Monday, August 21, 2006

disability - ALJ decision - findings and reasons

Woodson v. Barnhart - ED Pa. - August 14, 2006

http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/06D1039P.pdf

The ALJ's SSD/SSI decision was upheld concerning a) rejection of the treating physician's opinion and b) the evaluation of the claimant's credibility, but the case was remanded because the ALJ "failed to specifically evaluate" the claimant's subjective complaints of "severe fatigue," about which the ALJ made only the general statements that the claimant's testimony about this was "exaggerated." The "ALJ is obligated to provide reasons for his...findings -- supported by record evidence -- that are sufficiendtly specific to show the ALJ's reasoning and the weight he gave to teh Plaintiff's statements...According, I must remand this case to the ALJ for reconsideration and a clear and logical statement of the facts supporting his conclusions."