Filed: Jan. 24, 2002
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: F I L E D United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS JAN 24 2002 FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT PATRICK FISHER Clerk FRANK TWIST, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. No. 01-5072 (D.C. No. 99-CV-996-M) LARRY G. MASSANARI, (N.D. Okla.) Commissioner of Social Security Administration, Defendant-Appellee. ORDER AND JUDGMENT * Before EBEL , KELLY , and BRISCOE , Circuit Judges. After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined unanimously to grant the parties’ requ
Summary: F I L E D United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS JAN 24 2002 FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT PATRICK FISHER Clerk FRANK TWIST, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. No. 01-5072 (D.C. No. 99-CV-996-M) LARRY G. MASSANARI, (N.D. Okla.) Commissioner of Social Security Administration, Defendant-Appellee. ORDER AND JUDGMENT * Before EBEL , KELLY , and BRISCOE , Circuit Judges. After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined unanimously to grant the parties’ reque..
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F I L E D
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
JAN 24 2002
FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT
PATRICK FISHER
Clerk
FRANK TWIST,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v. No. 01-5072
(D.C. No. 99-CV-996-M)
LARRY G. MASSANARI, (N.D. Okla.)
Commissioner of Social Security
Administration,
Defendant-Appellee.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT *
Before EBEL , KELLY , and BRISCOE , Circuit Judges.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously to grant the parties’ request for a decision on the briefs without oral
argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(f); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore
ordered submitted without oral argument.
*
This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the
doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court
generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order
and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
Plaintiff Frank Twist appeals from an order of the district court affirming
the Commissioner’s determination that he is not entitled to Social Security
disability benefits. We affirm.
We review the Commissioner’s decision to determine whether his factual
findings were supported by substantial evidence in light of the entire record and
to determine whether he applied the correct legal standards. See Castellano v.
Sec’y of Health & Human Servs.,
26 F.3d 1027, 1028 (10th Cir. 1994).
“Substantial evidence is such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept
as adequate to support a conclusion.”
Id. (quotations omitted). In the course of
our review, we may “neither reweigh the evidence nor substitute our judgment for
that of the agency.” Casias v. Sec’y of Health & Human Servs.,
933 F.2d 799,
800 (10th Cir. 1991).
Mr. Twist alleged disability as of May 20, 1996, due to complications from
diabetes, which he has had for forty-six years . The administrative law judge
(ALJ) determined that Mr. Twist was not disabled at step two of the five-step
sequential process, see Williams v. Bowen,
844 F.2d 748, 750-52 (10th Cir.
1988), holding he did not have a severe impairment because none of his
impairments “significantly limit[ed] his ability to perform basic work-related
activities . . . .” App. Vol. II at 17.
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On appeal, Mr. Twist argues that the ALJ erred in denying benefits at step
two because this court has declared step two invalid. He also contends he cannot
return to his past relevant work as a teacher .
As defendant notes, Mr. Twist did not raise his argument regarding the
alleged invalidity of step two to the district court. Therefore, we may not review
it. See Crow v. Shalala ,
40 F.3d 323, 324 (10th Cir. 1994). Further, this
argument is without merit. See Bowen v. Yuckert,
482 U.S. 137, 154 (1987).
Mr. Twist’s argument that he cannot perform his past relevant work is
irrelevant at step two. At step two, the claimant bears the burden to demonstrate
an impairment or combination of impairments that significantly limits his ability
to do basic work activities. See 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(c). The step two severity
determination is based on medical factors alone , and “does not include
consideration of such vocational factors as age, education, and work experience .”
Williams , 844 F.2d at 750 (emphasis added). Instead, “the claimant must make a
threshold showing that his medically determinable impairment or combination of
impairments significantly limits his ability to do basic work activities . . . .”
Id.
at 751 . While we have characterized this showing as “de minimis,” see Hawkins
v. Chater ,
113 F.3d 1162, 1169 (10th Cir. 1997) , the mere presence of a condition
or ailment documented in the record is not sufficient to prove that the plaintiff is
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significantly limited in the ability to do basic work activities, see Hinkle v. Apfel ,
132 F.3d 1349, 1352 (10th Cir. 1997). 1
Mr. Twist alleged complications from uncontrolled diabetes, including
trigger finger, thyromegally, retinopathy, and peripheral vascular disease, as well
as pain, prevented him from performing his past relevant work. The ALJ
determined that Mr. Twist’s testimony was not fully credible because the record
did not contain objective findings supporting his complaints. Our review of the
record supports the ALJ’s determination. The record contains no evidence that
Mr. Twist complained of, or received treatment for, his complaints aside from
being treated successfully for trigger finger. He takes pain medication for
headaches and Prozac for depression, but has received no psychiatric treatment
for depression. His treating physician noted several times that his health was
good and he was doing well. See App., Vol. II at 173 ( “Generally, I feel that
you’re doing well,” as of March 1997);
id. at 191 ( “Overall I feel that your health
is very good” as of January 1996).
1
Nor is there any requirement that the plaintiff be able to perform his past
work activity. Mr. Twist testified that he was working full time as a library clerk
for a university. The ALJ did not rest his determination on this fact, as Mr. Twist
did not present evidence that his employment met the requirements for substantial
gainful activity.
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The record contains substantial evidence to support the ALJ’s
determination. Therefore, we AFFIRM the judgment of the United States District
Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
Entered for the Court
Paul J. Kelly, Jr.
Circuit Judge
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