Childress v. Colvin

Record failed to support ALJ’s denial of claimant’s application for Social Security disability benefits based on his congestive heart failure condition, COPD, obesity, hypertension and dyspnea. While ALJ disbelieved testimony from claimant’s two treating physicians that claimant was totally disabled from gainful employment because, according to ALJ, said physicians had given evidence concerning claimant’s activities that contradicted his medical record, said physicians’ testimony that claimant could walk 30 minutes per day did not negate claimant’s need to sleep at work for 3 hours per day, which would preclude him from obtaining gainful employment. Fact that claimant had worked as part-time cook for three-month period did not mean that he could perform full-time gainful employment, where record failed to contain details surrounding said employment and why he left his job. Moreover, testimonies of treating physicians were entitled to considerable weight, while testimonies of non-treating physicians, who believed that claimant could perform full-time gainful employment, were based on incomplete medical record.