable presumption of disability. See 20 C.F.R. §~ 404.1520(d), 416.920(d); see also id. at Pt. 404, Subpt. P, App. 1 (listing of per se disabling conditions). The regulations also provide for a finding of such a disability per se if an individual has an impairment that is "equal to" a listed impairment. See id. § 404.1520(d) ("If you have an impairment(s) which is listed in appendix 1 or is equal to a listed impairment(s), we will find you disabled without considering your age, education, and work experience.").

Persons who, like DeChirico, have leg amputations at or above the tarsal region (i.e., the ankle) are disabled per se if they meet any of a number of other criteria specified in the regulations. See id. at Pt. 404, Subpt. P, App. 1, § 1.10 ("Listing § 1.10"). The only "listed" criterion relevant to this case is:

C. Inability to use a prosthesis effectively, without obligatory assistive devices, due to one of the following:
3. Stump too short or stump complications persistent, or are expected to per- • sist, for at least 12 months from onset.

Listing § 1.10.C.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
134 F.3d 1177, 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 1024, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/frank-dechirico-plaintiff-appellant-v-john-j-callahan-acting-ca2-1998.