Reinhart v. Schweiker

590 F. Supp. 78, 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16534
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Michigan
DecidedMay 21, 1984
DocketG 81-275
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 590 F. Supp. 78 (Reinhart v. Schweiker) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Reinhart v. Schweiker, 590 F. Supp. 78, 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16534 (W.D. Mich. 1984).

Opinion

OPINION

ENSLEN, District Judge.

This is an action pursuant to Section 205(g) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), seeking judicial review of a final decision of the Secretary of Health and Human Services that Plaintiff is not entitled to the establishment of a period of disability or to disability insurance benefits as provided for in Sections 216(i) and 223 of the Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 416(i) and 423.

Plaintiff initially filed an application for disability insurance benefits on July 29, 1977, alleging disability as of March 3,1977 for “back and neck.” That application was denied on August 31, 1977, and again on reconsideration in December of that year. On August 18, 1979 Plaintiff filed a second application for an alleged disability of “chronic back and neck pain,” again stating *80 the onset date as March 3, 1977. The denial of the second application was affirmed on reconsideration in March 1980, and a hearing was held before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) on November 7, 1980. In a decision dated December 5, 1980 the AU concluded that Plaintiff is not disabled; the Appeals Council denied review, making the AU’s decision the final decision of the Secretary. Plaintiff filed this action on May 28, 1981, and the case is now before the Court on cross Motions for Summary Judgment filed in August and November, 1982.

The Secretary argues that the finding of no disability based upon the Plaintiff’s first application for benefits is res judicata since denial of that application on reconsideration was never appealed. Therefore, the Secretary argues, Plaintiff cannot be found disabled for the period from March 1977 through August 31, 1977, and must prove that his condition worsened after August 31, 1977. 1 Plaintiff’s brief does not address the Secretary’s res judicata argument, but merely argues that Plaintiff should be found disabled as of the March 3, 1977 date.

The pertinent regulations provide that a reconsidered determination is final and binding unless a hearing is requested and a decision rendered. 20 CFR § 404.916 (1980). 2 Furthermore, the regulations expressly provide for the application of administrative res judicata as grounds for dismissing a hearing request, where there has been a previous determination with respect to the same facts and issues, which has become final. 20 CFR § 404.937(a). Notwithstanding these provisions which seek to ensure the finality of determinations, the regulations provide that a determination which is otherwise final may be reopened after 12 months and within 4 years from the date of notice of the initial determination, upon a finding of good cause for reopening. 20 CFR § 404.957. “Good cause” includes those cases where new and material evidence is furnished after the initial determination. 20 CFR § 404.958.

In this case, Plaintiff filed his second application well within the four year period for reopening his original 1977 application. At the second hearing, new evidence was submitted and considered by the AU in addition to medical records which had been available at the time of the initial determination. The notice of the November 7, 1980 hearing stated that it involved both the July 29, 1977 and August 18, 1979 applications. (Tr 15). Moreover, the AU proceeded to decide Plaintiff’s application on the merits dating back to Plaintiff’s alleged onset date of disability of March 3, 1977.

Under these circumstances, the second application for benefits and the 1980 hearing constituted an effective reopening of the 1977 proceedings. Wilson v. Califano, 580 F.2d 208 (CA 6 1978); Farley v. Califano, 599 F.2d 606 (CA 4 1979); Brown v. Heckler, 565 F.Supp. 72 (ED Wis 1983). These cases hold that where the proceedings on the second application have effected a reopening of the earlier claim, it is proper for the district court to review the entire claim made by the Plaintiff in the second application even though all or part of it may be the same as the original application. Likewise in this case I conclude that it is appropriate to consider (as did the AU) all of the evidence in light of Plaintiff’s claim that he has been suffering from a disability since March 3, 1977.

Plaintiff, who was 38 at the time of hearing, was injured at work in late September or early October, 1975, when he attempted to lift an extremely heavy ob *81 jeet, injuring his neck and back. (Tr 26, 44-45). At the time, Plaintiff was employed at Chrysler, where he had worked since August 1964. His past work experience includes work at Chrysler as a convey- or operator, a job setter, engine analyst, and warranty inspector. Although Plaintiff experienced difficulties with his neck and back following the 1975 incident, and was on disability leave for some time, he continued to work at Chrysler until March 3, 1977. Apparently, during that time Chrysler made efforts to accommodate Plaintiff’s exertional restrictions, but without success. At the time of hearing, Plaintiff was receiving workers compensation, a disability pension through Chrysler, and widowers social security benefits.

Plaintiff testified that he is able to take care of himself, and he is also raising his two young daughters. He testified that he can drive sometimes and is sometimes unable to drive. Plaintiff does some housework, but his children assist him a great deal, and many times he has paid teenagers to do cleaning and laundry for them. (Tr 29-30). Plaintiff testified that he does most of the cooking, although he is occasionally unable to cook because of pain, but he does not do much laundry because of the bending involved. (Tr 30). His activities include physical therapy three times a week at the hospital; he also will stop in at a coffee shop, works on chores around the house at his own pace, attends AA meetings, visits relatives and occasionally plays cribbage with his father. (Tr 30).

According to the Plaintiff he lives with pain 24 hours a day (Tr 25), and he takes muscle relaxants and arthritis pills every morning and every night. (Tr 25-26, 31). He states that he experiences pain from the neck down, and to the left knee with swelling in the upper thigh if he engages in strenuous activity. In that ease, he stays off his feet for a few days in order for the swelling to go down. (Tr 27-28).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
590 F. Supp. 78, 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16534, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reinhart-v-schweiker-miwd-1984.