Griggs v. Schweiker

545 F. Supp. 475, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14199
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. West Virginia
DecidedAugust 17, 1982
DocketCiv. A. 81-1041
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 545 F. Supp. 475 (Griggs v. Schweiker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Griggs v. Schweiker, 545 F. Supp. 475, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14199 (S.D.W. Va. 1982).

Opinion

*477 MEMORANDUM ORDER

KIDD, District Judge.

This is an action under Section 205(g) of the Social Security Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) and § 1383(c)(3), (hereinafter “the Act”), to review a final decision of the Secretary of Health & Human Services (hereinafter “Secretary”), which denied plaintiff’s claim for a period of disability, disability insurance benefits, and supplemental security income.

Plaintiff applied for disability insurance benefits on April 17, 1979. He was denied benefits by the State Agency and he requested reconsideration. Upon a second denial, after reconsideration, plaintiff filed a request for a hearing. At the hearing which took place on November 20,1980, the plaintiff was present with his attorney. A vocational expert was also called upon to testify. The administrative law judge, upon finding that the plaintiff suffered no severe impairment, affirmed denial of benefits. The Appeals Council denied the request for a review, thus making the hearing decision the final decision of the Secretary. Plaintiff filed suit here on May 5, 1981.

The Court’s function on review is limited to determining whether there is substantial evidence in the record, considered as a whole, to support the findings of the Secretary. 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). For the reasons set forth herein, the Court is of the opinion that there is not substantial evidence to support the decision of the Secretary and that this case must be remanded.

Plaintiff was born on July 7,1951 and has a sixth grade education. Plaintiff claims that he became disabled in February of 1978 as a consequence of the combined effects of back problems, lungs, stomach, heart and nerves.

Disability is defined in the Social Security Act as:

“(A) inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months or (B) blindness.”

42 U.S.C.A. §§ 416(i)(l), 423(d)(1).

When making a finding as to plaintiff’s ability or inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity, there are four elements of proof to be considered. They are: (1) medical data and findings, (2) expert medical opinions, (3) subjective complaints, and (4) plaintiff’s age, educational background, and work history. Underwood v. Ribicoff, 298 F.2d 850 (4th Cir. 1962). However, under the regulations, if a claimant has an impairment or impairments which meet or equal those listed in Appendix 1 to Sub-part P of the Social Security Regulations, a finding of disability shall be made without consideration of the vocational factors. 20 C.F.R. § 404.1503(d). The plaintiff has the burden of proving that he is disabled. Blalock v. Richardson, 483 F.2d 773 (4th Cir. 1972).

It is not the mere presence of an impairment or impairments that determines disability but rather the effect the impairment or impairments have upon the individual in his ability to perform substantial gainful activity. Thomas v. Celebrezze, 331 F.2d 541 (4th Cir. 1969). In evaluating effects of various impairments upon a disability benefit claimant, the Secretary may not fragmentize them, but must treat them in combination. Hicks v. Gardner, 393 F.2d 299 (4th Cir. 1968). Disability may result from a number of impairments which, taken separately, might not be disabling, but whose total effect, taken together, is to render claimant unable to engage in substantial gainful activity. Bass v. Celebrezze, 238 F.Supp. 355 (D.C.S.C.1969).

TESTIMONY

As previously stated, only the plaintiff and a vocational expert testified at the administrative hearing.

The plaintiff’s testimony reveals that when he was 16 years of age, and in the sixth grade, he quit school and moved to Illinois to live and work at odd jobs with his step-father. After a time, he returned to *478 West Virginia and became employed as a service station attendant. He engaged in service station work between 1972 until the time of the onset of his alleged disability.

The plaintiff stated that he has had no special training but did say that he possesses a “preacher’s license’’ and preached for about one and one-half years, both before a congregation and on the radio. He said that it was too expensive to continue radio preaching and he became too nervous to preach before a congregation.

The first time the plaintiff began experiencing medical problems was in 1976 when he started having difficulty with his stomach. Thereafter, he developed a problem with his nerves and began having breathing difficulties.

With regard to nervousness, the plaintiff testified that, “the depression that I get and the nervousness that I get I do — sometimes it does cause me to cry.” Tr. at 38. He also said that he has thought of suicide since his father’s death, and other documents and recitals in the record indicate that the plaintiff’s mental problems began after the plaintiff’s father was killed in a trailer fire. The most revealing testimony regarding his nerves is as follows:

“... I get nervous and shakey if I’m around where there’s a lot of noise and sometimes I get tense with my family and at times I can’t hardly get along with them. I just, you know, get mad and grouchy over things I shouldn’t, you know, it shouldn’t happen. And my nerve pills I take them and it helps calm me down most of the times, you know, that I do get nervous — real nervous, I usually get off by myself somewhere where it is peace and quiet and it seems like the nerve pills, you know, does help calm me down. It takes care of — helps take care of the problems that I’ve got.” Tr. at 36-37.

The “nerve pills” that he alludes to include Valium.

The plaintiff also testified that a brother has mental problems which cause periodic hospitalization. The Court also notes that a clinical psychologist determined, from interview, that four of the plaintiff’s eight siblings are disabled, as is his step-father. Exhibit 25.

When questioned by his counsel about whether he had breathing problems, the plaintiff stated:

“Yes, sir, sometimes if — it depends on, you know, what I do. If — if I walk a certain extent, I do breathe hard.

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Bluebook (online)
545 F. Supp. 475, 1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14199, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/griggs-v-schweiker-wvsd-1982.