Record failed to contain sufficient evidence to support ALJ’s denial of claimant’s application for Social Security disability benefits based on series of injuries to claimant’s leg, hip and ankle that caused claimant to experience severe pain that precluded him from working, even though ALJ adopted vocational expert’s opinion that claimant could do certain unskilled sedentary work. While certain medical records indicated that plaintiff had experienced improvement in condition of his leg and ankle, two physicians testified that plaintiff was still in severe pain at time of hearing, and plaintiff further indicated that he could walk only short distances. Ct. also criticized vocational expert for failing to identify precise jobs (or precise number of said jobs) that claimant could perform with his limitations.
Federal 7th Circuit Court
Civil Court
Social Security